'It's not going to be as bad as some people think': Local delegates weigh in on flip of power in House of Delegates

LYNCHBURG, Va. (WSET) — Our local lawmakers are reacting to the shift in the balance of power in the House of Delegates. After a shake-up on Election Night, democrats now control both chambers.

"It's not going to be as bad as some people think," said Republican 52nd district delegate Wendell Walker.

Both Walker and Sam Rasoul, democratic delegate for the 11th district, said they are ready to get to work for Virginia.

"90% of what we work on is really just trying to find the best policy," Rasoul said.

"Politics is over with. It's legislation we look forward to," Walker explained.

SEE ALSO: 'It requires all of us': Gov. Youngkin on working with Dems newly in control of Va. House, Senate

In order to get legislation passed, both Rasoul and Walker agree lawmakers will have to work together.

" As long as we keep good relationships, I certainly worked well with the Governor's team in the past, looking forward to doing that, trying to craft bipartisan solutions that will work for all of us," Rasoul said.

"Since we already have that working relationship on the other side, you're going to probably find more issues we agree on than we disagree on," Walker said.

As for those issues, they believe they can compromise on:

"The school issues. The public safety issues. This is what everybody cares about," said Walker.

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"Education. Mental health and trying to do everything that we can to help small businesses," Rasoul explained.

However, some of the more hot-button issues, like abortion, are a different story. Political expert and Chair of the University of Lynchburg Political Science Department, Dr. David Richards, said the future of those issues in the upcoming session is going to fall in Gov. Youngkin's hands.

"What is he going to do? Where does he go from here? Does he become a more moderate candidate? Does he try to find consensus issues with the democrats that he can get passed and then he can say, 'Look, I have a track record,' or does he fight the democrats on everything," Dr. Richards said.