By Jeremy M. Lazarus

Veteran Richmond Delegate Jennifer L. McClellan will be moving up to the state Senate.

As expected, the 44-year-old corporate lawyer and Democrat overwhelmed her opponent, Corey M. Fauconier, a Libertarian Party member, by a 9-1 margin in Tuesday’s special election for the Senate seat previously held by Congressman A. Donald McEachin, a Democrat now representing the 4th District.

Unofficial results show Delegate McClellan received 7,847 votes to 691 for Mr. Fauconier in race for the 9th Senate District seat.

The district includes northern and eastern parts of Richmond, a big swatch of Henrico County, Ashland and a sliver of Hanover County and all of Charles City County.

However, Lynchburg attorney Mark Peake ensured Republicans will retain control of the 40-seat Senate by a 21-19 margin when he won a three-way race for a vacant seat to represent the Lynchburg area.

Democrat Ryant Washington, a former Fluvanna County sheriff, raised more money, but Mr. Peake garnered 52 percent of the vote to beat him and independent Joseph C. Hines in the race to replace now 5th District GOP Congressman Thomas Garrett.

The winners, though, will have to wait to take their seats until the state Board of Elections certifies the results, which is expected to happen Wednesday, Jan. 18. The delay is because of state holidays on Friday and Monday.

Delegate McClellan, however, was back in the House of Delegates on Wednesday when the General Assembly opened its new session.

At her victory party Tuesday night at The Speakeasy in the Hippodrome Theater complex, she said she is excited by the new opportunity.

Before the gathering of about 100 people, she thanked her family, staff and supporters, including Richmond Mayor Levar M. Stoney, legislative colleagues and members of Richmond City Council and the School Board.

She pledged to work across party lines where possible, but stand against proposals that would be damaging.

She said her main purpose would be to advocate for the children of the 9th District, particularly on education issues.

Growing up, she said her late father told her, “We can’t leave you an inheritance, but we can provide you with an education that will allow you to make it on your own.”

Delegate McClellan said too many children “who are just as smart as I was, just as capable as I was, just as ambitious as I was, do not, for one reason or another, have the same educational opportunities that I did.”

She said ensuring that all of the children “have the same educational opportunities that I did” is an unquenched passion.