Plaskett-Potter Win Democratic Primary
Early returns from the U.S. Virgin Islands show the Stacey E. Plaskett–Milton E. Potter ticket leading the Democratic primary for governor, with votes still to be added from early voting. In the concurrent Delegate-to-Congress contest to replace Plaskett, Janelle K. Sarauw leads as final tallies are awaited.
Virgin Islands Democratic primary show the Stacey E. Potter gubernatorial ticket in the lead, according to reporting by Virgin Islands News Online. The Plaskett/Potter ticket received 3,169 votes in returns reported for votes cast today only. Francis with 2,253 votes, and Donna Frett-Gregory and Rodney Moorehead with 1,393 votes.
Officials and media have cautioned that these figures do not yet include early voting totals, which are expected to be added before final results and certification. Historically in the USVI, winning the Democratic primary has been a strong predictor of victory in the November general election due to the territory's Democratic-leaning electorate.
Plaskett, who currently serves as the U.S. Virgin Islands Delegate to Congress, is widely expected to face a slate of independent candidates in the November 2026 general election and is favoured to prevail should the primary lead hold. The primary also produced a competitive race to succeed Plaskett in Congress.
Sarauw led with 3,548 votes; Delia Smith followed with 2,141; Teri Helenese had 556; Emmett Hansen 356; and write-ins totaled 15. Those totals amounted to 6,616 votes cast in the Delegate contest as reported in the early returns. Local political commentator Julian Willock called the primary outcome "history for the Greater Virgin Islands," adding he expects the longstanding relationship between the U.S.
Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands — rooted in shared history, family ties, culture, traditions, and economic connections — to continue under a Plaskett administration. For residents of the British Virgin Islands, the result is notable for regional cooperation implications: a new USVI governor from the closely connected Virgin Islands community could affect emergency coordination, inter-island travel arrangements, tourism promotion, and cross-border economic initiatives.
Election officials will finalize totals after all early and absentee ballots are counted and results certified. Until then, the returns reported provide a clear early picture but are not yet the official final count.
Primary source: VINO