2017 Virginia elections

Statewide and municipal elections were held in the U.S. state of Virginia on November 7, 2017. The main election being held in Virginia was the state's gubernatorial election. In addition, all of Virginia's House of Delegates seats were up for re-election. Primary elections for the House of Delegates and the governor were held on June 13, 2017. Ralph Northam (D) was elected to become the 73rd Governor of Virginia, Justin Fairfax (D) was elected to become the 41st Lieutenant Governor of Virginia, and Mark Herring (D) was reelected as the 47th Attorney General of Virginia.[1]

Gubernatorial election

Incumbent Democrat, Terry McAuliffe was term-limited and could not seek re-election.

The Virginia gubernatorial election of 2017 took place on November 7, 2017. Primaries took place on June 13, 2017. The incumbent governor, Democrat Terry McAuliffe, was not eligible to run for re-election due to term limits established by the Virginia Constitution. Virginia is the only state that prohibits its governor from serving consecutive terms.

The primary elections took place on June 13, 2017. Virginia utilizes an open primary, in which registered voters are allowed to vote in only one party's primary election.[2]

Ralph Northam won the election to become the 73rd Governor of Virginia with 53.7% of the popular vote.

Democratic

• Ralph Northam, Lieutenant Governor of Virginia[3]

Republican

• Ed Gillespie, former chairman of the Republican National Committee and nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2014[4]

Libertarian

• Cliff Hyra, attorney

Lieutenant gubernatorial election

The Virginia lieutenant gubernatorial election of 2017 took place on November 7, 2017. The incumbent lieutenant governor, Democrat Ralph Northam, did not seek re-election in order to run for governor.

Justin Fairfax won the election to become the 41st Lieutenant Governor of Virginia with 52.7% of the popular vote.

Democratic

• Justin Fairfax, former Assistant United States Attorney and candidate for attorney general in 2013[5]

Republican

• Jill Vogel, state senator[6]

Attorney General election

The Virginia Attorney General election of 2017 took place on November 7, 2017. The incumbent attorney general, Democrat Mark Herring, ran for re-election to a second term.

Mark Herring was reelected as the 47th Attorney General of Virginia with 53.3% of the popular vote.

Nominees

Democratic

• Mark Herring, incumbent attorney general of Virginia[7]

Republican

• John Adams, former Assistant United States Attorney and former White House aide[8][9]

House of Delegates elections

All 100 seats were up for election in November.

Notable Races

• Danica Roem became the first openly transgender candidate elected to a state legislature in the United States, unseating socially conservative incumbent Bob Marshall.
• Chris Hurst, whose girlfriend was murdered on live TV in 2015, was elected to the House of Delegates, defeating incumbent Joseph Yost.
• House Majority Whip Jackson Miller was defeated by Lee Carter, a 30-year-old Marine veteran endorsed by the Democratic Socialists of America.[10]
• Elizabeth Guzmán and Hala Ayala became the first Latina members of the House.
• Kathy Tran became the first Asian American woman delegate after defeating Republican Lolita Mancheno-Smoak.
• Dawn Adams became the first openly lesbian state lawmaker after defeating Republican incumbent, G.M. "Manoli" Loupassi.

Local elections

In an 18 April 2017 special election, Jacqueline Smith was elected Prince William County Clerk of Circuit Court.[11] That she won with an 8-point margin of victory after having been outspent seven-to-one by a politician with greater name recognition was viewed by Republicans as a sign of Democratic momentum.[12] Democratic state senator Jeremy McPike argued that Smith's victory boded well for Democratic turnout in the state election.[13]

In a special election in Chesterfield County on November 7th, Jenefer Hughes defeated Republican incumbent Tim McPeters with over 55% of the vote to become the county's next Commissioner of Revenue, marking the first time in over 37 years the post has gone to a Democrat.

References

1. "2017 November General". results.elections.virginia.gov. Retrieved 2017-11-08.
2. "Virginia gubernatorial election, 2017". Ballotpedia.org. Retrieved 25 May 2018.
3. Hook, Janet (June 14, 2017). "Establishment Candidates Win in Virginia Gubernatorial Primaries". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved June 15, 2017.
4. Moomaw, Graham (June 13, 2017). "Ed Gillespie wins the Republican nomination for governor". Richmond.com. Retrieved June 15, 2017.
5. "Attorney Justin Fairfax Wins Democratic Primary for Lieutenant Governor".
6. Wilson, Patrick (June 13, 2017). "Jill Vogel wins GOP nomination for lieutenant governor". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved June 15, 2017.
7. "Mark Herring Attorney General for Virginia". herringforag.com. Retrieved 2017-11-08.
8. "Attorney launches challenge for GOP attorney general nomination". The Daily Progress. January 27, 2016. Retrieved February 11, 2016.
9. Portnoy, Jenna (February 1, 2016). "GOP race for Va. attorney general heats up". The Washington Post. Retrieved February 11, 2016.
10. Vyse, Graham (8 November 2017). "How a Socialist Beat One of Virginia's Most Powerful Republicans". newrepublic.com. Retrieved 8 November 2017.
11. "Democrat Jacqueline Smith beats long odds, big money in special election for court clerk". Fauquier.com. Retrieved 25 May 2018.
12. "Prince William Clerk of Court Race Loss is Warning for November - Bearing Drift". Bearingdrift.com. 19 April 2017. Retrieved 25 May 2018.
13. Alex Koma. "Democrats emboldened by win; Jackie Smith 'ready to get to work'". Insidenova.com. Retrieved 25 May 2018.