( VIRGINIA MERCURY ) - Virginia House Speaker Don Scott on Tuesday set a Jan. 6 special election in House District 77, hours after Del. Mike Jones, D-Richmond, resigned his seat following his win in the Democratic firehouse primary for the open Senate District 15.

Jones’ resignation creates a fast-moving contest in a district that spans parts of Richmond and Chesterfield County — and one that Democrats are eager to hold after expanding their House majority to 63 seats last month.

The Senate seat Jones is seeking was vacated by Lt. Gov.-elect Ghazala Hashmi. And although he still faces Republican John Thomas — also on Jan. 6 — the district is widely viewed as safe Democratic. That political reality likely contributed to Jones stepping down early, giving Democrats time to mount a

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