As for next year’s midterm elections, Stephen Farnsworth, a political analyst and professor at the University of Mary Washington, said the primary variable going in will be President Donald Trump’s performance.

“One never knows what happens in a presidential administration,” Farnsworth said. “President Trump’s fortunes might get even worse if there’s an economic or international crisis, and they might get much better if he’s able to become more successful in policy making.

“If you’re a Republican right now looking at a competitive congressional election, your best hope is the turn of the next card.”

The unpopularity of the Republican president was not lost on Taylor at the Gillespie election night party in Henrico County. He did numerous interviews with reporters there saying the Democratic landslide was a backlash against Trump and his rhetoric.

“I don’t know how you get around that this was a referendum on the president,” Taylor said “I don’t know how you get around it.

“The divisive rhetoric from the top contributed to a very high turnout.”