The U.S. Supreme Court decision striking down the District of Columbia's handgun ban is getting a largely favorable reception in neighboring Virginia.

The state has a history of rejecting gun control measures, even in the aftermath of last year's Virginia Tech shootings. Many legislators praised Thursday's court ruling as affirming the fundamental right of law-abiding citizens to possess firearms for personal protection.

Sen. Ken Cuccinelli of Fairfax County calls the decision a "tremendous victory" for gun rights. He was surprised only by the closeness of the 5-4 ruling.

However, Sen. Patricia Ticer of Alexandria called the ruling "disgraceful." She called the handgun ban a commonsense deterrent to violent crime.