House Speaker Bill Howell, R--Stafford, defeated Independent Green candidate Craig Ennis for the 28th House of Delegates seat, with 75 percent of the vote.

Howell, who has represented the district since 1988, attributed his victory to experience and accessibility.

"I've worked hard to try and make Stafford and Fredericksburg a better place to live and work and I think the people recognize that," Howell said.

Del. Ed Scott, R-Culpeper, also captured 75 percent of the vote to turn aside independent Matt Carson in the 30th District race.

Several other area Republican delegates were uncontested: Mark Cole of Spotsylvania; Bobby Orrock of Caroline and Christopher Peace of Hanover.

Their victories helped Republicans begin to build back a stronghold in the House.

The GOP had seen its majority steadily shrink since peaking at 64 of 100 House seats after redistricting in 2001. Democrats had gained 11 seats in elections since then, leaving them just six shy of regaining the House majority they lost a decade ago.

Democrats hoped the momentum from President Barack Obama's victory in Virginia last year would carry over to this election. Those hopes waned along with the popularity of Obama and the Democratic Congress, and polls showing Republicans well ahead in Virginia's three statewide races suggested it was the GOP that was most likely to gain House seats.

Sensing that this was their year to bolster their majority, Republicans targeted several first-term Democrats they viewed as vulnerable in GOP-friendly districts in Hampton Roads, Fairfax County and Southwestern Virginia. Democrats also went after a handful of Republican incumbents they deemed vulnerable.

The number of seats in play and the election's high stakes--the winners will have a major say in redrawing legislative and congressional districts after the 2010 census--resulted in more contested races than usual: 69. Eleven were for open seats. Fifty-eight incumbents, evenly divided between Democrats and Republicans, faced challengers.

History suggested that the vast majority of incumbents would get additional two-year terms. In the seven House elections dating back to 1995, the percentage of incumbents winning re-election ranged from 95.1 in the big GOP year of 2001 to 98.9 in 2003, according to an analysis by the nonprofit and nonpartisan Virginia Public Access Project.

VPAP, the watchdog of money in state politics, also reported that the 2009 House election is on track to be the most expensive ever, eclipsing the $32.9 million spent two years ago. Candidates had spent $29.7 million through Oct. 21. Final numbers will not be available until January.

The 40-member Senate, controlled by Democrats, is up for election in 2011.