Virginia gubernatorial primary election, 2017

Virginia gubernatorial election

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Governor of Virginia

Filing deadline: March 30, 2017

Primary date: June 13, 2017

General election date: November 7, 2017

Incumbent prior to election: Terry McAuliffe (D)

State executive offices

State legislature

Democratic trifecta

Divided government

Virginia State Executive Elections Top Ballot Governor • Lt. Governor • Attorney General Down Ballot None

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

HIGHLIGHTS

In the Democratic primary, Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam defeated former Rep. Tom Perriello.

In the Republican primary, former Republican National Committee Chairman Ed Gillespie defeated Prince William County Board of Supervisors Chairman Corey Stewart and state Sen. Frank Wagner.

The Libertarian Party held a nominating convention rather than a primary election, selecting patent attorney Cliff Hyra on May 6, 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

Race Ratings: Governor of Virginia (Open seat) - Pre-primary predictions
Race Tracker	Race Ratings
The Cook Political Report	Toss-up
Governing	Toss-up
Larry J. Sabato's Crystal Ball	Toss-up
Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales	Lean Democrat
Note: Ballotpedia updates external race ratings every two weeks throughout the election season.

Click here to view campaign advertisements for this race

Democratic primary

Ralph Northam

Ralph Northam was, at the time of the Democratic primary, the lieutenant governor of Virginia. He took office on January 11, 2014. Prior to that, he was a Democratic member of the Virginia State Senate representing District 6. He was first elected to the chamber in 2007. In contrast to Perriello, Northam stated that he was open to exploring an expansion of state funding for charter schools on the condition that funding for public schools was not impacted. On April 24, 2017, Northam called for tax cuts in the form of exempting Virginians below a certain income level from the state's grocery tax. At the time of the primary election, Virginia was one of several states to levy a partial sales tax on groceries, with the current rate set at 2.5%. Finally, Northam proposes "providing businesses incentives to offer paid family leave to their employees." Northam was endorsed by a broad selection of Virginia politicians, including sitting governor Terry McAuliffe, Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, and Representatives Bobby Scott, Donald McEachin, and Don Beyer. Northam also secured the unanimous nomination of the Democratic caucuses in the Virginia House of Delegates and Virginia State Senate. In addition, Northam was endorsed by NARAL, a pro-choice political group, and by the Pride Fund, an LGBT-oriented organization in favor of stricter firearms regulations. NARAL's campaign finance report for the first quarter of 2017 disclosed a $2,500 contribution to Northam's campaign. On June 6, 2017, Northam was endorsed by The Washington Post.

Tom Perriello

Tom Perriello was a Democratic member of the U.S. House representing Virginia's 5th District from 2009 to 2011. One of Perriello's signature proposals was a reworking of the state's tax code centered around a gradual increase in the state's taxation of incomes over $500,000. Perriello was opposed to the expansion of charter schools in Virginia, and promised to "push to guarantee workers up to eight weeks of leave at two-thirds of their pay so they can care for a new child or an ill family member." Perriello's primary endorsements came mostly from figures prominent in the national Democratic Party. Perriello was endorsed by Senator Bernie Sanders, who cited the need to elect people who "will fight for middle-income and working families" following the Democratic Party's defeat in the 2016 presidential election. The endorsement was followed by a similar statement from Senator Elizabeth Warren which mentioned that Warren felt that Perriello was driven by a desire to "make change for hard-working families." Perriello was also endorsed by a number of former staffers in the Barack Obama administration, including Dan Pfeiffer, Stephanie Cutter, and Jennifer Palmieri. The staffers praised Perriello for his support of the Affordable Care Act and other Democratic policy proposals in 2010 "despite the tea party wave that scared others into political expediency." Former Obama aide Valerie Jarrett later joined in endorsing Perriello, saying that his 2010 decision to support the ACA was an example of "political courage." Perriello also received endorsements from former Hillary Clinton aides, including 2008 campaign policy director Neera Tanden and 2016 campaign manager John Podesta.

National attention

The Democratic primary contest attracted national attention as a potential indicator of the party's future strategy and direction following its defeat in the 2016 presidential elections. Northam's extensive network of endorsements within the state — including sitting Governor Terry McAuliffe, Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, Representatives Bobby Scott, Donald McEachin, and Don Beyer, as well as every Democratic state legislator — gave him a robust starting point for securing the nomination. Perriello's entry into the race brought national attention to the contest as he garnered support from major Democratic figures outside of the state such as Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, former Hillary Clinton campaign chair John Podesta, and a number of figures from the Barack Obama administration such as Senior Advisor Dan Pfeiffer, domestic policy advisor Neera Tanden, and campaign manager David Plouffe.

The nationwide attention on the race drew comment from both camps. Northam Communications Director David Turner characterized the race as "Virginia vs. national Democrats," noting that "Perriello has support that is largely driven from outside the commonwealth. Whether it's Podesta or Neera Tanden or putting out – I say this in a loving way – campaign hacks and flacks from Obama or Zephyr Teachout and Bernie Sanders, they aren't Virginia people." Perriello spokesman Ian Sams argued that the national interest was a sign that his candidate was doing something right, saying that "He happens to be getting support from Obama, Hillary and Bernie corners, which, you know, says something." Ballotpedia's requests for comment on the race from Rep. Nancy Pelosi were not returned, as her office referred all comments on ongoing elections to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

David Cantonese of the U.S. News & World Report noted that there were several characteristics of the Northam-Perriello contest that had implications for future races. While Northam's most notable endorsements came largely from Virginia politicians, Perriello was backed by a slate of national figures. Similarly, his analysis contrasted the Northam campaign's focus on their candidate's prospects in the general election with the Perriello campaign's emphasis on appealing to the Democratic base, leading Cantonese to compare the race with the 2016 Democratic presidential primary between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders. In both primaries, a less-prominent candidate who focused on appealing to the party's base issued a challenge to a well-established and experienced political figure.

Because Virginia is a state that holds gubernatorial elections the year after the president is elected, the Washington Post noted that the Virginia gubernatorial election "is generally viewed by national observers as an early signal of how well the party in power is positioned for the midterm elections ahead," with Bob McDonnell's 2009 victory previewing the nationwide victories for Republican candidates in the 2010 elections. Following the Democratic Party's defeat in the 2016 presidential election, the Post noted that many Democrats saw the Virginia primaries as "a possible portent of the party’s path through the political wilderness" and sought to influence the outcome of the contest. A majority of Perriello's initial $2.2 million campaign fund came from wealthy out-of-state donors such as George Soros, leading some Virginia Democrats to "fear the national progressives are misjudging the political environment in Virginia." An open letter written by Virginia political organizer Nicole Grim argued that "the conversation is being steered away from what’s really happening in Virginia and what’s happening on the ground" and that "this isn’t a national race. This is a state-level race." In an article published by Politico on the day of the primary election, Virginia Democratic strategist Jesse Ferguson urged a cautious approach for national Democrats looking at the Virginia primary, saying "I have no doubt that the result will be over-read and misinterpreted as either a win for the establishment or a win for the insurgency, when that doesn’t reflect what the voters in the state have been hearing."

Noteworthy events

Fluor Corp. divestment

A mandatory conflict-of-interest disclosure in April 2017 revealed that Tom Perriello had between $5,000 and $50,000 invested in Fluor Corporation, a federal contractor responsible for several energy projects related to pipeline expansions Perriello has expressed his opposition towards. The contractor had expressed interest in President Trump's southern border wall proposal, which Perriello also opposed. Perriello's investment in the contractor was criticized by opponents of the pipeline project, with The Daily Progress noting that it "cut against his campaign message of populist reform, standing up to Trump and fighting corporate power." Perriello's campaign announced that he had divested from the company on April 18.

Policy differences

Although Northam and Perriello initially differed on pipeline projects, childcare, and paid family leave, as the campaign progressed deeper policy rifts emerged between the two on issues such as taxation, charter schools, and right-to-work legislation. The following tables provide side-by-side comparisons of policy statements taken from the policy pages of each candidate's campaign website and from various media appearances. Click [show] to see each of the related issues; text in bold highlights cases where the candidates have directly opposing stances.

Budgetary and government reform

Both candidates emphasized the importance of a balanced budget. While Northam called for a general audit of the state's finances to be followed by cuts, Perriello's plan identified specific cuts he would make as governor. Both candidates agreed that Virginia's rural communities must have universal access to broadband - in the case of Perriello, this initiative would be part of a broader infrastructure spending push to include investment in roads and public transportation as well as increased reliance on renewable energy. The two candidates differed on taxes - Perriello supported a tax increase that would be concentrated on high-income Virginians and corporations, a move which Northam described as "not realistic in Richmond." Northam called for lower-income Virginians to be exempted from the state's grocery tax, which was set at 2.5% at the time of the primary election.

Position summaries for Democratic gubernatorial candidates - Budgetary and Government Reform
Issue	Ralph Northam	Tom Perriello
Budgetary reform	Voted for $4.6 billion spending cut to ensure a balanced budget Voted in favor of tax reductions for homeowners Supports a complete audit of the state's spending	Supports redirecting funds from lottery advertising into education Supports switching state investments from high-fee to low-fee accounts Supports a rework of the business tax code so only small businesses can retroactively deduct losses from previous tax returns Supports phasing out tax credits for airlines and redirecting the money to workforce development Supports pension reform for elected officials to prevent switching positions for a higher pension Supports the creation of a task force to identify $100 million in spending reform
Infrastructure spending	Supports universal access to broadband	Supports a three-part infrastructure development plan Development of roads and public transportation Universal access to broadband Energy efficiency and focus on renewables
Redistricting	Voted in favor of redistricting reform Supports creating a nonpartisan commission to draw legislative and congressional districts	Opposes any proposal for new congressional districts that gives one party an advantage
Tax policy	Supports grocery tax exemptions for low-income families Opposes Perriello's proposed tax increases, calling them "not realistic in Richmond"	Supports middle-class tax cuts Supports a gradual 1% increase in the tax rate on income of $500,000 or more Supports a gradual 1.5% increase in the tax rate on incomes of $1,000,000 or more

Civil liberties

On civil liberties, both candidates were broadly in favor of stricter firearms regulation, including universal background checks, lower allowable ammunition capacity, and decreased access to firearms for past offenders. Both candidates were also in favor of changes to the criminal justice system, including ending what they called disproportionate targeting of minorities by the criminal justice system and ending the practice of suspending driver's licenses for inability to pay court fees. In addition, Perriello identified rehabilitating juvenile offenders, a stricter definition of felony larceny, and increasing access to legal aid as crucial changes he would make to the criminal justice system.

Position summaries for Democratic gubernatorial candidates - Civil Liberties
Issue	Ralph Northam	Tom Perriello
Firearms regulation	Voted against allowing concealed carry of firearms without a permit Voted against allowing firearms in bars Voted against allowing concealed carry by those convicted of DUIs in other states Voted to require background checks for all firearm sales Voted to continue limiting sales of handguns to one per month Supports universal background checks Supports a ban on assault weapons Supports requiring less ammunition capacity Voted to suspend concealed carry permits for gun owners "deemed by a judge as legally incompetent, mentally incapacitated, or who are involuntarily committed"	Supports universal background checks Supports requiring less ammunition capacity Supports eliminating exception allowing a background check to be skipped if it's taken more than three days Supports preventing those convicted of stalking and domestic abuse from possessing firearms
Criminal justice	Supports changing sentencing practices and drug laws that disproportionately impact minorities Supports abolishing the practice of suspending driver's licenses for inability to pay court fees	Supports changing criminal justice practices that disproportionately impact minorities Supports abolishing the practice of suspending driver's licenses for inability to pay court fees Supports moving towards rehabilitative justice for juvenile offenders Supports increasing the standard for felony larceny Supports increasing access to legal aid

Education

Both candidates were in favor of increasing access to apprenticeships and community college, with Perriello additionally endorsing a plan that would guarantee two years of free community college, apprenticeships, or job training to all Virginians. Both candidates also supported plans that would reduce the cost of attending a four-year university. In addition, Northam supported a series of changes to the K-12 education system which would include reevaluating curriculum and testing standards and increasing teacher salaries. Northam was in favor of increasing the state's funding for charter schools on the condition that any such increase would not lead to a decrease in public school funding. On the other hand, Perriello was opposed to any increase in state funding for charter schools. For more information on charter schools in Virginia, click here.

Position summaries for Democratic gubernatorial candidates - Education
Issue	Ralph Northam	Tom Perriello
Apprenticeships and trade schools	Supports universal access to further education Supports working with businesses and community colleges to promote and expand training programs Supports apprenticeships and job training in the last two years of high school for students not planning on attending college	Supports two years of free community college, job training, or apprenticeships for jobseekers of any age Perriello argues that these programs will pay for themselves by increasing wages and therefore tax income Supports working with employers to improve program quality and completion rate
Charter schools	Supports increasing state funding for charter schools on the condition that public schools do not lose funding as a result	Opposed to increasing state funding for charter schools
College costs	Supports taking action to ensure that all qualified Virginians can afford a college education	Voted in favor of a tax credit for college students Supports reestablishing the Virginia Educational Loan Authority to provide students with affordable loans Supports expanding the Virginia Transfer Grant to help students transition from community college to a four-year program Supports offering partial loan forgiveness to students willing to commit to two years of social work
Educational standards	Supports reevaluating testing standards for elementary schoolers Supports increasing access to preschool Supports decreased reliance on standardized testing Supports increased STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) education
Post-graduation opportunities	Supports increased funding for school counselors and Positive Behavior Intervention Services Supports investigating potential racial bias in students being referred to police
Pre-K		Supports universal pre-kindergarten
Teacher salaries	Supports increased teacher salaries Supports increased investment in professional development for educators Supports involving teachers in the creation of educational policy

Environment

The candidates' biggest environmental policy difference was their approach to the Atlantic Coast and Mountain Valley Pipelines, a pair of pipeline projects which have come under fire from environmental advocacy groups. Northam promised to subject both pipelines to a thorough review, while Perriello's approach involved using all available means as governor to oppose the projects. Both candidates' policy proposals included opposition to federal rollbacks of environmental regulations, protection of the Chesapeake Bay, addressing the impact of pollution on impoverished communities, and increased investment in renewable energy.

Position summaries for Democratic gubernatorial candidates - Environment
Issue	Ralph Northam	Tom Perriello
Climate change	Voted in favor of creating a coastal flooding working group Serves on the governor's climate change commission Supports enforcing the standards of the Clean Power Plan Supports creating a Conservation Cabinet under the Secretary of Natural Resources	Supports state opposition to federal rollback of environmental policy Supports cap-and-trade legislation Supports promoting renewable energy Supports executive action on climate change
Chesapeake Bay	Voted in favor of protecting native oysters and funding conservation efforts Voted in favor of banning winter dredging of blue crabs Voted in favor of barring phosphorus from fertilizer to eliminate toxic runoff Supports allowing local regulation of fracking Supports maintaining the ban on uranium mining Supports maintaining the Total Maximum Daily Load pollution requirements Supports increased wetland and shoreline restoration	Supports maintaining state funding for cleanup of the Bay Supports cooperation with other states to protect the Bay Supports working with farmers to reduce fertilizer runoff and prevent algal bloom
Natural gas pipelines	Supports thorough vetting of the Atlantic Coast and Mountain Valley Pipeline	Supports preventing the Atlantic Coast and Mountain Valley Pipeline's construction, if possible
Health and the environment	Supports the creation of an environmental task force that would focus on health impacts of pollution in impoverished communities Supports measures to regulate air quality, drinking water, and zoning for energy infrastructure	Supports increased funding for water infrastructure maintenance and increased water testing Supports a transitional justice process to heal racial divides caused by pollution in minority communities by creating an Environmental Justice Advocacy Council
Renewable energy	Voted in favor of legislation to prevent energy companies from claiming tax credits by investing in out-of-state renewable energy Voted in favor of increased funding for development of solar and wind power Supports increasing investment in renewable energy	Supports eliminating what he considers to be laws that have prevented the development of renewable energy in Virginia Supports net metering regulations, community solar, and third-party purchase agreements

Healthcare

On healthcare, both candidates were broadly supportive of increasing the priority the state places on addressing substance abuse, increasing veterans' access to healthcare, and expanding access to abortions.

Position summaries for Democratic gubernatorial candidates - Healthcare
Issue	Ralph Northam	Tom Perriello
Substance abuse	Supported increased access to naloxone for overdose treatment Supports expanding access to new substance abuse treatments and drug courts	Supports viewing addiction as an illness rather than a crime Supports increased access to addiction treatment Supports measures to reduce the prescription of opioids for chronic pain Supports increased access to naloxone for overdose treatment Supports a review of the criminal justice elements of drug policy (harsh punishments and disproportionate impact on minorities in particular)
Medicaid expansion	Supports expansion of Medicaid	Supports working with the General Assembly to expand Medicaid
Veterans' health	Voted in favor of new VA centers, as well as allowing VA treatment through community health centers Supports calling for VA reform at the federal level	Supports increasing veterans' access to health care, housing, education, and consumer protection
Women's health	Supports increased access to contraceptives and continued access to abortions Voted against mandated transvaginal ultrasounds Opposes measures barring abortion from being covered by health care plans sold on the state exchange Supports providing access to Long-Acting Reversible Contraceptives to women who could not otherwise afford them	Supports overturning legislation requiring ultrasounds, counseling, and a waiting period prior to an abortion Supports expansion of women's health centers to areas lacking them Promises to veto all measures that would limit access to reproductive care

Social issues

On some social issues the candidates' approaches differed despite similar end goals. For instance, Northam supported a plan where the state government would work with the private sector to increase access to childcare, while Perriello supported the use of tax credits. Both candidates suggested eight weeks of paid family leave as a goal, but while Northam proposed that this be accomplished through tax incentives, Perriello endorsed a direct mandate. Northam additionally called for housing policy reform and veteran employment programs, while Perriello advocated for a human trafficking task force and a $15 minimum wage. Both candidates supported transparent salary information to make it less likely that women would be paid less than men. In addition, they both opposed any action by the federal government that would restrict entry to Virginia based on race, religion, or country of origin or that they felt would discriminate against LGBT Virginians. The candidates differed on Virginia's right-to-work legislation, with Perriello suggesting a push to overturn the law and Northam arguing that Democrats' efforts were better spent elsewhere.

Position summaries for Democratic gubernatorial candidates - Social issues
Issue	Ralph Northam	Tom Perriello
Childcare	Supports working alongside the private sector to develop a plan to increase access to early childhood education, health, and nutrition services	Supports tax credits to offset childcare costs
Domestic violence and sexual assault	Supports passing a law that would increase penalties for domestic violence when committed in front of a minor Supports requiring domestic abusers to pay for counseling	Supports educating middle school, high school, and college students on healthy relationships and intervention procedures Supports an increase in the number of forensic nurses Supports retraining for law enforcement to better support victims of sexual assault
Gender-neutral pay	Supports mandating transparent salary information to allow women to be better aware of pay discrepancies	Supports mandating equal pay when possible Supports mandating transparent salary information to allow women to be better aware of pay discrepancies
Human trafficking		Supports the creation of a human trafficking task force
Housing	Voted in favor of prohibiting housing discrimination against LGBT families Voted in favor of expanding access to housing vouchers Voted in favor of expanding access to information on fair housing laws
Immigration	Opposes measures that would limit entry to the state based on race, religion, or country of origin	Opposes action taken by the federal government against Virginia students without legal residency Supports issuing driver's licenses to immigrants without legal status Supports strengthening anti-discrimination measures
Labor law	Opposes efforts to overturn Virginia's right-to-work legislation, suggesting that lawmakers should not "pick fights that we perhaps can't win right now"	Opposes measures that would weaken Virginia's wage theft protections Opposes right-to-work laws Supports harsher penalties for businesses which misclassify workers as independent contractors Supports readoption of Project Labor Agreements
LGBT policy	Voted against a bill requiring transgender individuals to use the bathroom of their birth gender Voted in favor of protections for LGBT individuals facing discrimination in the workplace and adoption proceedings Opposes any measures that might be taken by the federal government that are potentially harmful to LGBT rights	Supports codifying non-discrimination measures for housing and employment Voted in favor of repealing Don't Ask Don't Tell policy Opposes any measures that might be taken by the federal government that are potentially harmful to LGBT rights
Marijuana	Supports decriminalization of marijuana	Supports decriminalization of marijuana
Minimum wage	Supports raising the minimum wage	Supports raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour Supports the state Department of Labor taking a more active role in enforcing overtime pay
Paid family leave	Supports incentivizing businesses to provide paid family leave Supports providing small businesses with a tax credit in exchange for granting full-time employees eight weeks of paid family leave	Supports a guarantee of eight weeks paid family leave at two-thirds normal pay Supports guaranteed medical leave Supports measures specifically intended to aid small businesses in implementing these policies
Taxation of women's hygiene products		Supports an end to the taxation of women's hygiene products
Veterans' issues	Voted in favor of legislation which helped former medics find civilian employment by allowing them to qualify for EMT positions Supports extending similar legislation to other returning veterans	Supports increasing veterans' access to healthcare, higher education, and housing

Polls

Democratic Virginia gubernatorial candidates, 2017
Poll	Perriello	Northam	Someone else	Wouldn't vote	Don't know	Margin of error	Sample size
Washington Post/Schar School (May 9-14, 2017)	35%	29%	8%	2%	27%	+/-6.0	351
Virginia Education Association/Public Policy Polling (May 9-10, 2017)	35%	45%	0%	0%	21%	+/-3.6	745
Quinnipiac (April 6-10, 2017)	25%	20%	1%	2%	51%	+/-4.5	483
Christopher Newport University (March 16-26, 2017)	26%	26%	3%	0%	45%	+/-5.4	391
Christopher Newport University (February 2, 2017)	26%	15%	1%	0%	58%	+/-4.8	464
Quinnipiac (February 16, 2017)	19%	19%	1%	2%	61%	+/-4.6	462
AVERAGES	27.67%	25.67%	2.33%	1%	43.83%	+/-4.82	482.67
Note: The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to editor@ballotpedia.org.

Republican primary

Ed Gillespie

Ed Gillespie is a former chair of the Republican National Committee, a post which he held from 2003 to 2005. Gillespie was the Republican candidate in the 2014 Virginia Senate election. In addition, Gillespie was a high-level aide to President George W. Bush, who has helped him with fundraising in the primary election. Gillespie's central campaign proposal is a tax plan that would include a 10% decrease in the state income tax rate. Gillespie has been endorsed by several Virginia political figures, including Rep. Morgan Griffith, Rep. Bob Goodlatte, Rep. Barbara Comstock, former Governors George Allen and Bob McDonnell, and former presidential candidate Carly Fiorina. In addition, Gillespie has been endorsed by national figures including Governors Scott Walker and Doug Ducey, Ambassador Nikki Haley, and former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich.

Corey Stewart

Corey Stewart has been a member of the Prince William County Board of Supervisors since 2003, serving as the organization's chairman since 2007. Until October 2016, Stewart was the chair of President Donald Trump's Virginia campaign. Stewart's campaign for governor was organized along similar themes to the President's, with Stewart promising to "take back Virginia from the establishment and political elites in Richmond," "bring jobs back to the Commonwealth and create a better business climate," and to "never back down from conservative principles of fighting illegal immigration, defending the Second Amendment, and protecting life." The bulk of Stewart's endorsements came from fellow alumni of Trump's Virginia campaign team, including Virginia Women for Trump founder Alice Butler-Short and Student Trump Coalition Chairman Brian M. H. Landrum. Stewart was also endorsed by Cynthia Dunbar, the national committeewoman representing Virginia in the Republican National Committee, and by the political action committee of the Virginia Citizen's Defense League, an advocacy group opposed to firearms regulations.

Frank Wagner

Frank Wagner has been a member of the Virginia State Senate since 2001. Before that, he spent nine years in the state House of Delegates. Wagner centered his campaign around his history as a businessman and his transportation proposals, which include "constructing Interstate 73 and the Coal Fields Expressway in order to create more jobs in Southside and Southwest Virginia." On June 6, 2017, Wagner was endorsed by the Washington Post.

Candidate selection process

In 2001-2017, the Republican Party of Virginia often switched between choosing its gubernatorial nominees via primary elections or through a nominating convention. The Washington Post reported that supporters of conventions argued that they "forced candidates to engage in retail politics around the state, instead of running via TV ads and sound bites" while those who favored primaries said that they "help the party reach more voters, including students, single parents, small-business owners and others who find it hard to travel across the state to a convention." The Washington Post report also noted that because Virginia holds open primaries and conventions "tend to attract only the most committed — and conservative — activists," the choice of selection process can impact the outcome of the contest.

In the 2001 election, Virginia Republicans utilized a convention to select Mark Earley. The party switched to a primary election in 2005, when Jerry Kilgore won the nomination. Bob McDonnell was unopposed in the Republican primary for the 2009 election, though a nominating convention was used to select the nominees for lieutenant governor and attorney general. In June 2012, the party made the decision to utilize a convention in the 2013 election, a move which the Washington Times described as "a win" for eventual nominee Ken Cuccinelli. The party had originally decided to continue the use of a nominating convention for the 2017 election, but on August 27, 2016, the decision was reversed and the party decided to hold its first primary election since 2005.

Policy differences

The following table provides side-by-side comparisons of policy statements taken from the policy pages of each candidate's campaign website. Click [show] to see the full table.

Position summaries for Republican gubernatorial candidates
Issue	Ed Gillespie	Corey Stewart	Frank Wagner
Abortion	Supports taking action to reduce the rate of unintended pregnancies Supports increased access to adoption services and foster agencies States policy as pro-life	Supports reduction in funding to Planned Parenthood Supports increased regulation of abortion Supports a definition of life from the moment of conception States policy as pro-life
Civil Liberties	Opposes firearms regulation proposals	Opposes firearms regulation proposals Supports the elimination of all current firearms regulation Supports an amendment to the state constitution guaranteeing the right to carry a firearm without a permit
Education	Supports measures that would ensure that a greater proportion of education spending goes directly to classrooms Supports modified Standards of Learning with increased teacher discretion Supports emphasis on career skills	Supports voucher programs	Supports allowing parents to home school Supports emphasis on technical schools and apprenticeships Supports freezing tuition at all public universities via increased state financial aid Supports programs which promote career technical education
Energy and the environment	Opposed to federal environmental regulations Opposed to coal-mining regulations Supports off-shore drilling	Opposed to EPA and Army Corps of Engineers regulations Opposed to coal-mining regulations Opposed to agriculture regulations	Opposed to federal energy regulations Opposed to coal-mining regulations
Infrastructure		Supports increased investment in infrastructure	Supports increased investment in infrastructure Supports funding the construction of I-73 and the Coal Fields Expressway
Public safety	Supports prioritizing law enforcement in the budgetary process Supports fostering positive relationships between communities and law enforcement	Opposes measures by the federal government which he feels would reduce Virginians' security Opposes the settlement of refugees from Syria
Veterans' affairs	Supports increasing veterans' access to healthcare, education, and job-seeking opportunities	Supports policies which would aid veterans and their families

Taxation

Much of the policy discussion in the Republican primary contest was centered around taxation, an issue where the three candidates disagreed sharply. At the center of Gillespie's campaign was a program of tax cuts to include the first reduction in the state's income tax since its introduction in 1972 and a measure that would encourage Virginia's counties and independent cities to reduce tax rates on businesses. Gillespie's campaign argued that this proposal would spur economic growth and make Virginia a more attractive state for businesses, projecting that a family with $135,000 worth of income would see a $1,300 decrease in their tax bill. On the other hand, Stewart proposed a still larger reduction to the state's income tax, pledging to eliminate the income tax for individuals making less than $17,000 annually and instituting a single rate at which to tax all income over $17,000. In addition, Stewart proposed a total elimination of the state's income tax in areas which border Tennessee in order to foster competition with that state. Stewart's plan held the complete elimination of the state income tax as an eventual goal. In contrast to his opponents, Frank Wagner was opposed to further tax cuts, arguing that the recent $1.2 billion budget cut made by the Virginia General Assembly left little room for additional reductions in spending. Wagner proposed a change to the gasoline tax in Virginia, which was, at the time of the primary, set to vary with the price of gasoline, but had not risen above the 16.2 cent per gallon minimum mandated by the law since it was first passed. Wagner suggested that the state instead adopt a fixed tax on gasoline at a rate above the then-current 16.2 cents, with the additional proceeds going towards development of the state's infrastructure.

Polls

Republican Virginia gubernatorial candidates, 2017
Poll	Gillespie	Stewart	Riggleman	Wagner	Someone else	Wouldn't vote	Don't know	Margin of error	Sample size
Washington Post/Schar School (May 9-14, 2017)	37%	12%	0%	13%	1%	4%	33%	+/-7.0	264
Quinnipiac (April 6-10, 2017)	28%	12%	0%	7%	0%	2%	51%	+/-4.7	435
Christopher Newport University (March 16-26, 2017)	38%	11%	0%	10%	3%	0%	38%	+/-5.7	349
Christopher Newport University (February 2, 2017)	33%	7%	1%	9%	2%	0%	48%	+/-5.0	418
Quinnipiac (February 16, 2017)	24%	7%	2%	5%	1%	3%	59%	+/-4.8	419
AVERAGES	32%	9.8%	0.6%	8.8%	1.4%	1.8%	45.8%	+/-5.44	377
Note: The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to editor@ballotpedia.org.

Recent news

The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Virginia Governor election 2017. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.

Virginia gubernatorial primary election, 2017 - Google News

See also

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