RICHMOND, Va. (Legal Newsline) -- Republicans look poised to remain in control of the Virginia Attorney General's Office.
According to the Virginia Board of Elections' website late Tuesday night, state Sen. Mark Obenshain, a Republican, held a narrow lead over fellow state Sen. Mark Herring, a Democrat.
With 99.45 percent of the state's precincts reporting -- or 2,527 of 2,541 -- Obenshain had 50.18 percent of the vote, or 1,062,099 votes.
Herring had 49.62 percent, or 1,050,218 votes.
Obenshain is the son of former Virginia Republican Committee Chairman Richard Obenshain, who ran for Congress in 1964, state attorney general in 1969 and U.S. Senate in 1978.
Richard Obenshain won the GOP nomination in the 1978 contest. However, while returning home from a campaign trip, he died in a plane crash near his home in Chesterfield County. The GOP nominated John Warner, the eventual winner, to succeed him.
Republicans have won the previous five elections for Virginia attorney general.
The winner of Tuesday's election will take over for Republican Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, who lost to Democrat Terry McAuliffe in the race for governor.
From Legal Newsline: Reach Jessica Karmasek by email at jessica@legalnewsline.com.
Va. AG race still close; Republican Obenshain leading
