Virginia will hold an election for governor on November 7, 2017. The primary election was held on June 13, 2017.

Overview

Virginia has had a divided government since Governor Terry McAuliffe was elected in 2013, ending a two-year Republican trifecta. The office of lieutenant governor in Virginia has been largely controlled by Democrats since the office was created in 1850. The last Republican to hold the seat was William T. Bolling, who served from 2006 until 2014. Because the Lieutenant Governor of Virginia has the ability to cast a tie-breaking vote in the Virginia State Senate, the incoming lieutenant governor could determine the state's trifecta status in the event of an even partisan split in the Senate.

Primary elections

During a primary election, voters select the candidate they believe should represent a political party in a general election. Primaries usually take place several months before a general election. Virginia utilizes a hybrid primary process in which registered voters do not have to be members of a party to vote in that party's primary.[4] In the past, the Virginia Republican Party had selected candidates for statewide races at a convention; however, in August 2016, the State Central Committee voted 41-40 to select candidates via primary elections instead, which could significantly impact the 2017 candidate field.

Virginia's primary election was held on June 13, 2017. In the Democratic primary, former assistant U.S. attorney Justin Fairfax defeated political consultant Susan Platt and former prosecutor Gene Rossi. In the Republican primary, state Sen. Jill Holtzman Vogel defeated state Sen. Bryce Reeves and Del. Glenn Davis.

Noteworthy events

August 9 debate

On August 9, 2017, the Senior Statesmen of Virginia hosted the first debate of the general election at Piedmont Community College. Justin Fairfax and Jill Holtzman Vogel discussed a range of issues including abortion, firearms regulation, and taxes. The debate revealed areas of agreement between the candidates - both Fairfax and Vogel criticized the state’s current method of drawing legislative districts, arguing that it gives the party with a majority in the state legislature an undue advantage. The candidates also agreed that the state should coordinate a response to climate change and that employers should be required to ensure that new employees have legal permission to work in the country.

The candidates disagreed on the economy, campaign finance, firearms control, and Confederate monuments. Fairfax argued that the state’s economy has improved since Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) took office in 2014, saying

“ We have a lot that we can celebrate about those four years. Unemployment has gone down from 5.4 percent when they took office to today 3.7 percent. They’ve been able to create 200,000 new jobs in the commonwealth of Virginia and bring about $16 billion in additional capital investment.” —Justin Fairfax (D)

Vogel countered that McAuliffe’s term in office had not been a positive development for the state’s economy, arguing

“ We’re now ranked 33rd in the nation in terms of tax climate...More people are leaving Virginia than coming to Virginia.” —Jill Holtzman Vogel (R)

During the debate, Fairfax called for the state to limit the amount an individual could spend on any given race, which Vogel criticized as a restriction on political expression. Vogel outlined her staunch opposition to increased firearms regulation in contrast to Fairfax, who stated that he was open to measures similar to those proposed by gubernatorial candidate Ralph Northam (D). Fairfax also called for local governments to have the power to move monuments honoring figures associated with the Confederacy from public display into museums, a proposal opposed by Vogel. Another area of disagreement was abortion policy, with Fairfax criticizing Vogel over a 2012 bill she had sponsored that would have required women seeking an abortion to undergo a vaginal ultrasound. Vogel argued that Fairfax had misrepresented the bill and that she has prioritized women’s health during her time in office.

Fairfax also called for local governments to have the power to move monuments honoring figures associated with the Confederacy from public display into museums, a proposal opposed by Vogel. Another area of disagreement was abortion policy, with Fairfax criticizing Vogel over a 2012 bill she had sponsored that would have required women seeking an abortion to undergo a vaginal ultrasound. Vogel argued that Fairfax had misrepresented the bill and that she has prioritized women’s health during her time in office.

Incumbent Ralph Northam (D)

Lieutenant Governor Ralph Northam (D) was first elected in 2013, winning the open election for the seat by over 10 percentage points—a significant win for an office that usually sees very narrow margins of victory in open races. Prior to his election, Northam had served in the Virginia State Senate from 2008 to 2014.

Before his career in public service, Northam worked as a physician specializing in pediatric neurology.

Party control in Virginia

Virginia has had a divided government since Governor Terry McAuliffe was elected in 2013, ending a two-year Republican trifecta: Democrats hold the governorship while Republicans hold a three-seat majority in the State Senate and a 32-seat majority in the House. The state has been represented in the United States Senate by Democrats since 2009, though its class 2 Senate seat was held by Republicans from 1973 to 2009. Virginians also elected Republican George F. Allen to the class 1 seat in 2001; he served until 2007. Though the state's electoral votes went to Democrat Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012, Virginia voters had previously selected the Republican candidate in every presidential election since 1968.[6]

The office of lieutenant governor in Virginia has been largely controlled by Democrats since the office was created in 1850. The last Republican to hold the seat was William T. Bolling, who served from 2006 until 2014. The only other periods of non-Democratic control in the office since the turn of the 20th century were Republican John Henry Hager's tenure from 1998 to 2002, Republican John Nichols Dalton from 1974 to 1978, and independent Henry Evans Howell Jr. from 1971 to 1974. With few exceptions—including the election of incumbent Ralph Northam (D) in 2013—open elections for the seat are usually quite close. Bolling won 2005's open election by just 1 percentage point; Tim Kaine won 2001's open race by less than 2 percentage points.

Given the open seat, 2017's election for lieutenant governor is expected to be competitive.

Virginia Party Control: 1992-2017 Two years of Democratic trifectas • Four years of Republican trifectas

About the office

Qualifications

Candidates for the office of Governor of Virginia must be:

• a United States citizen
• a resident of Virginia for at least five years at the time of the election
• a qualified elector of Virginia for at least one year preceding the election
• at least 30 years old

Duties

The lieutenant governor serves as the president of the Virginia State Senate and is first in the line of succession to the governor; in the event the governor dies, resigns or otherwise leaves office, the lieutenant governor becomes governor.

He serves as the President of the Senate but only has a vote in cases of a tie. (§ 14)

The Code of Virginia provides that the lieutenant governor is automatically a member of these state boards, commissions and councils:

• The Board of Trustees of the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation
• The Board of Trustees of the Center for Rural Virginia
• The Board of Directors of the Virginia Economic Development Partnership
• The Board of Directors of the Virginia Tourism Authority
• The Virginia Military Advisory Council
• The Commonwealth Preparedness Council
• The Council on Virginia’s Future

Elections

Virginia belongs to the handful of states that hold off-year elections, that is, elections in odd-numbered years that are neither presidential nor midterm years. In Virginia's case, elections are held in the year after a presidential and before a midterm; thus, 2017, 2021 and 2025 are all lieutenant gubernatorial election years. Legally, the inauguration is always held the second Wednesday in the January after an election.

By law, lieutenant governors are elected in separate elections from governors in both the primary and general elections. This means it is possible to have a partisan split in the executive office.

In the event of a tie between two candidates or a contested election, a joint session of the legislature shall cast ballots.

Success running for governor

An April 2013 article in Governing looked at how successful lieutenant governors in all states have been in their bids for the governorship. Their research showed that since the early 1990s they made 55 attempts for the top post, of which 17 won and 38 lost—a winning percentage of 31 percent.

Virginia stood out among the states, where incumbent lieutenant governors won four of the nine races for governor since 1977. State term limits allow governors only one term in office and provide lieutenant governors with an advantage. University of Virginia political scientist Larry Sabato explained the situation, stating, "It's a part-time, poorly paid post whose occupants mainly spend their time running for governor." And due to Virginia's system, he added, "being seen as in the wings is a big plus."

Demographic data for Virginia