Virginia gubernatorial election, 2021 (May 8 Republican convention)

Elections in Virginia, 2021

• Convention date: 5/8/2021
• Convention period: 9 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
• Early voting: 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on 5/7/2021 (religious obligations only)

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2025 → ← 2017
Governor of Virginia
Democratic primary Republican primary General election
Election details
Filing deadline: March 25, 2021 Convention: May 8, 2021
Primary: June 8, 2021 General: November 2, 2021 Pre-election incumbent(s): Ralph Northam (D)
How to vote
Poll times: 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Voting in Virginia
Ballotpedia analysis
Federal and state primary competitiveness State executive elections in 2021 Impact of term limits in 2021 State government trifectas State government triplexes Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2021
Virginia executive elections
Governor Lieutenant governor Attorney general

Glenn Youngkin defeated six candidates in the Republican convention for governor of Virginia held on May 8, 2021. The Republican Party of Virginia used ranked-choice voting to determine its nominee. After the sixth and final round of vote-counting, Youngkin received 55% of the delegate vote to Pete Snyder's 45%.

Incumbent Ralph Northam (D) was unable to seek re-election due to term limits. Virginia's constitution prevents the governor from running for a second consecutive term, although there is no lifetime term limit.

Commentary on the Republican convention focused on four candidates: Amanda Chase, Kirk Cox, Snyder, and Youngkin. The Richmond Times-Dispatch's Mel Leonor described the convention as "a bellwether of the GOP's identity in the post-Trump era." Virginia Scope's Brandon Jarvis wrote, "Amanda Chase and Pete Snyder have fully embraced the Trump voters and their talking points while Kirk Cox and Glenn Youngkin have moved towards the establishment and moderate voters."

Chase was a member of the Virginia State Senate, first elected in 2015. Prior to her election, Chase worked in finance and owned a political consulting firm that worked with Republicans including Eric Cantor (R) and Randy Forbes' (R) respective 2010 and 2012 congressional campaigns and Susan Stimpson's (R) 2013 lieutenant gubernatorial campaign. Describing her candidacy, Chase said, "I do the right thing that's best for the people instead of caving in like many weak-kneed Republicans do. I have a backbone and I stand up to the establishment elite." Former White House national security advisor Michael Flynn, political consultant Roger Stone, and attorney Lin Wood endorsed her.

At the time of the convention, Cox was a member of the Virginia House of Delegates, first elected in 1989. During his tenure, Cox served in leadership positions including Majority Whip, Majority Leader, and, from 2018 to 2020, as Speaker of the House. Cox called himself a "proven conservative winner" and said, "[Y]ou're gonna hear every Republican candidate say they are strong in things like the 2nd Amendment and Life, but ... the difference in me is that I've actually had to fight for those issues in the General Assembly." Former Govs. Bob McDonnell (R) and George Allen (R) and 26 Republican members of the General Assembly endorsed him.

Snyder founded New Media Strategies, a social media marketing company, in 1999. He chaired Mitt Romney's (R) 2012 presidential campaign in Virginia and ran in the 2013 Republican lieutenant gubernatorial convention. Snyder said he was "a job creator and entrepreneur with the real world experience to lead Virginia to a better and brighter future," adding that "[c]areer politicians in Richmond have failed us too long, it's time to try a disruptor." Former White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R), former Heritage Foundation President Kay Cole James (R), and seven Republican members of the General Assembly endorsed him.

Youngkin was a former co-CEO and president of The Carlyle Group, a global investment firm, where he worked from 1995 to 2020. He said, "Political insiders and career politicians in Richmond are failing our Commonwealth," adding that, if elected, he would "bring a new day to Virginia with fresh ideas, shared values, and innovative solutions to rebuild Virginia's future." Commentator and talk show host Hugh Hewitt (R) and two Republican members of the General Assembly endorsed him.

Peter Doran, Octavia L. Johnson, and Sergio de la Pena also ran in the Republican convention.

Due to coronavirus crowd-size restrictions, the 2021 Virginia Republican convention was an unassembled convention held across 39 satellite locations. Unlike previous conventions in the state, there was no limit on how many delegates could cast votes, which were weighted according to the number of delegate votes allocated to each locality. Delegates cast a single ballot using ranked-choice voting to determine a majority-vote winner, rather than using multiple rounds of voting. To read more about the 2021 Republican convention in Virginia, click here.

The last Republican to win the governorship was Bob McDonnell (R), elected in 2009. At the time of the convention, Democrats had won every statewide election in Virginia since 2012. The state became a divided government after the 2013 elections with Democrats winning control of the governorship and state Senate and Republicans holding a majority in the state House. In 2019, Democrats won majorities in both the state House and Senate, creating a Democratic trifecta in the state for the first time since 1994.

Click on candidate names below to view their key messages:

Chase

Cox

Snyder

Youngkin

This page focuses on Virginia's Republican gubernatorial convention. For more in-depth information on Virginia's Democratic gubernatorial primary and the general election, see the following pages:

• Virginia gubernatorial election, 2021 (June 8 Democratic primary)
• Virginia gubernatorial election, 2021

This election was a battleground race. Other 2021 battlegrounds included:

Jeffco Public Schools, Colorado, elections (2021) New Mexico's 1st Congressional District special election, 2021 Ohio's 11th Congressional District special election, 2021 (August 3 Republican primary)

Candidates and election results

The results below show the number of weighted votes received by each candidate. To view the raw number of votes received, visit this spreadsheet prepared by the Republican Party of Virginia.

Republican convention

Republican Convention for Governor of Virginia

Select round: Round 6 Round 5 Round 4 Round 3 Round 2 Round 1

The following candidates advanced in the ranked-choice voting election: Glenn Youngkin in round 6 . The results of Round are displayed below. To see the results of other rounds, use the dropdown menu above to select a round and the table will update.

		Candidate	%	Total Votes	Transfer	Round eliminated
		Glenn Youngkin	54.7	6,868	1,557	Advanced (6)
		Pete Snyder	45.3	5,686	1,608	6
		Amanda Chase	0.0	0	-3,164	6
		Kirk Cox	0.0	0	0	5
		Sergio de la Pena	0.0	0	0	4
		Peter Doran	0.0	0	0	3
	Submit photo	Octavia L. Johnson	0.0	0	0	1

		Candidate	%	Total Votes	Transfer	Round eliminated
		Glenn Youngkin	42.3	5,311	979	Advanced (6)
		Pete Snyder	32.5	4,078	575	6
		Amanda Chase	25.2	3,164	305	6
		Kirk Cox	0.0	0	-1,860	5
		Sergio de la Pena	0.0	0	0	4
		Peter Doran	0.0	0	0	3
	Submit photo	Octavia L. Johnson	0.0	0	0	1

		Candidate	%	Total Votes	Transfer	Round eliminated
		Glenn Youngkin	34.5	4,332	183	Advanced (6)
		Pete Snyder	27.9	3,503	253	6
		Amanda Chase	22.8	2,859	239	6
		Kirk Cox	14.8	1,860	154	5
		Sergio de la Pena	0.0	0	-830	4
		Peter Doran	0.0	0	0	3
	Submit photo	Octavia L. Johnson	0.0	0	0	1

		Candidate	%	Total Votes	Transfer	Round eliminated
		Glenn Youngkin	33.0	4,149	8	Advanced (6)
		Pete Snyder	25.9	3,250	6	6
		Amanda Chase	20.9	2,620	8	6
		Kirk Cox	13.6	1,706	8	5
		Sergio de la Pena	6.6	830	17	4
		Peter Doran	0.0	0	-48	3
	Submit photo	Octavia L. Johnson	0.0	0	0	1

		Candidate	%	Total Votes	Transfer	Round eliminated
		Glenn Youngkin	33.0	4,141	9	Advanced (6)
		Pete Snyder	25.8	3,244	2	6
		Amanda Chase	20.8	2,612	6	6
		Kirk Cox	13.5	1,698	4	5
		Sergio de la Pena	6.5	813	8	4
		Peter Doran	0.4	48	6	3
	Submit photo	Octavia L. Johnson	0.0	0	-34	1

		Candidate	%	Total Votes	Transfer	Round eliminated
		Glenn Youngkin	32.9	4,132	0	Advanced (6)
		Pete Snyder	25.8	3,242	0	6
		Amanda Chase	20.8	2,606	0	6
		Kirk Cox	13.5	1,694	0	5
		Sergio de la Pena	6.4	805	0	4
		Peter Doran	0.3	42	0	3
	Submit photo	Octavia L. Johnson	0.3	34	0	1

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 12,555
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Merle Rutledge (R)
• Kurt Santini (R)
• Paul Davis (R)

Conventions in Virginia (2021)

In Virginia, political parties decide whether to nominate their candidates via primary or convention. In 2021, the Virginia Republican Party chose to hold a statewide nominating convention. The Virginia Democratic Party chose to hold statewide primaries.

Due to coronavirus crowd-size restrictions, the 2021 convention was an unassembled convention held across the state at 39 satellite locations. Unlike previous Virginia Republican conventions, there was no limit on how many delegates could cast votes, but these votes were weighted according to the number of delegate votes allocated to each locality. Delegates used ranked-choice voting in 2021 to determine the majority-vote winner, rather than multiple rounds of voting.

The party committee first voted to use a convention to determine its nominee in early December 2020. In February 2021, the committee reached the supermajority vote threshold needed to hold an unassembled convention, meaning a convention where "delegates may cast their ballots at one or more polling locations within or adjacent to the area represented by the Official Committee." Initially, the Party said it would hold a drive-in convention at Liberty University, but this plan was changed due to space restrictions at the venue. On March 12, the Party voted to hold the convention at 39 locations across the state.

On April 25, 2021, the Republican Party of Virginia's State Central Committee voted to count all ballots by hand at a single location rather than using software or machine counting methods. Counting began the day after the convention. Party chairman Rich Anderson said he expected the counting process to be finished by May 11, but added that the party prepared for counting to continue until May 13.

Convention process

The Republican Party of Virginia held a nominating convention on May 8, 2021. Delegates selected candidates for governor, lieutenant governor, and attorney general, who advanced to the November 2, 2021, general election.

Delegates were selected as representatives of their voting units. Each voting unit was allocated a set number of delegate votes, which were divided by the number of delegates representing that voting unit. For example, if a voting unit had 20 delegate votes and ten delegates, each delegate would cast two votes. If the same voting unit had 40 delegates, each delegate would cast one-half of a vote. There were no limits on the number of delegates who were allowed to represent a voting unit.

Voting units primarily corresponded with the state's 95 counties and 38 independent cities. However, eight independent cities were combined with seven counties in order to form seven voting units.

The state's eleven district Republican Party committees determined the 39 voting locations. The district committees, which correspond with the state's eleven congressional districts, were allowed to establish a set number of polling locations as determined by the Republican Party of Virginia.

Delegates casted a single ballot using ranked-choice voting. Ranked-choice voting is an electoral system in which voters rank candidates by preference on their ballots. A candidate who wins a majority of first preference votes is declared the winner. If no candidate wins a majority of first-preference votes, the candidate with the fewest first-preference votes is eliminated. First-preference votes cast for the failed candidate are eliminated, lifting the second-preference choices indicated on those ballots. A new tally is conducted to determine whether any candidate has won a majority of the adjusted votes. The process is repeated until a candidate wins an outright majority. The Republican Party of Virginia provided a guide to ranked-choice voting, which can be found here.

Frequently asked questions

When was the convention held?

The convention took place from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET on May 8, 2021.

Was early voting allowed?

Early voting took place from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. ET on May 7, 2021. Only delegates whose religious obligations prevented them from participating in the regularly-scheduled convention were allowed to vote early. In order to vote early, such delegates had to submit a certification to the party chairman no later than 5:00 p.m. ET on May 4, 2021. A link to download the religious obligation certification form can be found here.

Where did the convention take place?

Voting took place across the state at 39 voting locations determined by the state's eleven district Republican Party committees. The party posted polling locations online on April 24, 2021, shown on the map below and listed here.

Who voted in the convention and how were they selected to participate?

The Republican Party of Virginia lists the following requirements to be selected as a delegate in the convention:

“	All legal and qualified voters under the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia, regardless of race, religion, national origin or sex, who are in accord with the principles of the Republican Party and who, if requested, express in open meeting either orally or in writing as may be required, their intent to support all of its nominees for public office in the ensuing election, may participate as members of the Republican Party of Virginia in its mass meetings, party canvasses, conventions or primaries encompassing their respective election districts.	”
—Republican Party of Virginia

Each voting unit established its own process for selecting its delegates, which could have included mass meetings, party canvasses, or conventions. Delegate filing forms can be found here and a calendar of when and where each unit selected its delegates can be found here.

There was no limit on the number of delegates who were allowed to represent a given voting unit, but each voting unit was allocated a set number of delegate votes regardless of its number of delegates.

How were the winners chosen?

There were 125 voting units in the state. Delegates represented and voted within their respective voting units. Each voting unit was allocated a set number of delegate votes calculated as one delegate vote per every 250 votes cast for the Republican candidate in the most recent elections for president and governor in that unit. The candidates who received the most delegate votes statewide won the nomination.

How were the votes counted?

All ballots were taken to a single location under armed guard after the polls closed. Ballots were counted by hand starting the day after the convention. According to VA Scope, the State Party Central Committee expected the counting process to take multiple days to finish.

What was the difference between a delegate and a delegate vote?

Delegate refers to any person selected to participate in the Republican convention as a voting member eligible to cast a ballot. Each voting unit's Republican Party committee was responsible for selecting the method to elect the delegates to represent that voting unit. There was no limit on the number of delegates a unit's committee was allowed to select.

Delegate votes refers to the number of votes allocated to each voting unit. The number of delegate votes and the number of delegates participating in a given voting unit determined the voting power of an individual delegate within that unit. A unit's delegate votes were divided between the number of delegates representing that unit.

How many delegate votes were there?

The 125 voting units had 12,554 delegate votes. The table below lists the voting units alphabetically. Also shown are the number of delegate votes and each voting unit's share of the total 12,554 delegate votes.

The map below shows the 125 voting units shaded based on the number of delegate votes.

Helpful links

Republican Party of Virginia

• Vote totals spreadsheet
• Republican Party of Virginia 2021 nomination page
• 2021 convention call
• Find your local Republican Party
• List of polling locations
• Voting materials: Sample ballot — Ranked-choice voting guide — Vote-counting method

Campaign delegate resources

Candidates running for governor offered information and assistance to those wishing to become a delegate. Those resources can be found in the links below.

• Amanda Chase
• Kirk Cox
• Peter Doran
• Octavia Johnson
• Sergio de la Peña
• Pete Snyder
• Glenn Youngkin

Candidate addresses

At an in-person convention, candidates are typically given the opportunity to deliver speeches to the delegates. Due to the unassembled nature of the convention in 2021, candidates submitted their addresses in the form of digital videos, shown below:

"Delegate Welcome from Senator Chase" - Chase convention address, released April 28, 2021

"Bring Virginia Home" - Cox convention address, released May 2, 2021

"PETER DORAN FOR GOVERNOR (VOTE MAY 8th!)" - Doran convention address, released May 2, 2021

"Elect Octavia Johnson for Governor of Va 2021" - Johnson convention address, released May 1, 2021

"Sergio de la Peña for Governor" - de la Pena convention address, released Jan. 12, 2021

"Pete Snyder will get Virginia leading again" - Snyder convention address, released May 1, 2021

"Christian Conservative Outsider, Successful Business Leader" - Youngkin convention address, released May 3, 2021

Candidate profiles

This section includes candidate profiles created in one of two ways: either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey, or Ballotpedia staff compiled a profile based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements after identifying the candidate as noteworthy.

Amanda Chase

Amanda Chase

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: 

• Virginia State Senate (Assumed office: 2016)

Biography:  Chase received a bachelor's degree in finance and management from Virginia Tech in 1992. She began working in finance following her graduation, with positions at Signet Bank, the Federal Reserve, and Primerica Financial Services. From 2010 to 2015, Chase owned a political consulting firm and worked with Republicans including Eric Cantor (2010) and Randy Forbes' (2012) congressional campaigns and Susan Stimpson's (2013) lieutenant gubernatorial campaign.

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Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.

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Chase cited her experience as a Senator, saying that she "fights to lower the burden of taxes and fees, protect our Constitutional rights ... and block the relentless power grab of liberal progressive elites into our way of life." As governor, she said she would "fight for liberty and constitutional freedoms while over-hauling the broken system."

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Chase emphasized her stance on gun laws, saying, "I am a staunch defender of the Second Amendment," and, "I have a 100% rating with the Virginia Citizens Defense League ... an A rating with the NRA and I am the only candidate that actually has a record ... of not compromising on the Second Amendment."

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Chase said she was similar to former President Donald Trump (R), saying, "I don't back down. I move forward. I do the right thing that's best for the people instead of caving in like many weak-kneed Republicans do. I have a backbone and I stand up to the establishment elite."

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Show sources

Sources: Amanda Chase's campaign website, "Home," accessed April 2, 2021, Amanda Chase's campaign website, "Issues," accessed April 2, 2021, Amanda Chase's campaign website, "About," accessed April 2, 2021, Facebook, "Aliscia Andrews," Feb. 28, 2021, Virginia Mercury, "Q&A: Amanda Chase pitches herself as Virginia's Donald Trump," Dec. 11, 2020; LinkedIn, "Amanda Chase," accessed April 2, 2021

This information was current as of the candidate's run for Governor of Virginia in 2021.

Kirk Cox

Kirk Cox

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: 

• Virginia House of Delegates (Assumed office: 1990)

Biography:  Cox received a bachelor's degree in political science and general social science from James Madison University in 1979. He taught government at Manchester High School before he was first elected to the Virginia House of Delegates. During his time as a delegate, Cox served as Majority Whip, Majority Leader, and, from 2018 to 2020, as Speaker of the House.

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Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.

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Cox referenced his electoral and legislative history calling himself "a proven conservative winner ... [with the] ability to win where other Republicans cannot, and a clear vision for how to take back the Commonwealth and lead forward into the future." Cox said he "has a 30-year track record of defending and advancing conservative principles."

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Cox said Democrats in Virginia "have unchecked one-party control in Richmond—where they've pushed an extreme far-left partisan agenda focused on liberal special interests instead of our family." He said he would "[f]ight back against one-party control" and against "[t]he censorship and shaming we are seeing from the far left and Big Tech." 

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Cox's campaign created and promoted multiple coalitions dealing with specific issue areas such as "Believers for Kirk" regarding pro-life policies, "Partnership for a Safe Virginia" regarding law enforcement and public safety, and "Second Amendment Defenders for Kirk" regarding gun rights.

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Show sources

Sources: Kirk Cox's campaign website, "Ending One Party Control," accessed April 2, 2021, Kirk Cox's campaign website, "Fighting Big Tech, Censorship & Cancel Culture," accessed March 2, 2021, Kirk Cox's campaign website, "Home," accessed April 2, 2021; VoteSmart, "Kirk Cox," accessed April 2, 2021, Kirk Cox's campaign website, "Meet Kirk," accessed April 2, 2021

This information was current as of the candidate's run for Governor of Virginia in 2021.

Pete Snyder

Pete Snyder

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Biography:  Snyder received a bachelor's degree in government from the College of William and Mary in 1994. He founded New Media Strategies, a social media marketing company, in 1999. In 2011, Snyder founded Disruptor Capital, an investment firm focused on disruptive technologies and start-ups. Snyder chaired Mitt Romney's (R) 2012 presidential campaign in Virginia and ran in the state's 2013 Republican convention for lieutenant governor.

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Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.

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Snyder emphasized his professional background, calling himself "a successful small businessman and a conservative outsider." Snyder said, "[I am] a job creator and entrepreneur with the real world experience to lead Virginia to a better and brighter future."

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Snyder criticized Gov. Ralph Northam (D) for not requiring the reopening of schools that were closed in response to the coronavirus pandemic. In response, Snyder launched a tour called #OpenOurSchools and said, "my plan is simple: open our schools now. Five days a week, every week, with a teacher in every classroom."

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Snyder said "illegal immigration costs taxpayers billions of dollars, bringing gangs and violence into our communities." He said that Gov. Northam and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe (D) "won't take violent illegals off our streets, but I will. When I'm governor, I'll enforce the law and deport violent criminals."

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Show sources

Sources: Pete Snyder's campaign website, "Home," accessed April 2, 2021, YouTube, "Pete Snyder's First Radio Ad," Jan. 28, 2021, YouTube, "Pete Snyder's plan is simple. Open Our Schools." Feb. 9, 2021, Pete Snyder's campaign website, "Pete Snyder Commits Funding to Open Schools Movement and Launches #OpenOurSchools Tour," accessed April 2, 2021, YouTube, "Illegal Immigration comes at a cost," March 11, 2021, Pete Snyder's campaign website, "Keeping Our Communities Safe," accessed April 2, 2021; LinkedIn, "Pete Snyder," accessed April 2, 2021, Patch, "Meet Pete Snyder: One of Seven Republicans Running for Lieutenant Governor," Feb. 9, 2013

This information was current as of the candidate's run for Governor of Virginia in 2021.

Glenn Youngkin

Glenn Youngkin

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Submitted Biography:  "I’m a homegrown Virginian who has worked in business for 30 years. I’m running for governor to rebuild Virginia into the best place to live, work and raise a family."

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Key Messages

To read this candidate's full survey responses, click here.

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Virginia’s economy has stalled while neighboring states thrive. Virginia’s businesses are drowning in high costs and red-tape . We need a governor with real-world experience who can create jobs, keep businesses from leaving, put an open-for-business sign on Virginia, and create a rip-roaring economy that lifts all Virginians.

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I will protect and defend Virginians’ Constitutional rights and personal liberties, which are being threatened like never before.

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The cost of living in Virginia is too high and continues to rise making the American dream un-attainable for too many Virginians. Virginia should be the best place to raise live, work and raise a family. and that starts with more jobs and lower costs, including taxes, fees and healthcare costs.

This information was current as of the candidate's run for Governor of Virginia in 2021.

Noteworthy convention endorsements

This section includes noteworthy endorsements issued in the convention, added as we learn about them. Click here to read how we define noteworthy primary endorsements. If you are aware of endorsements that should be included, please email us.

Click the links below to see endorsement lists published on candidate campaign websites, if available.

• Kirk Cox
• Pete Snyder

Republican convention endorsements
Endorsement	Chase	Cox	de la Pena	Snyder	Youngkin
Elected officials
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas)					✔
Gov. Kevin Stitt (R-Okla.)					✔
U.S. Rep. Bob Good (R-Va.)				✔
U.S. Rep. Morgan Griffith (R-Va.)		✔
Members of the Virginia General Assembly		26		7	2
Individuals
Frmr. Gov. George Allen (R-Va.)		✔
Frmr. Gov. Bob McDonnell (R-Va.)		✔
Va. National Committeeman Morton Blackwell (R)				✔
Va. GOP Central Committee member William Deutsch (R)				✔
Va. GOP First Vice-Chair Kristi Way (R)		✔
Frmr. U.S. Secretary of Education Bill Bennett (R)				✔
Frmr. Homeland Security Dept. Dep. Dir. Ken Cuccinelli (R)				✔
Frmr. White House national security advisor Michael Flynn	✔
Frmr. Republican Party of Virginia Chairman Jeff Frederick (R)				✔
Talk show host Hugh Hewitt					✔
Frmr. acting Dir. of Immigration and Customs Enforcement Thomas Homan				✔
Frmr. Heritage Foundation President Kay Coles James (R)				✔
Frmr. acting Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection Mark Morgan				✔
Guitarist Ted Nugent	✔
Frmr. White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R)				✔
American Conservative Union Chairman Matthew Schlapp (R)				✔
London Center for Policy Research President Anthony Shaffer			✔
Political consultant Roger Stone	✔
Frmr. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Andrew Wheeler				✔
Attorney Lin Wood	✔
Organizations
Veterans for America First	✔

Campaign themes

See also: Campaign themes

Amanda Chase

Campaign website

Chase's campaign website stated the following:

“	Senator Amanda Chase has a proven track record of experience getting things done. She started her fight for the people in the Virginia Senate and will continue it as the next Governor. The Economy – Virginia needs a Governor who is looking to empower small business owners, encourage economic development and open up Commerce. Senator Chase has led the way in cutting Government red tape in the Senate and will continue this fight as Governor. In these tough economic times, we should be working hard to encourage and innovate our Virginia businesses to safely open and provide the jobs, goods, and services that are vital to our Commonwealth. 2nd Amendment – Senator Amanda Chase has been an ardent supporter of the Second Amendment and among the most active in fighting against the invasive gun grab laws pushed by Ralph Northam, Mike Bloomberg and liberal progressive elites. The government should never vilify nor infringe on the rights of law-abiding citizens. Religious Liberty – The foundation of our country is rooted in Judeo-Christian values. Senator Chase will fight to protect life, religious liberty, and the First Amendment rights of our citizens including our faith community leaders. First Amendment – The freedoms in the first amendment are vital to the construct of society as we know it. Senator Chase has fought tirelessly to protect these freedoms for all Virginians. More policy agendas and information will be added here in the coming weeks and months. We encourage you to check back often for further information.	”
—Amanda Chase's campaign website (2021)

Kirk Cox

Campaign website

Cox's campaign website stated the following:

“	Real Leadership During the Pandemic Governor Ralph Northam and Virginia Democrats have failed to lead during the pandemic, time and time again. Businesses and families across the Commonwealth are hurting. Our schools have been shuttered for too long. At every turn, one-party control has failed us. At the start of the pandemic, Virginia consistently ranked as one of the worst states for testing. Then, Virginia was ranked poorly for contact tracing. After that, Virginia’s 35-year-old software put us dead last in the country for processing unemployment claims – at a time when people needed it most. Now, we’re consistently ranked last – or close to last – for vaccine distribution. Virginia used to be ranked as one of the best managed states in the country.But since the Commonwealth has been turned over to Democrats, our state government has fallen apart. Simply put, Democrats have failed all Virginians with their performance during the pandemic. Kirk's Leadership On the other hand, Kirk has consistently demonstrated what real leadership looks like. Last July, Kirk was one of the first leaders in Virginia to urge the Governor to re-open our schools. In early January, Kirk released a detailed plan of actions that needed to be taken to speed up vaccine distribution. Since last year, Kirk has been working with a bipartisan group of lawmakers to get to the bottom of the problems at the Virginia Employment Commission. Ending One Party Control Democrats now control the White House, U.S. Senate, and House of Representatives which means they have unchecked control of Washington. They also have unchecked one-party control in Richmond – where they’ve pushed an extreme far-left partisan agenda focused on liberal special interests instead of our families. Kirk is running for Governor to be a firm roadblock against the far-left policies we’re seeing today — and so Virginians can once again feel like their government represents them and not the liberal special interests. To accomplish this, Kirk will: Fight back against one-party control and hold Democrats accountable. Offer a real plan to lead Virginia forward. Help take back the House of Delegates by recruiting strong candidates and raising money. Stand up to the radical far-left agenda coming out of Washington, D.C. Fighting Big Tech, Censorship & Cancel Culture As a 30-year government teacher, Kirk knows how important the First Amendment is to our representative democracy. The censorship and shaming we are seeing from the far left and Big Tech is downright scary — and we must fight back. The radical left wants to silence conservative voices, but Kirk is standing in the breach. Kirk has a plan to increase transparency, prevent uncalled-for censorship, and create accountability. As Governor he will ensure that censorship and cancel culture are not tolerated in Virginia. Read the rest of his plan to hold Big Tech accountable here. Keeping Virginia Safe As Democrats around the country vow to “Defund the Police,” Kirk is committed to keeping Virginia safe and supporting our law enforcement. Democrats in Virginia are pushing a dangerous agenda, letting violent criminals out of prison early, repealing common sense laws to keep dangerous people behind bars, and making it harder for law enforcement to do their job. Kirk is committed to strongly supporting law enforcement and strengthening policies that will keep our communities safe. This starts with fully funding our police, reforming the Parole Board, and prosecuting violent criminals to the fullest extent of the law. As Governor, Kirk will: Invest $50 million in year one to raise law enforcement salaries, as part of the Partnership for a Safe Virginia plan. Veto Democrat proposals to repeal mandatory minimum sentences and weaken penalties for drug dealers. Reform the Parole Board, which was caught last year breaking the law and releasing violent criminals early. The Proven Candidate Kirk is the only candidate in this race with a proven record of supporting policies that keep Virginia safe. Kirk worked with former Governor Allen to abolish parole and enact “Truth in Sentencing” to ensure violent criminals actually serve their full sentences. As a result, Virginia’s crime rate dropped, and our recidivism rate was among the lowest in the country. Kirk consistently voted to increase criminal penalties for human trafficking, sex slavery, child predators, and domestic violence. Kirk led efforts to increase support and funding for victims of human and sex trafficking and domestic violence. Kirk worked with local law enforcement to create innovative programs to combat the opioid epidemic. Empowering Parents and Students Kirk was a 30-year public school teacher. Kirk’s mom was a school teacher. Kirk’s brother was a superintendent. Safe to say, Kirk knows a thing or two about educating students. Kirk’s record on education – from kindergarten to high school to college – is stronger than any other candidate in the field. Kirk recognizes the value of investing in students, providing school choice, giving teachers the resources and support they need, and standing up to the top-down administrative bureaucracies that have failed our students. As a Delegate and as Speaker of the House, Kirk prioritized increasing education funding and supported policies to improve outcomes. When it comes to education, Kirk’s record speaks for itself. As Governor, Kirk will continue to empower students and parents, improve our public school schools, provide more access to career opportunities, and make college more affordable. His priorities will be: Empowering students and parents with more access and options in education, allowing us to craft a unique path for every child. It’s time to shake up the traditional model and do things differently. Improving our public schools by fully funding school construction, raising teacher pay to at or above the national average, prioritizing spending in the classroom, and reducing bureaucratic programs that take away from our core needs. Focusing on the path from a good education to good career opportunities, including additional emphasis on internships, vocational training, and credentials in high-demand fields. Making college more affordable by expanding online opportunities, freezing tuition increases, and leveraging business partnerships. The Proven Candidate Kirk is the only candidate in the race who has actually been an educator and the only candidate with a proven record in education: Kirk passed the bill to reduce the number of SOL tests for students in elementary and middle school. Kirk carried the legislation to end teacher tenure and improve the teacher evaluation system to increase accountability. Kirk helped create the education scholarship tax credit for private schools, and supported the creation of Education Savings Accounts. As Speaker, Kirk froze tuition at colleges and universities for the first time in 20 years. Kirk wrote the bill to cap student athletic fees. Kirk created the Online Virginia Network, an online pathway to degree completion for working parents, veterans and other adult learners. Creating Jobs Kirk knows the pathway to a robust economy and job creation is through free enterprise, common sense regulations, and low taxes. He has led on these issues as Delegate and Speaker of the House, during which time Virginia recovered from the 2009 recession, transitioned its economic reliance away from federal spending, and resumed its place as CNBC’s #1 state for business. Kirk believes in the dignity of work and the purpose-driven value that comes with employment. He’s fought back against efforts to make it harder to own a business and require union membership to get a job. Kirk is the leader Virginia needs to build an economy that will carry us out of the pandemic recession and give people a chance to do more than just earn a paycheck. The Proven Candidate As a Delegate and Speaker, Kirk has put the work in and he will do the same as Governor. To help Virginians and create jobs, Kirk Cut taxes by nearly $1 billion. Created GO Virginia, a bipartisan business-led economic development initiative that puts business leaders in charge of job creation efforts. Convinced a Democrat governor to reduce regulations by 25 percent. Stood up to Democrat efforts to repeal Virginia’s right-to-work laws. Helping Our Veterans A strong supporter of our armed forces, Kirk has introduced over 120 pieces of legislation designed to make life easier for active duty military, veterans, and their families. Kirk worked tirelessly to fund the establishment of a veterans’ care center in Richmond and subsequent buildings and expansions in Salem, Prince William, and Hampton Roads. In 2009, Kirk’s efforts led to funding for the expansion of the Virginia War Memorial and its Paul & Phyllis Galanti Education Center. Kirk also introduced legislation establishing the Wounded Warrior Program (now the Virginia Veteran & Family Support program) in Virginia to better assist service members with TBI and PTSD, as well as their families. To ensure veterans receive their earned benefits, he has fought to increase the number of authorized veterans’ claim officers and to invest in the development of the automated claims system that will lessen the time a claim takes. As Governor, Kirk will continue to be a strong supporter of our active duty military, veterans, and their families. Standing Up for Life Kirk Cox is 100% pro-life and under his leadership the House of Delegates was on the frontline of the national effort to protect innocent life and defend the unborn. In 2019 Democrats introduced an extreme measure that would make late-term abortion legal up to the minute of birth for almost any reason. Thankfully, the Republican majority defeated this outrageous legislation. In addition, Kirk has consistently voted to defund Planned Parenthood and prevent taxpayer funding for abortions. In 2019, after New York passed and Virginia Democrats proposed legislation to make abortion legal up until the moment of birth, Kirk did something no one had ever seen before. As Speaker, he temporarily gave up the gavel, took the floor of the House of Delegates, and gave a speech about protecting innocent life. Defending Our Second Amendment Rights Kirk has always stood up for our Second Amendment rights and protected Virginia’s cherished traditions of hunting and fishing. As a Delegate and Speaker of the House, Kirk supported measures to roll-back egregious gun ownership restrictions, while also voting for legislation to hold criminals who abuse these rights more accountable. He stopped Democrats from politicizing tragic school shootings, instead focusing on real solutions on how to keep our students safe in schools. He also stood up to Democrats and their 2019 gun grab. Kirk is honored and humbled to hold an A-rating from the NRA and a 100% rating from the VCDL.	”
—Kirk Cox's campaign website (2021)

Peter Doran

Campaign website

Doran's campaign website stated the following:

“	We should be #1 in: Schools Virginia should have the best schools in the country. Our literacy rates are falling. Our math scores are cratering. And after COVID, no one has offered a plan to get our kids academically on track after the disastrous distance learning experiment. Our schools should be the best in the country, our teachers should be the best in the country, and our students should be given the best opportunity to succeed in the country. Safety Virginia should be the safest place in the country. Our streets should be safe. Our homes should be safe. Virginians should be safe, and should have the ability to protect themselves whatever may come. Virginia should have the lowest crime, the best police force, and the safest communities in the country. Jobs Virginia should have the best job market and business climate in the country. Virginia should have the lowest unemployment, the highest median salary, the highest job and business creation rates, and a regulatory schema that enables all Virginians to work good jobs at great pay. We should not only be the best place to start a business, but the best place for large companies fleeing places like California and New York to move to. Democrats want to move Virginia left. We need to move Virginia forward. We need big ideas. Voter Integrity Plan (VIP) We owe it to Virginians to have the most secure, transparent, and quickly reported voting system in the country. People need to have faith in their elections, and there should be no room for doubt as to whether an election was fair, free from interference and all and only legal votes are counted. Further, results should be reported swiftly and completely. Energy We should be generating 70% of our electricity from safe and efficient Nuclear power. The first step should expand the North Anna facility. Virginia has an opportunity to power a lot of the South East and create a revenue stream for the Commonwealth. Further, we have an opportunity to generate the cleanest energy in the country. We don’t want California style brownouts because of dangerous environmental schemes, we want reliable and clean energy production. Phase Out the State Income Tax Virginia is competing for companies and jobs against states that have no state income tax. We need to phase out Virginia's state income tax and go to zero percent. It will unleash the job creation and dynamism of our economy. Larger states are successful without an income tax. We have got to compete. Virginia should become one of the best places in the country to live, work, and do business without sacrificing services. Anything is possible in Virginia. Let’s elect leaders who want to make anything possible for you and your family.	”
—Peter Doran's campaign website (2021)

Octavia Johnson

Campaign website

Johnson's campaign website stated the following:

“	Together we can make a tangible difference I am Octavia Johnson, running for Governor of Virginia. I am a product of Grayson County, in Southwest Virginia, from the rural community of Elk Creek, VA. Iron Mountain to the North, Buck Mountain and White Top Mountain Southwest. Elk Creek Valley is known for its tree farms, fishing and Elk Creek Dragway. I moved to Roanoke in 1975 and later began a career in Law Enforcement with Roanoke City Sheriff’s Office. I served 26 years as a Deputy Sheriff. When I realized that circumstances within the Office were not going to improve, I did not mumble, grumble or complain; I decided to run for Sheriff. I served as Sheriff of Roanoke City 2006-2013 and brought the Sheriff’s Office into the 21st century. I am running for Governor of Virginia because there is a deep need for change. It is time for the whole state of Virginia to THRIVE. Together we can make a TANGIBLE difference. It was a honor to serve as Roanoke City Sheriff for eight years. Working with the citizens of the Roanoke Valley to make our region a safer, better place to live was truly a privilege for me. As your Governor I will put the best interest of the citizens of Virginia ahead of politics, political parties or self-interest. I believe that we can work together to solve our most pressing challenges. Creating good jobs, keeping our communities safe and building strong schools will be my top priorities. Together we will make a tangible difference.	”
—Octavia Johnson's campaign website (2021)

Sergio de la Pena

Campaign website

De la Pena's campaign website stated the following:

“	Immigration: When Sergio immigrated legally, he learned English and assimilated. He supports building a wall to stop illegal immigration, and making English the official language. Sergio would eliminate taxpayer-funded benefits to illegal immigrants in Virginia like in-state college tuition and drivers licenses for illegals. Law Enforcement: Sergio supports fully funding police and law enforcement and arresting and prosecuting violent criminals, looters, and rioters. Second Amendment: As a military veteran and gun owner, Sergio strongly supports the right to bear arms. He would end the ability of local jurisdictions to override conceal carry laws so Virginia’s concealed carry laws would apply statewide for all gun owners and protect their rights. Term Limits: Sergio is a political outsider who’s never run for office, and supports term limits to get rid of career politicians in both parties. Jobs & Economy: Sergio’s Jobs Plan makes Virginia attractive for businesses to grow private sector jobs and eliminate burdensome regulations. Richmond politicians have failed to restart the economy because they do not understand that it is the American values of freedom and competition that make economies thrive and not government central planning. Sergio will restart the economy by creating an open and competitive economic environment so Virginians can get back to work. COVID19: Sergio will end the COVID lockdowns and open up the economy, schools, and churches. Nationally, liberals have forced unfair and ineffective rules that they themselves ignore. We need a balanced approach that will open up our economy while protecting the most vulnerable. Taxes & Spending: Virginia’s taxes are too high. Sergio will cut the car tax, property taxes, and income taxes. Richmond politicians spend on pet projects while demanding hard-working Virginians pay higher taxes for special interest giveaways. Sergio will stand up to politicians in both parties who spend too much on their friends and make Virginians pick up the tab. Pro-Life: As a father of five, Sergio believes in the sanctity of life and champions an agenda that will protect the unborn.	”
—Sergio de la Pena's campaign website (2021)

Pete Snyder

Campaign website

Snyder's campaign website stated the following:

“	Schools Pete is leading the charge to open our schools, five days a week, with a teacher in every classroom. Opening Schools and Reforming Education “Open our schools now. Five days a week with a teacher in every classroom. Career politicians and Democrats in Richmond have failed students, teachers, and parents, so we must open our schools now.” Northam's Failed Record on Schools Northam continues to ignore the calls from thousands of parents, who are fighting to open our schools. Parents demand five days a week in school with teachers in the classroom. The lack of leadership to get children back in school is why Pete is running for governor. He’ll stand up to the teachers union, and put Virginia students first. Enhance Parental Choice in Education Pete knows the student comes first, so parents must have the tools and resources to make sure their child has access to the best education possible. Pete wants to empower parents to choose the best for their child, whether that be public schools, private schools, or homeschooling. Making College More Affordable Pete is committed to freezing rising tuition costs and paving the way for universities to innovate to offer competitive options for Virginia students and families. Expanding Access to Career and Technical Education Pete is going to invest in career and technical education, so Virginians have the skills and knowledge to compete in a 21st-century job market. Reject the Left-Wing Indoctrination and Cancel Culture Pete is fighting back against the lunacy of those on the left trying to cancel everyone from our founding fathers to Dr. Seuss. He will stand up to the liberals trying to impose radical “1619 Project” curriculums. Economy As a serial entrepreneur, Pete knows a thing or two about small business. He understands firsthand how damaging Ralph Northam’s shutdown policies have been on small businesses across Virginia. Creating Jobs and Opportunity “I’m running because Virginia needs a governor who understands that every business is essential to the owners and employees who depend on those jobs. That’s why I created the Virginia 30 Day Fund to provide short-term funds for small businesses in need. We helped more than 1,100 Virginia small businesses survive. That’s the kind of leadership we need in Richmond. It’s time for Virginia to lead again.” Saving Small Business Pete knows firsthand what small businesses are going through, and has committed to boosting those struggling to re-open and stay open. As a serial entrepreneur, Pete knows a thing or two about small business. He understands firsthand how damaging Ralph Northam’s shutdown policies have been on small businesses across Virginia. Career politicians in Richmond picked winners and losers – essential and non-essential businesses – which destroyed lives, and the dreams of families and entrepreneurs across the Commonwealth. In response, Pete and his wife Burson launched the Virginia 30 Day Fund, a non-profit whose sole mission is to save as many small businesses and Virginia jobs as possible by providing fully-forgivable loans for small businesses in need. They were able to raise millions of dollars to help small businesses across the state, and ultimately, the country. Making Virginia More Competitive: Pete is committed to making Virginia the best place to launch and run a business. This starts with getting the career politicians in Richmond out of the way and allowing small businesses to open and thrive, and middle and larger businesses to locate in Virginia rather than other Ending Corporate Welfare: Pete knows the government can’t be in the business of picking winners and losers, so we must put an end to the cronyism that has plagued our state’s politics. Richmond spent 2020 deeming some businesses essential and others as unessential. This must end. Cutting Taxes “I will oppose and veto any and all efforts to increase taxes. We are in the middle of a pandemic and the absolute last thing hard-working families need is more taxes and more regulation by the career politicians and extremists who are running our Commonwealth in Richmond right now.” Signed No New Taxes Pledge Pete signed the Americans for Tax Reform Taxpayer Protection Pledge to oppose tax increases and new taxes. Implement and Amendment to the Virginia Constitution Requiring a Supermajority to Raise Taxes Raising taxes has wide-ranging ramifications for both businesses and families. Pete supports changing Virginia laws to force any proposed tax hike to have support from a supermajority in the House of Delegates. Making Tax Code More Competitive with Other States Far too many Virginia businesses have been forced to leave Virginia for our neighbors like North Carolina and Tennessee as they grow and expand because of our uncompetitive tax code. Pete will make Virginia competitive and attractive to continue to get the government out of the way of job creators. Rights The career politicians in Richmond have shredded the God-given, constitutional rights of Virginians, so Pete is fighting to restore the rights and liberties of the law-abiding citizens of the Commonwealth. Restoring and Defending Second Amendment Rights “I can’t believe we are sitting in Virginia – the Commonwealth that fought to secure the God-given right to keep and bear arms and was instrumental in the founding of our nation – to debate the Second Amendment. I can’t believe we’re even debating this.” Pete believes that the Second Amendment is NOT optional. As a proud gun owner, Pete is going to restore the rights of Virginians to defend themselves and their families. Unfortunately, career politicians didn’t care about the safety of Virginians or our communities last summer when they let a mob rule the streets of our capital city in Richmond. This episode made clear law-abiding Virginians must be able to defend their lives and property when government fails. Pete believes the Second Amendment is for more than just hunting. It is to protect ourselves, our family, our property, and our liberty. Pete will stand-up to the radicals like Northam and McAuliffe, who are trying to seize control and take away your Second Amendment rights. It is essential that Virginia protects and restores the Second Amendment rights of Virginians while keeping guns out of the hands of criminals, children, and the mentally ill. Protecting Life and Stopping Radical Abortion Industry “I am an unapologetically pro-life father. And as your next governor, I am going to protect life at every single turn.” As a pro-life father, Pete knows life is sacred and must always be protected. Pete will stand up to the radicals in Richmond who are advocating for abortion, some even pushing for late-term abortion and infanticide. Northam was caught on tape explaining how this barbarism would happen. Democrats no longer pretend to be moderate on the issue of abortion. They support abortion on demand, up to the moment of birth, even at 9 months, all at taxpayer expense. Whether it is Northam or McAuliffe, Democrats are extreme when it comes to the issue of abortion. Unfortunately, career politicians in Richmond have not faithfully stood up for life. They fund abortion in state budgets and surrender when pro-abortion extremists advance their radical policies. As Virginia’s next Governor, Pete will protect the most vulnerable and advance reasonable restrictions on abortion like prohibiting taxpayer funding of abortion and stopping late-term abortion. Pete is committed to promoting adoption and making sure women have the resources and support to choose life. Preserving Religious Liberty “As a follower of Jesus, a father, and a husband, my faith guides every decision I make and I know He fills me with His strength that I might follow His path for my life. The freedom of religion and the God-given liberties guaranteed by our Constitution stand as the bedrock for our Commonwealth, so we must do everything we can to protect them.” Pete knows that the far-left’s pursuit of control doesn’t end with just incompetent liberal policies, but the left is deadset on canceling the religious liberties that Virginians know to be foundational to our Commonwealth. Northam and career politicians demanded churches close, and even tried to dictate how Virginians chose to worship. Northam and those on the left even tried to blame churches and faith communities for the spread of COVID-19. Whether it is standing up to those trying to tell Virginians how and where they can worship or fighting back against the cancel-culture mobs, Pete is committed to defending the religious liberty of all Virginians. Making Virginia #1 in Ballot Integrity and Election Security “Having secure, legal, and trustworthy elections is foundational to the freedoms we enjoy in Virginia. But for too many Virginians, trust in our election system has been shattered and the process has failed to deliver on the transparency and accountability expected from voters.” Pete released a comprehensive election Integrity plan, called “Honest Vote: Snyder’s Election Integrity Plan.” The plan consists of six policy pillars to restore accountability, transparency, and confidence in our elections. The six pillars of Honest Vote: Accountability and Transparency Guarantee access for all campaigns to the entire voting process and forbid unelected bureaucrats from making changes to voting laws. Photo ID at the Polls Verify all voters are indeed who they say they are while assisting Virginians in acquiring proper identification. Signature Match Absentee Ballots Confirm votes cast using signature and witness requirements for absentee ballots. Up-to-Date Voter Rolls Restore and update the system to ensure that only eligible voters are registered, and there is standardized data sharing with localities to maintain the most up-to-date information. Protect U.S. Citizenship Assure only U.S. citizens can participate in our elections. Establish Voter Fraud Reporting Portal and Hotline Address election concerns with urgency by maintaining an online portal and hotline for reporting issues at the local and precinct level to help identify voter irregularities. Keeping Our Communities Safe “The left wants open borders, but closed schools. It is going to take leadership.” Oppose the Radical Left's Plan to Reduce Penalty for Assaulting Police Officers Pete opposes the radicals in Richmond who are trying to reduce the jail time for criminals who assault men and women of law enforcement. Standing with Law Enforcement Northam and McAuliffe have disrespected law enforcement and caved to left-wing mobs that occupied our capital city last summer. Pete will stand up to the mob and have the back of law enforcement officers who commit their lives to keeping Virginia safe. Prioritize Funding for School Resources Officers Pete is committed to opening Virginia schools, and putting the resources in place to protect children. Cracking Down on Illegal Immigration Pete knows that illegal immigration costs taxpayers billions of dollars, bringing gangs and violence into our communities, and this is why it is so important to enforce Virginia’s immigration laws and deport violent criminals. Pete knows that we must uphold the rule of law, and enforce the immigration laws that are on the books to keep Virginians safe and protect American workers. Pete opposes using taxpayer dollars to pay for in-state tuition for illegal immigrants. Pete is committed to defunding sanctuary cities that refuse to take violent illegal immigrant criminals off our streets Hold sanctuary city officials civilly liable for crimes committed by violent illegal immigrants they harbor Require employers to use e-verify to protect American workers. Combatting COVID-19 and Making Health Care More Affordable and Effective “Northam has failed Virginians throughout the COVID crisis, and Virginia finds itself trailing other states in vaccine distribution, re-opening, and getting our Commonwealth leading again.” Fix Northam's Failure on COVID-19 Pete has spoken out against the failed response of Northam and the career politicians in Richmond who have botched the response to the pandemic. Virginia should lead the Nation in vaccine distribution and test availability, not be at the bottom of the pack. More Affordable Health Insurance Pete knows the way to make health care more affordable is to make it more competitive and transparent. Virginians don’t want more government control of their health, so Pete is committed to fixing our insurance markets and increasing competition to lower costs and make private insurance more affordable.	”
—Pete Snyder's campaign website (2021)

Glenn Youngkin

Campaign website

Youngkin's campaign website stated the following:

“	I'm running to rebuild Virginia into the best place in America to live, work and raise a family. I'm not a politician. I'm a homegrown Virginian and I've spent the last 30 years raising my family, serving in our church, building business and creating jobs. I'm guided by my faith, conservative values, and an unshakeable belief that Virginia should be the best. Political insiders and career politicians in Richmond are failing our Commonwealth with lives lost, businesses closed, jobs lost, and our basic rights challenged like never before. Together, we can bring a new day to Virginia with fresh ideas, shared values, and innovative solutions to rebuild Virginia's future.	”
—Glenn Youngkin's campaign website (2021)

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Glenn Youngkin completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2021. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Youngkin's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I’m a homegrown Virginian who has worked in business for 30 years. I’m running for governor to rebuild Virginia into the best place to live, work and raise a family.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• Virginia’s economy has stalled while neighboring states thrive. Virginia’s businesses are drowning in high costs and red-tape . We need a governor with real-world experience who can create jobs, keep businesses from leaving, put an open-for-business sign on Virginia, and create a rip-roaring economy that lifts all Virginians.

• I will protect and defend Virginians’ Constitutional rights and personal liberties, which are being threatened like never before.

• The cost of living in Virginia is too high and continues to rise making the American dream un-attainable for too many Virginians. Virginia should be the best place to raise live, work and raise a family. and that starts with more jobs and lower costs, including taxes, fees and healthcare costs.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I’m running for governor because I believe we must rebuild Virginia’s future and make it the best place in America to live, work, and raise a family. Rebuilding Virginia begins by building a rip-roaring economy that lowers the cost of living for all Virginians. I am a conservative who believes that the best government is one that stays out of people’s everyday lives as much as possible. I’m committed to not raising taxes, removing regulatory burdens for small businesses, making sure that our children have the best, most affordable education possible, and that our Constitutional rights are protected.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

I look up to my mom, she was a strong woman who got things done and cared about people more than herself. She helped our family through some difficult times and was always a guiding light for me.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

I’m not a politician, but politicians certainly spend a lot of time talking about solving problems. We need elected officials who can lead with character and integrity. We need leaders who don’t just talk about solving problems but have actually done it. We need elected officials who are guided by principles not the special interests they’re indebted to. When you’re elected to office you work for the people.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

30 years of building business and delivering results has taught me that success comes down to vision, team building, executing, and delivering results. One of the great failings of many political leaders is due to basic lack of experience because they’ve never run anything. If you do the same thing over and over with the same bad plan, you will get the same bad results.

What do you love most about your state?

I love the heart, soul, and grit of Virginians. America’s roots are in Virginia: the first assembly and longest-running state legislature is born out of Virginia, and the ideas of a representative democracy were born out of that same state legislature. The institutional foundation of America from the Declaration of Independence to our governing philosophies were first written down by Virginians and then adopted by our great country, and today I want to ensure that Virginia’s legacy as one of the great states in America continues.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

Campaign advertisements

This section shows advertisements released in this race. Ads released by campaigns and, if applicable, satellite groups are embedded or linked below. If you are aware of advertisements that should be included, please email us.

Amanda Chase

"Sizzle" - Chase campaign ad, accessed May 7, 2021

Kirk Cox

"Breakfast" - Cox campaign ad, released May 4, 2021

"2nd Amendment" - Cox campaign ad, released May 4, 2021

"Life" - Cox campaign ad, released May 4, 2021

"Proven Leader" - Cox campaign ad, released May 4, 2021

"Big Tech" - Cox campaign ad, released May 4, 2021

"Second Choice" - Cox campaign ad, released April 27, 2021

"One Party Control" - Cox campaign ad, released April 26, 2021

"Parole Board" - Cox campaign ad, released April 22, 2021

"Cancel Culture" - Cox campaign ad, released April 19, 2021

"Convention 101" - Cox campaign ad, released March 14, 2021

"Parole Board" - Cox campaign ad, released March 4, 2021

"Empowering Parents and Students" - Cox campaign ad, released Feb. 24, 2021

"Cancel Culture" - Cox campaign ad, released Feb. 24, 2021

"Partnership for a Safe Virginia" - Cox campaign ad, released Feb. 19, 2021

"Veterans for Kirk" - Cox campaign ad, released Feb. 19, 2021

"Second Amendment Defenders for Kirk" - Cox campaign ad, released Feb. 19, 2021

"Fight Back Against One Party Control" - Cox campaign ad, released Jan. 26, 2021

"Protecting Life" - Cox campaign ad, released Jan. 22, 2021

A sample ad from the candidate's Facebook page is embedded below. Click here to see the candidate's Facebook Video page.

Sergio de la Pena

"Sergio de la Peña for Governor" - de la Pena campaign ad, released Jan. 12, 2021

Pete Snyder

"Insanity" - Snyder campaign ad, released May 3, 2021

"Rally" - Snyder campaign ad, released April 6, 2021

"Illegal Immigration comes at a cost" - Snyder campaign ad, released March 11, 2021

"Pete Snyder: We need to stop voter fraud." - Snyder campaign ad, released March 5, 2021

"Tell Northam: Open Our Schools" - Snyder campaign ad, released March 2, 2021

"Conservative Outsider" - Snyder campaign ad, released Feb. 17, 2021

"Pete Snyder's plan is simple. Open Our Schools." - Snyder campaign ad, released Feb. 9, 2021

"Pete Snyder's First Radio Ad" - Snyder campaign ad, released Jan. 28, 2021

"Decisive Leadership" - Snyder campaign ad, released Jan. 27, 2021

"Why I'm Running for Governor of Virginia" - Snyder campaign ad, released Jan. 26, 2021

A sample ad from the candidate's Facebook page is embedded below. Click here to see the candidate's Facebook Video page.

Glenn Youngkin

"Called to Serve" - Youngkin campaign ad, released May 4, 2021

"Gov Kevin Stitt Endorses Glenn Youngkin for Governor of Virginia" - Youngkin campaign ad, released May 4, 2021

"Protecting Second Amendment Rights" - Youngkin campaign ad, released April 30, 2021

"It's Past Time for Voter ID" - Youngkin campaign ad, released April 19, 2021

"Glenn Youngkin Will Fight Against Big Tech Censorship and Stan Up for The First Amendment" - Youngkin campaign ad, released April 7, 2021

"Virginia Madness" - Youngkin campaign ad, released March 30, 2021

"Send In The Varsity To Stand Up To Communist China" - Youngkin campaign ad, released March 23, 2021

"Standing Up To China" - Youngkin campaign ad, released March 11, 2021

"Air Balls" - Youngkin campaign ad, released March 8, 2021

"Challenges" - Youngkin campaign ad, released Feb. 1, 2021

"Together" - Youngkin campaign ad, released Feb. 1, 2021

A sample ad from the candidate's Facebook page is embedded below. Click here to see the candidate's Facebook Video page.

Satellite group ads

Click "show" to the right to see satellite group ads.

Americans for Limited Government Opposing Youngkin "ALG Youngkin TV ad" - Americans for Limited Government campaign ad, uploaded by Axios' Lachlan Markay Feb. 21, 2021 First Principles Fund Opposing Cox Click here to view the embedded ad Virginia Cornerstone PAC Opposing Youngkin "Glenn Youngkin: Team Liberal" - Virginia Cornerstone PAC campaign ad, released March 23, 2021 "Profits" - Virginia Cornerstone PAC campaign ad, released Jan. 14, 2021

Campaign finance

The tables below contain data from financial reports submitted to state agencies. The data is gathered and made available by Transparency USA. Transparency USA tracks loans separately from total contributions. Learn more about this data here.

Satellite spending

See also: Satellite spending

Satellite spending, commonly referred to as outside spending, describes political spending not controlled by candidates or their campaigns; that is, any political expenditures made by groups or individuals that are not directly affiliated with a candidate. This includes spending by political party committees, super PACs, trade associations, and 501(c)(4) nonprofit groups.

This section lists satellite spending in this race reported by news outlets in alphabetical order. If you are aware of spending that should be included, please email us.

• Club for Growth Action spent a total of $126,093 opposing Chase and $158,321 opposing Cox beginning in April, 2021. Click [show] on the table below to view specific expenditures.

Club for Growth Action satellite spending, 2021
Date	Value	Expenditure type	Aggregate total
Opposing Chase
April 23, 2021	$26,230	Direct mail	$26,230
April 28, 2021	$99,862	Direct mail	$126,093
Opposing Cox
April 12, 2021	$79,565	Direct mail	$79,565
April 19, 2021	$25,227	Direct mail	$104,792
April 21, 2021	$27,229	Direct mail	$132,091
April 23, 2021	$26,230	Direct mail	$158,321

• Commonwealth Conservative Fund spent a total of $228,490 opposing Snyder beginning in March, 2021. Click [show] on the table below to view specific expenditures.

Commonwealth Conservative Fund satellite spending, 2021
Date	Value	Expenditure type	Aggregate total
March 10, 2021	$5,203	Text message ads	$5,203
March 12, 2021	$27,200	Direct mail	$37,272
	$4,869	Text message ads
March 13, 2021	$250	Text message ads	$37,522
March 15, 2021	$28,710	Direct mail	$66,232
March 18, 2021	$4,963	Text message ads	$71,195
March 19, 2021	$4,695	Text message ads	$75,890
March 22, 2021	$4,645	Text message ads	$80,535
March 23, 2021	$24,583	Direct mail	$105,118
March 25, 2021	$4,596	Text message ads	$109,714
April 1, 2021	$250	Text message ads	$109,964
April 7, 2021	$4,606	Text message ads	$114,570
April 14, 2021	$904	Text message ads	$115,474
April 16, 2021	$17,812	Direct mail	$134,190
	$904	Text message ads
April 19, 2021	$1,068	Voice call ads	$135,258
April 20, 2021	$18,606	Direct mail	$155,064
	$1,200	Text message ads
April 23, 2021	$19,872	TV ads	$192,541
	$17,605	Radio ads
April 28, 2021	$2,536	Text message ads	$195,077
May 3, 2021	$21,709	Direct mail	$225,144
	$4,179	Voice call
	$4,179	Text message ads
May 4, 2021	$1,418	Text message ads	$226,562
May 5, 2021	$1,928	Text message ads	$228,490

• Our First Principles Fund spent at least $68,000 on TV and radio ads opposing Cox since March 8, 2021.

• Patriot Leadership Trust spent an total of $79,002 opposing Chase and $235,713 opposing Youngkin beginning in April, 2021. Click [show] on the table below to view specific expenditures.

Patriot Leadership Fund satellite spending, 2021
Date	Value	Expenditure type	Aggregate total
Opposing Chase
April 12, 2021	$8,550	Digital ads	$8,550
April 29, 2021	$38,321	Direct mail	$53,344
	$6,473	Text message ads
April 30, 2021	$5,400	Digital ads	$58,744
May 2, 2021	$5,556	Text message ads	$64,300
May 3, 2021	$14,702	Digital ads	$79,002
Opposing Youngkin
April 5, 2021	$19,487	Direct mail and text messages	$19,487
April 7, 2021	$75,066	Radio ad buy	$94,553
April 12, 2021	$36,450	Digital ads	$131,003
April 15, 2021	$2,708	Text message ads	$133,711
April 17, 2021	$2,575	Text message ads	$136,286
April 19, 2021	$2,337	Text message ads	$138,623
April 23, 2021	$6,234	Radio ad buy	$167,808
	$3,187	Text message ads
	$19,764	Direct mail
April 26, 2021	$10,989	Direct mail	$178,797
April 27, 2021	$19,331	Direct mail	$198,128
April 29, 2021	$6,519	Direct mail	$204,647
April 30, 2021	$5,556	Text message ads	$215,603
	$5,400	Digital ads
May 3, 2021	$14,702	Direct mail	$235,713
	$4,868	Text message ads
	$540	Digital ads

• Virginia Cornerstone PAC spent a total of $222,913 opposing Youngkin beginning February, 2021. Click [show] on the table below to view specific expenditures.

Virginia Cornerstone PAC satellite spending, 2021
Date	Value	Expenditure type	Aggregate total
Feb. 3, 2021	$8,510	Radio ad buy	$10,381
	$1,871	Text message ads
Feb. 4, 2021	$1,883	Radio ad buy	$13,864
	$1,600	Radio ads
Feb. 17, 2021	$6,500	Direct mail	$20,364
March 23, 2021	$97,875	TV ad buy	$119,628
	$1,389	Text message ads
March 24, 2021	$10,030	Digital ad buy	$129,658
April 1, 2021	$10,030	Facebook ad buy	$141,069
	$1,381	Text message ads
April 16, 2021	$76,425	TV, digital, and text message ads	$217,494
MAy 7, 2021	$5,419	Text message ads	$222,913

Debates and forums

April 28 candidate forum

On April 28, 2021, Chase, Doran, and de la Pena participated in a candidate forum hosted by the Virginia Citizens Defense League via Zoom.

"VCDL PAC Live Forum for VA Governor - Tues 4/28/21 : 8PM" - Forum video, livestreamed April 25, 2021

April 25 debate

On April 25, 2021, Cox, Doran, de la Pena, and Youngkin participated in a debate hosted y the Virginia Faith and Freedom Coalition and The Family Foundation of Virginia at Life Church in Colonial Heights.

"Faith & Freedom Coalition Governors Debate" - Debate video, livestreamed April 25, 2021

Click the links below for summary of the forum from:

• The Associated Press
• WSET
• NBC Washington

April 19 candidate forum

Chase, Cox, Doran, de la Pena, and Youngkin participated in a candidate forum hosted by the College Republicans and Liberty University.

Click the links below for summary of the forum from:

• NBC 12

March 28 candidate forum

Chase, Cox, and Doran participated in a forum focused on education issues hosted by the Coalition for TJ, the Chinese American Parents Association of Northern Virginia, and Capital IIT. Snyder submitted a video introduction that was shown during the forum. Merle Rutledge also participated, but failed to qualify to participate in the convention.

March 4 candidate forum

On March 4, 2021, Cox, Doran, de la Pena, and Youngkin participated in a candidate forum hosted by New Mission PAC via Zoom.

February 28 candidate forum

On Feb. 28, 2021, Chase, Snyder, Youngkin, and de la Pena participated in a candidate forum hosted by the Battlefield Chapter of Virginia Patriots in Fredericksburg. Paul Davis, Merle Rutledge, and Kurt Santini also participated, but later failed to qualify to participate in the convention.

Click the links below for summary of the forum from:

• VA Scope

Timeline

2021

• May 2021 (click to collapse)

  May

  • May 10, 2021: The Republican Party of Virginia began counting ballots for the party's gubernatorial nominee. Click here to learn more about how ranked-choice voting works.
    • Johnson was eliminated after the first round of vote-counting.
    • Doran was eliminated after the second round of vote-counting.
    • de la Pena was eliminated after the third round of vote-counting.
    • Cox was eliminated after the fourth round of vote-counting.
    • Chase was eliminated after the fifth round of vote-counting.
    • Youngkin won the Republican nomination after the sixth round of vote-counting, receiving 55% of the delegate vote to Snyder's 45%.
  • May 7, 2021:
    • Attorney Lin Wood endorsed Chase.
    • Virginia Cornerstone PAC spent $5,419 on text message ads opposing Youngkin, bringing the group's total spent opposing his candidacy to $222,913.
  • May 6, 2021: American Conservative Union Chairman Matthew Schlapp (R) endorsed Snyder.
  • May 5, 2021:
    • Guitarist Ted Nugent endorsed Chase.
    • Commonwealth Conservative Fund spent $1,928 on text message ads opposing Snyder, bringing the group's total spent opposing his candidacy to $228,490.
  • May 4, 2021:
    • Former U.S. Secretary of Education Bill Bennett (R) endorsed Snyder.
    • Gov. Kevin Stitt (R-Okla.) endorsed Youngkin.
    • Commonwealth Conservative Fund spent $1,418 on text message ads opposing Snyder, bringing the group's total spent opposing his candidacy to $226,562.
  • May 3, 2021:
    • Commonwealth Conservative Fund spent $30,067 on direct mail, phone, and text message ads opposing Snyder, bringing the group's total spent opposing his candidacy to $225,144.
    • Patriot Leadership Trust spent $14,702 on digital ads opposing Chase and $20,110 on direct mail, text message, and digital ads opposing Youngkin. These expenditures brought the group's total spent opposing Chase's candidacy to $79,002 and Youngkin's candidacy to $235,713.
  • May 2, 2021:
    • Veterans for America First and political consultant Roger Stone endorsed Chase.
    • U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) endorsed Youngkin.

• April 2021 (click to expand)

  April

  • April 29, 2021: Patriot Leadership Trust spent $6,519 on direct mail opposing Youngkin, bringing the group's total spent opposing is candidacy to $204,647.
  • April 28, 2021:
    • Chase, Doran, and de la Pena participated in a candidate forum hosted by the Virginia Citizens Defense League via Zoom.
    • Club for Growth Action spent $99,862 on direct mail opposing Chase, bringing the group's total spent opposing her candidacy to $126,093.
    • Commonwealth Conservative Fund spent $2,536 on text message ads opposing Snyder, bringing the group's total spent opposing his candidacy to $195,077.
  • April 26, 2021:
    • Sen. Bill Stanley (R) endorsed Cox.
    • Patriot Leadership Trust spent $10,989 on direct mail opposing Youngkin, bringing the group's total spent opposing his candidacy to $178,797.
  • April 25, 2021:
    • Cox, Doran, de la Pena, and Youngkin participated in a debate hosted by the Virginia Faith & Freedom Coalition and The Family Foundation of Virginia at Life Church in Colonial Heights.
    • The Republican Party of Virginia's State Central Committee voted to adopt new rules regarding the convention including the allowance of early voting for delegates with religious obligations. The committee also voted to change the method of counting ballots to a hand count at a single location rather than using counting software. According to VA Scope, committee members expected the by-hand counting process to take multiple days to finish. Learn more about the convention process here.
  • April 24, 2021: The Republican Party of Virginia released a list of the convention's 39 polling locations.
  • April 23, 2021:
    • Club for Growth Action spent $26,230 on direct mail opposing Chase and $26,230 on direct mail opposing Cox. This was the group's first instance of satellite spending opposing chase. Regarding Cox, this expenditure brought the group's total spent opposing his candidacy to $158,321.
    • Patriot Leadership Trust spent $6,234 on radio advertising, $19,764 on direct mail, and $3,187 on text message ads opposing Youngkin, bringing the group's total spent opposing his candidacy to $167,808.
  • April 22, 2021:
    • London Center for Policy Research President Anthony Shaffer endorsed de la Pena.
    • Former Republican Party of Virginia Chairman Jeff Frederick (R) endorsed Snyder.
  • April 21, 2021: Club for Growth Action spent $27,229 on direct mail opposing Cox, bringing the group's total spent opposing his candidacy to $132,091.
  • April 20, 2021: Former U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Andrew Wheeler endorsed Snyder.
  • April 19, 2021:
    • Chase, Cox, Doran, de la Pena, and Youngkin participated in a candidate forum hosted by the College Republicans at Liberty University.
    • Club for Growth Action spent $25,227 on direct mail opposing Cox, bringing the group's total spent opposing his candidacy to $104,792.
    • Patriot Leadership Trust spent $2,337 on text message ads opposing Youngkin, bringing the group's total spent opposing his candidacy to $138,623.
  • April 16, 2021:
    • Commonwealth Conservative Fund spent $17,812 on direct mail and $904 on text message ads opposing Snyder, bringing the group's total spent opposing his candidacy to $134,190.
    • Virginia Cornerstone PAC spent $76,425 on TV, digital, and text message ads opposing Youngkin, bringing the group's total spent opposing his candidacy to $217,493.
  • April 15, 2021:
    • First quarter campaign finance reports showed Youngkin with a balance of $3.3 million followed by Snyder with $2.6 million, Cox with $310,314, and Chase with $195,973 as of March 31, 2021. De la Pena, Doran, and Johnson had balances of $42,751, $2,112, and $800, respectively.
    • Sen. Emmett Hanger (R) endorsed Cox.
  • April 14, 2021: Commonwealth Conservative Fund spent $904 on text message ads opposing Snyder, bring the group's total spend opposing his candidacy to $115,474.
  • April 12, 2021:
    • State Sen. Stephen Newman (R) endorsed Youngkin.
    • Club for Growth Action spent $79,565 on direct mail opposing Cox.
  • April 9, 2021: Senate Majority Leader Thomas Norment Jr. (R) endorsed Cox.
  • April 7, 2021: Patriot Leadership Trust spent $75,066 on a radio ad buy opposing Youngkin, bringing the group's total spent opposing his candidacy to $94,553.
  • April 6, 2021: Former White House national security advisor Michael Flynn endorsed Chase.
  • April 5, 2021: Patriot Leadership Trust spent $19,487 on direct mail and text message ads opposing Youngkin. This was the group's first instance of satellite spending reported in the race.
  • April 2, 2021: State Del. John McGuire (R) endorsed Youngkin.
  • April 1, 2021: Virginia Cornerstone PAC spent $10,030 on a Facebook ad buy and $1,381 on text message ads opposing Youngkin, bringing the group's total spent opposing his candidacy to $141,069.

• March 2021 (click to expand)

  March

  • March 28, 2021: Chase, Cox, and Doran participated in a candidate forum focused on education issues hosted by the Coalition for TJ, the Chinese American Parents Association of Northern Virginia, and Capital IIT. Snyder submitted a video introduction that was shown during the forum.
  • March 25, 2021: Former White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R) endorsed Snyder.
  • March 12, 2021: The Republican Party of Virginia's state central committee approved a plan to hold an unassembled nominating convention at 37 satellite voting locations across the state on May 8, 2021.
  • March 4, 2021: Cox, Doran, de la Pena, and Youngkin participated in a candidate forum hosted by New Mission PAC via Zoom.

• February 2021 (click to expand)

  February

  • Feb. 28, 2021: Chase, Snyder, Youngkin, and de la Pena participated in a candidate forum hosted by the Battlefield Chapter of Virginia Patriots in Fredericksburg.
  • Feb. 24, 2021: The Office of Communications & Public Engagement at Liberty University released a statement saying the university had not agreed to host the nominating convention.
  • Feb. 23, 2021: The Republican Party of Virginia's state central committee approved a plan to hold a nominating convention at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia, on May 8, 2021.

2020

• December 2020 (click to expand)

  December

  • Dec. 5, 2020: The Republican Party of Virginia's state central committee voted to hold a nominating convention rather than a statewide primary to pick its gubernatorial, lieutenant gubernatorial, and attorney general nominees in 2021.

Race ratings

See also: Race rating definitions and methods

Ballotpedia provides race ratings from four outlets: The Cook Political Report, Inside Elections, Sabato's Crystal Ball, and DDHQ/The Hill. Each race rating indicates if one party is perceived to have an advantage in the race and, if so, the degree of advantage:

• Safe and Solid ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge and the race is not competitive.
• Likely ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge, but an upset is possible.
• Lean ratings indicate that one party has a small edge, but the race is competitive.
• Toss-up ratings indicate that neither party has an advantage.

Race ratings are informed by a number of factors, including polling, candidate quality, and election result history in the race's district or state.

Race ratings: Virginia gubernatorial election, 2021
Race tracker	Race ratings
	November 1, 2021	October 26, 2021	October 19, 2021	October 12, 2021
The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter	Toss-up	Toss-up	Toss-up	Toss-up
Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales	Toss-up	Tilt Democratic	Lean Democratic	Lean Democratic
Larry J. Sabato's Crystal Ball	Lean Republican	Lean Democratic	Lean Democratic	Lean Democratic
Note: Ballotpedia updates external race ratings every week throughout the election season.

Virginia gubernatorial election history

The section below details election results for this office in elections dating back to 2001.

2017

See also: Virginia gubernatorial election, 2017

Virginia held an election for governor on November 7, 2017. Governor Terry McAuliffe (D) was term-limited and ineligible to run for re-election to a consecutive term.

The general election took place on November 7, 2017. A primary election was held on June 13, 2017. The filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in the primary election was March 30, 2017.

Ralph Northam (D) defeated Ed Gillespie (R) and Cliff Hyra (Libertarian) in the election for Governor of Virginia.

Virginia Gubernatorial Election, 2017
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Ralph Northam	53.93%	1,409,175
	Republican	Ed Gillespie	45.00%	1,175,731
	Libertarian	Cliff Hyra	1.07%	27,987
Total Votes				2,612,893
Source: Virginia Department of Elections

Ralph Northam defeated Tom Perriello in the Democratic primary for Governor of Virginia.

Virginia Democratic Gubernatorial Primary, 2017
Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Ralph Northam	55.90%	303,541
Tom Perriello	44.10%	239,505
Total Votes		543,046
Source: The New York Times

Ed Gillespie defeated Corey Stewart and Frank Wagner in the Republican primary for Governor of Virginia.

Virginia Republican Gubernatorial Primary, 2017
Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Ed Gillespie	43.71%	160,100
Corey Stewart	42.53%	155,780
Frank Wagner	13.76%	50,394
Total Votes		366,274
Source: The New York Times

2013

On November 5, 2013, Terry McAuliffe won election to the office of Governor of Virginia. He defeated Ken Cuccinelli (R) in the general election.

Governor of Virginia, 2013
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Terry McAuliffe	47.7%	1,069,789
	Republican	Ken Cuccinelli	45.2%	1,013,354
	Libertarian	Robert Sarvis	6.6%	146,984
	Write-In	Various	0.5%	11,087
Total Votes				2,241,214
Election results via Virginia State Board of Elections.

Click [show] for previous cycle election results.

2009 On November 3, 2009, Bob McDonnell won election to the office of Governor of Virginia. He defeated R. Creigh Deeds in the general election. Governor of Virginia, 2009 Party Candidate Vote % Votes      Republican Bob McDonnell 58.6% 1,163,651      Democratic R. Creigh Deeds 41.3% 818,950      Write-In Various 0.1% 2,502 Total Votes 1,985,103 Election results via Virginia State Board of Elections. 2005 On November 8, 2005, Tim Kaine won election to the office of Governor of Virginia. He defeated J.W. Kilgore, H.R. Potts, Jr. in the general election. Governor of Virginia, 2005 Party Candidate Vote % Votes      Democratic Tim Kaine 51.7% 1,025,942      Republican J.W. Kilgore 46% 912,327      Independent H.R. Potts, Jr. 2.2% 43,953      Write-In Various 0.1% 1,556 Total Votes 1,983,778 Election results via Virginia State Board of Elections. 2001 On November 6, 2001, Mark Warner won re-election to the office of Governor of Virginia. He defeated M.L. Early, William B. Redpath in the general election. Governor of Virginia, 2001 Party Candidate Vote % Votes      Democratic Mark Warner 52.2% 984,177      Republican M.L. Early 47% 887,234      Libertarian William B. Redpath 0.8% 14,497      Write-In Various 0% 813 Total Votes 1,886,721 Election results via Virginia State Board of Elections.

State profile

Demographic data for Virginia
	Virginia	U.S.
Total population:	8,367,587	316,515,021
Land area (sq mi):	39,490	3,531,905
Race and ethnicity**
White:	69%	73.6%
Black/African American:	19.2%	12.6%
Asian:	6%	5.1%
Native American:	0.3%	0.8%
Pacific Islander:	0.1%	0.2%
Two or more:	3.2%	3%
Hispanic/Latino:	8.6%	17.1%
Education
High school graduation rate:	88.3%	86.7%
College graduation rate:	36.3%	29.8%
Income
Median household income:	$65,015	$53,889
Persons below poverty level:	13%	11.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015) Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Virginia. **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.

Presidential voting pattern

See also: Presidential voting trends in Virginia

Virginia voted for the Democratic candidate in five out of the seven presidential elections between 2000 and 2024.

Pivot Counties (2016)

Ballotpedia identified 206 counties that voted for Donald Trump (R) in 2016 after voting for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012. Collectively, Trump won these Pivot Counties by more than 580,000 votes. Of these 206 counties, five are located in Virginia, accounting for 2.43 percent of the total pivot counties.

Pivot Counties (2020)

In 2020, Ballotpedia re-examined the 206 Pivot Counties to view their voting patterns following that year's presidential election. Ballotpedia defined those won by Trump won as Retained Pivot Counties and those won by Joe Biden (D) as Boomerang Pivot Counties. Nationwide, there were 181 Retained Pivot Counties and 25 Boomerang Pivot Counties. Virginia had five Retained Pivot Counties, 2.76 percent of all Retained Pivot Counties.

More Virginia coverage on Ballotpedia

• Elections in Virginia
• United States congressional delegations from Virginia
• Public policy in Virginia
• Endorsers in Virginia
• Virginia fact checks
• More...

External links

Suggest a link

• Search Google News for this topic
• Governor of Virginia official website

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