page_title: 2009 Virginia gubernatorial election
section_title: General election
hierarchical_section_title: 2009 Virginia gubernatorial election / General election
caption_attribution_description: President Barack Obama speaks at a campaign rally for gubernatorial candidate Creigh Deeds, left, in Tyson's Corner Va., on Aug. 6, 2009. Current Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine is at right in background. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
context_page_description: The Virginia gubernatorial election of 2009 took place in Virginia on November 3, 2009. The incumbent Governor, Democrat Tim Kaine, was not eligible to run due to term limits established by the Virginia Constitution, though others in the state's executive branch were not restricted. Republican Bob McDonnell was elected as Governor as part of a Republican sweep. Republican Bill Bolling was reelected as Lieutenant Governor, and Republican Ken Cuccinelli was elected as Attorney General. The winners were inaugurated on January 16, 2010, and served until January 11, 2014.
  State Senator Creigh Deeds was selected as the Democratic nominee, having defeated former Democratic National Committee Chairman Terry McAuliffe and former state Delegate Brian Moran in the Democratic primary election. This was the first contested Democratic primary in two decades. McDonnell, a former state Attorney General, was selected at his party's nominating convention. He defeated Deeds in the general election by a margin of 59%-41%. As of 2020, this is the most recent election in which a Republican was elected Governor of Virginia, and the last time a Republican won a statewide race.
context_section_description: Deeds and McDonnell both ran for Attorney General of Virginia in 2005. McDonnell won by just over 300 votes, in the same election in which Tim Kaine was elected Governor with 52% of the vote.
  The main themes of the election were the economy, transportation, and jobs.
  The first debate was in Hot Springs, Virginia on July 25.
  Vice President Joe Biden campaigned for Deeds in Henrico County, Virginia, a suburb of Richmond, Virginia on July 16. Also attending were Richmond Mayor Dwight Clinton Jones, state Senator A. Donald McEachin (D-Henrico), and Virginia first lady Anne Holton.
  On August 6, President Barack Obama and Governor Tim Kaine campaigned for Deeds in McLean, Virginia.
  Deeds is from Bath County, Virginia, a rural area of less than 5,000 people, where John McCain received over 55% of the vote. McDonnell is from Virginia Beach, which McCain won with 49.9%.
caption: President Obama and Governor Kaine campaigning with Deeds on August 6
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