With special election victory, McClellan makes history

To know that I could be the first black woman from the same district that sent the first black man to Congress over 130 years ago, just particularly warms my heart. That was Virginia State Senator Jennifer McClellan two months ago, remarking on the prospect of potentially making history today. And now with the vast majority of the vote in, NBC News can project that Jennifer McClellan will be the winner of today's special election in Virginia's fourth congressional district. McClellan will be the first, the first black woman to represent the state of Virginia in the U.S. Congress, something that is long overdue. She will succeed Congressman Don McEachin, who died just a few weeks after winning reelection in November's midterms.

McClellan fended off election denier Republican Leon Benjamin, who previously lost twice to Congressman McEachin. The Trump supporter had refused to concede the race back in November, despite losing by 30 points, which means McClellan's win tonight isn't just a victory for more representative governance. It is also a victory for democracy.

Alex Wagner