Republicans across Virginia breathed a sigh of relief when moments ago a random draw determined that Republican David Yancey would keep his seat in the Virginia House of Delegates after a state official pulled his name out of a bowl Thursday, deciding a contest that ended in a tie in November. As a result of nothing more than luck, the GOP will also keep control of the chamber. Or, as https://twitter.com/NOD008/status/948952127883366401!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)?'http':'https';if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+"://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,"script","twitter-wjs");, "welcome to 2018 where a $9.99 product from Crate & Barrel determines elections…" JUST IN: Virginia Board of Elections randomly chooses Republican David Yancey as winner of previously tied Virginia House of Delegates race pic.twitter.com/wKUvwZX4CG — NBC News (@NBCNews) https://twitter.com/NBCNews/status/948950587588128769?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)?'http':'https';if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+"://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,"script","twitter-wjs"); The draw took place after Yancey and Democrat Shelly Simonds each received 11,608 votes in their Newport News-based district. Initial results showed Yancey leading by just ten votes. A recount gave Simonds a one-vote edge. But Republicans challenged a single ballot, resulting in a tie, the Hill reported. Democrats sued to overturn the challenge, but on Wednesday a three-judge panel rejected their complaint. That led to Thursday’s drawing, in Richmond, out of a special bowl crafted by the resident potter at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. The lucky draw has major implications as Yancey would be the 51st Republican in the 100-member House of Delegates. Before November’s elections, Republicans held 66 seats. But Democrats put up a surprisingly strong showing, netting 15 Republican-held seats — and coming within a single vote of claiming a tie. Virginia state law allows the loser of the draw to request a second recount. Simonds said Wednesday she would not request a second recount if she lost the drawing. Yancey declined to make the same pledge, although luckily he wont have to.