2021 Virginia Statewide Elections (To Form A More Perfect Union)

## Gubernatorial Election

 Party
 Popular vote
 Percentage

The **2021 Virginia gubernatorial election** was held on November 2, 2021, to elect the next governor of Virginia. Incumbent Democratic Governor Ralph Northam was unable to run for reelection, as the Constitution of Virginia prohibits the officeholder from serving consecutive terms.

The Democratic party selected former Governor Terry McAuliffe on a primary on June 8th, 2021. The Republican party selected Amanda Chase in a convention on May 8th, 2021, at 37 polling locations across the state of Virginia. Teacher Princess Blanding ran as a Libertarian and businessman Brad Forman ran as an independent.

Youngkin won in what was considered a major upset, given Virginia’s blue hue (Biden won the state by 10 points). Further, McAuliffe had lead polling the entire time before the election, although never by more than 5%. Youngkins win made him a major force in the Republican Party, and he even considered a presidential run in 2024, however declined to when Ted Cruz ran.

### Primaries

#### Democratic Primaries

Nominee

* Terry McAuliffe, former governor of Virginia (2014–2018) and former chair of the Democratic National Committee (2001–2005)

Defeated in Primary

* Jennifer Carroll Foy, former state delegate for Virginia's 2nd House of Delegates district
* Lee J. Carter, state delegate for Virginia's 50th House of Delegates district
* Justin Fairfax, lieutenant governor of Virginia
* Jennifer McClellan, state senator for Virginia's 9th Senate district and former delegate for Virginia's 71st House of Delegates district (2006–2017)

Withdrew

* Mark Herring, attorney general of Virginia (2014–present) and former state senator for Virginia's 33rd Senate district (2006–2014) *(ran for re-election)*

Results

Democratic Primary Results
 Democratic
 Democratic
 Democratic

#### Republican Primaries

The Republican nomination process for the 2021 elections was the subject of a lengthy and acrimonious debate within the Republican Party of Virginia. On December 5, 2020, the state Republican Party voted to hold a convention instead of a primary by a vote of 41 to 28. State Senator Amanda Chase initially indicated that she would run as an independent but later decided to seek nomination at the convention. Faced with pressure from the Chase campaign and activists to return to a primary, the state committee debated scrapping the convention on January 23, 2021. These efforts were unsuccessful and the party reaffirmed their decision to hold a convention. On February 9, 2021, the Chase campaign sued the Republican Party of Virginia, arguing that the convention is illegal under COVID-19-related executive orders signed by Governor Ralph Northam. The Richmond Circuit Court dismissed the Chase campaign's lawsuit on February 19, 2021. The Republican Party of Virginia announced on March 26, 2021, that seven gubernatorial candidates had qualified to appear on the convention ballot. On April 11, 2021, the state Republican Party Rules Committee voted to tabulate the ballots by hand; three days later, however, the committee reversed itself and decided to use a vendor's software-based tabulation method.

On April 20, 2021, five candidates (Amanda Chase, Kirk Cox, Sergio de la Peña, Peter Doran, and Glenn Youngkin) participated in a forum at Liberty University in Lynchburg. Two candidates, Octavia Johnson and Pete Snyder, did not attend the forum.

The state Republican convention to select the party's nominees for governor, lieutenant governor, and attorney general will take place on May 8, 2021. It will take place in "unassembled" format, with ballots to be cast remotely at up to 37 locations statewide using ranked-choice voting. The complex process fueled internal party disputes. Up to 40,000 people were anticipated to become delegates, although not all will necessarily cast votes. Local Republican Party leaders control the application process to become a delegate, decide who can participate (voter registration in Virginia does not include a space to indicate party affiliation), and select the convention voting site. In the preceding Virginia Republican gubernatorial convention, 12,000 participated.

Orthodox Jewish Virginia Republicans asked the party to allow absentee voting for religious reasons (May 8 is on the Jewish Sabbath), but the State Central Committee initially voted down the request, failing to achieve the 75% supermajority needed to change the rules. However, the Virginia GOP has since reversed course, and is now allowing those with religious objections to vote in the May 8 convention via absentee ballots. Republican candidates Kirk Cox, Peter Doran, and Glenn Youngkin had criticized the previous decision to not accommodate Orthodox Jews.

Nominee

* Glenn Youngkin, former co-CEO of The Carlyle Group

Defeated at Convention

* Amanda Chase, state senator for the Virginia's 11th Senate district
* Kirk Cox, state delegate for Virginia's 66th House of Delegates district and former Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates (2018–2020)
* Sergio de la Peña, former U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Western Hemisphere Affairs
* Peter Doran, former CEO of the Center for European Policy Analysis
* Octavia Johnson, former sheriff of Roanoke (2006–2013)
* Pete Snyder, entrepreneur and marketing executive and former candidate for lieutenant governor of Virginia in 2013

Did not Qualify

* Merle Rutledge, small government activist
* Kurt Santini, U.S. Army veteran

Declined

* Charles William Carrico Sr., former state senator for Virginia's 40th Senate district and retired state trooper *(endorsed Cox)*
* Neil Chatterjee, former chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
* Barbara Comstock, former U.S. Representative for Virginia's 10th congressional district
* Nick Freitas, state delegate for Virginia's 30th House of Delegates district, candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2018 and nominee for Virginia's 7th congressional district in 2020
* Emmett Hanger, state senator for Virginia's 24th Senate district
* Bill Stanley, state senator for Virginia's 20th Senate district
* Corey Stewart, attorney, former chairman of the Prince William Board of County Supervisors, nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2018 and candidate for governor of Virginia in 2017

Results

#### Other Candidates

* Princess Blanding (Liberation Party), teacher, former school administrator, activist, and sister of Marcus-David Peters
* Brad Froman (Independent), business owner

#### General Election

##### Predictions

Predictions
 Inside Elections
 Sabato's Crystal Ball

## Lieutenant Governor

 Party
 Popular vote
 Percentage

The race for Lieutenant Governor was seen as very unique because Hala Ayala and Winsome Sears, the major nominees of both parties, where women of color. The race was long seen with Ayala as the frontrunner, but it became increasingly close and competitive at the very end.

The race was an open-seat race because incumbent Justin Fairfax, although eligible to run for a second term, retired to run for Governor (he was defeated in the primary).

## Attorney General

 Party
 Popular vote
 Percentage

Incumbent Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring initially ran for Governor before dropping out to run for his Attorney General seat. Herring faced off a significant primary challenge from State Delegate Jay Jones, a Democrat who received much support in southern and eastern Virginia. Herring defeats Jones by 13%, despite Jones having received the endorsement of then-incumbent Governor Ralph Northam.

Jason Miyares, a State Delegate, won the Republican convention defeating the parties 2017 nominee Chuck Smith.

Herring was not very popular in Virginia, and lost to Miyares on the account of Miyares benefitted from a Republican wave.

## House of Delegates Election

Republican made a net gain of seven seats in the House of Delegates, taking a majority in the chamber. This allowed for effective Republican governance over the state, with Youngkin, Sears, and Miyares winning, giving the GOP a Governor's mansion, the tie breaking vote in the Senate, and pressure on moderate Democrats in Virginia's upper chamber. This allowed for what the Washington Post dubbed the "Great Repeal" as Republicans reversed much progressive policy in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and as Republicans in Virginia took a major step and banned abortion in the state after *Roe v. Wade* was overturned. Republicans would maintain this majority in 2023 (although it narrowed down to a one seat majority in 2023) but lost it in the 2025 elections.