Kirk Cox

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Kirk Cox
Image of Kirk Cox

Republican Party

Prior offices
Virginia House of Delegates District 66
Successor: Mike Cherry
Elections and appointments
Last convention

May 8, 2021

Education

Bachelor's

James Madison University

Personal
Religion
Christian: Baptist
Profession
Teacher
Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Campaign Twitter

Campaign Instagram

Campaign YouTube

Personal Facebook

Kirk Cox (Republican Party) was a member of the Virginia House of Delegates, representing District 66. He assumed office in 1990. He left office on January 12, 2022.

Cox (Republican Party) ran for election for Governor of Virginia. He lost in the Republican convention on May 8, 2021.

Cox served as state House majority leader from December 2010 until January 2018, when he was elected to serve as speaker of the House.[1]

Biography

Cox earned his bachelor's degree in political science and general social science from James Madison University in 1979. Before he was first elected to the Virginia House of Delegates, Cox taught government at Manchester High School. He has been involved with a number of organizations, including the Board of Veterans Services, Campaign for Honest Change, Commission on the Future of Virginia's Environment, and House Leadership Team.[2]

2021 battleground election

See also: Virginia gubernatorial election, 2021 (May 8 Republican convention)

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."[3] 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."[4]

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.[5] 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."[6] Former White House national security advisor Michael Flynn, political consultant Roger Stone, and attorney Lin Wood endorsed her.[7][8][9]

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.[10] 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."[11][12] Former Govs. Bob McDonnell (R) and George Allen (R) and 26 Republican members of the General Assembly endorsed him.[13]

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.[14][15] 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."[16] 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.[17]

Youngkin was a former co-CEO and president of The Carlyle Group, a global investment firm, where he worked from 1995 to 2020.[18] 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."[19] Commentator and talk show host Hugh Hewitt (R) and two Republican members of the General Assembly endorsed him.[20][21][22]

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.[23] 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.

Elections

2021

See also: Virginia gubernatorial election, 2021

Virginia gubernatorial election, 2021 (June 8 Democratic primary)

Virginia gubernatorial election, 2021 (May 8 Republican convention)

General election

General election for Governor of Virginia

Glenn Youngkin defeated Terry McAuliffe, Princess Blanding, and Paul Davis in the general election for Governor of Virginia on November 2, 2021.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Glenn Youngkin
Glenn Youngkin (R) Candidate Connection
 
50.6
 
1,663,596
Image of Terry McAuliffe
Terry McAuliffe (D)
 
48.6
 
1,600,116
Image of Princess Blanding
Princess Blanding (Liberation Party) Candidate Connection
 
0.7
 
23,125
Image of Paul Davis
Paul Davis (Independent) (Write-in) Candidate Connection
 
0.0
 
0
 Other/Write-in votes
 
0.1
 
2,593

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 3,289,430
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Governor of Virginia

Terry McAuliffe defeated Jennifer D. Carroll Foy, Jennifer McClellan, Justin Fairfax, and Lee Carter in the Democratic primary for Governor of Virginia on June 8, 2021.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Terry McAuliffe
Terry McAuliffe
 
62.1
 
307,367
Image of Jennifer D. Carroll Foy
Jennifer D. Carroll Foy
 
19.8
 
98,052
Image of Jennifer McClellan
Jennifer McClellan
 
11.8
 
58,213
Image of Justin Fairfax
Justin Fairfax
 
3.6
 
17,606
Image of Lee Carter
Lee Carter
 
2.8
 
13,694

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 494,932
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

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Republican convention

Republican Convention for Governor of Virginia

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.

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 12,555
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Campaign finance

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.


Republican convention endorsements
Endorsement Chase Cox de la Pena Snyder Youngkin
Elected officials
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas)[24] ✔
Gov. Kevin Stitt (R-Okla.)[25] ✔
U.S. Rep. Bob Good (R-Va.)[26] ✔
U.S. Rep. Morgan Griffith (R-Va.)[27] ✔
Members of the Virginia General Assembly 26[13] 7[17] 2
Individuals
Frmr. Gov. George Allen (R-Va.)[13] ✔
Frmr. Gov. Bob McDonnell (R-Va.)[13] ✔
Va. National Committeeman Morton Blackwell (R)[17] ✔
Va. GOP Central Committee member William Deutsch (R)[17] ✔
Va. GOP First Vice-Chair Kristi Way (R)[13] ✔
Frmr. U.S. Secretary of Education Bill Bennett (R)[28] ✔
Frmr. Homeland Security Dept. Dep. Dir. Ken Cuccinelli (R)[29] ✔
Frmr. White House national security advisor Michael Flynn[7] ✔
Frmr. Republican Party of Virginia Chairman Jeff Frederick (R)[30] ✔
Talk show host Hugh Hewitt[22] ✔
Frmr. acting Dir. of Immigration and Customs Enforcement Thomas Homan[17] ✔
Frmr. Heritage Foundation President Kay Coles James (R)[29] ✔
Frmr. acting Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection Mark Morgan[17] ✔
Guitarist Ted Nugent[31] ✔
Frmr. White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R)[32] ✔
American Conservative Union Chairman Matthew Schlapp (R)[33] ✔
London Center for Policy Research President Anthony Shaffer[34] ✔
Political consultant Roger Stone[8] ✔
Frmr. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Andrew Wheeler[35] ✔
Attorney Lin Wood[9] ✔
Organizations
Veterans for America First[36] ✔


2019

See also: Virginia House of Delegates elections, 2019

General election

General election for Virginia House of Delegates District 66

Incumbent Kirk Cox defeated Sheila Bynum-Coleman and Linnard Harris Sr. in the general election for Virginia House of Delegates District 66 on November 5, 2019.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Kirk Cox
Kirk Cox (R)
 
51.7
 
14,443
Image of Sheila Bynum-Coleman
Sheila Bynum-Coleman (D)
 
47.0
 
13,147
Image of Linnard Harris Sr.
Linnard Harris Sr. (Independent) Candidate Connection
 
1.2
 
343
 Other/Write-in votes
 
0.1
 
19

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 27,952
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

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2017

See also: Virginia House of Delegates elections, 2017

General election

Elections for the Virginia House of Delegates took place in 2017. All 100 house seats were up for election. The general election took place on November 7, 2017. A primary election took place on June 13, 2017. The filing deadline for primary election candidates was March 30, 2017. The filing deadline for non-party candidates and candidates nominated by methods other than a primary was June 13, 2017.[37] Incumbent Kirk Cox (R) defeated Katie Sponsler (D) in the Virginia House of Delegates District 66 general election.[38]

Virginia House of Delegates, District 66 General Election, 2017
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.png Kirk Cox Incumbent 63.54% 18,572
     Democratic Katie Sponsler 36.46% 10,656
Total Votes 29,228
Source: Virginia Department of Elections

Democratic primary election

Katie Sponsler ran unopposed in the Virginia House of Delegates District 66 Democratic primary.[39]

Ballotpedia will publish vote totals here after they become available.
Virginia House of Delegates, District 66 Democratic Primary, 2017
Candidate
Green check mark transparent.png Katie Sponsler

Republican primary election

Incumbent Kirk Cox ran unopposed in the Virginia House of Delegates District 66 Republican primary.[40]

Ballotpedia will publish vote totals here after they become available.
Virginia House of Delegates, District 66 Republican Primary, 2017
Candidate
Green check mark transparent.png Kirk Cox Incumbent

2015

See also: Virginia House of Delegates elections, 2015

Elections for the Virginia House of Delegates took place in 2015. A primary election was held on June 9, 2015. The general election took place on November 3, 2015. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was March 26, 2015.[41] Incumbent Kirk Cox was unopposed in the Republican primary and was unchallenged in the general election.[42][43]

2013

See also: Virginia House of Delegates elections, 2013

Cox won re-election in the 2013 election for Virginia House of Delegates District 66. Cox ran unopposed in the June 11th Republican primary. He was unopposed in the general election, which took place on November 5, 2013.[44]

2011

See also: Virginia House of Delegates elections, 2011

On November 8, 2011, Cox won re-election to District 66 of the Virginia House of Delegates. He was uncontested in the August 23 primary and ran unopposed in the November 8 general election.[45]

2009

See also: Virginia House of Delegates elections, 2009

In 2009, Cox was re-elected to the Virginia House of Delegates.[46]

Virginia House of Delegates General Election, District 66 (2009)
Candidates Votes
Green check mark transparent.png Kirk Cox (R) 21,428

Campaign themes

2021

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Kirk Cox did not complete Ballotpedia's 2021 Candidate Connection survey.

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.[47]
 ”
—Kirk Cox's campaign website (2021)[48]

Campaign advertisements

"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.


2019

Kirk Cox did not complete Ballotpedia's 2019 Candidate Connection survey.

2017

Cox’s campaign website highlighted the following issues:

“

Creating Virginia Jobs
Kirk understands the vital importance of helping businesses create new jobs. As a Delegate, he works to help bring both new businesses and new jobs to the Commonwealth. In 2016, Kirk successfully carried legislation creating the Virginia Growth and Opportunity Board (GO Virginia). This business-driven initiative facilitates greater collaboration between the business community, higher education, and local governments. By aligning the needs of the three segments, we will encourage the creation of good-paying jobs in high demand fields, and make economic development dollars go further. Overall, Kirk understands that the General Assembly must support legislation that will improve economic growth, create private sector jobs, and significantly decrease burdensome regulations on our small businesses.

Reducing Unnecessary Government Spending
Kirk believes strongly that government should focus on the core functions of government and must live within its means. Nowhere is this more evident than when he is working on the state budget. As a member of the House Appropriations Committee and a Budget Conferee, Kirk advocates for a balanced, responsible budget that does not raise taxes or fees on hardworking Virginians. Kirk believes in leading by example, and that means cutting spending within the legislature itself. Since 2010, the legislative branch returned over $19 million in savings to the state’s general fund. By focusing on passing conservative, responsible, and balanced budgets, Kirk’s leadership has placed Virginia in a position to move forward.

Promoting a World Class Education
As a retired public school teacher with 30 years of in-classroom experience and the father of four public school graduates, Kirk believes that a world-class education system is critical to growing Virginia’s economy. Kirk’s vision for K-12 education is rooted in increased accountability and encouraging innovation in the classroom. He supported increased funding targeted to classrooms—not school bureaucracy—and co-patroned legislation adding more school choice options and reducing the number of SOL tests. Kirk led the effort to fund teacher pay raises in the state budget in 2014 and 2017. Additionally, the state’s 2017 adopted budget sent 35% of lottery funds, or $191 million, back to local school divisions with no strings attached.

Increasing Access and Affordability to Higher Education
As the father of four sons, Kirk is committed to making college more affordable and accessible to all Virginians. In 2014, Kirk successfully carried legislation aimed at decreasing the cost of college by capping athletic fees charged to students at Virginia colleges and universities, the largest driver of college costs in Virginia according to JLARC. In 2017, Kirk carried legislation that revamped Virginia’s 30+ year old financial aid program so that it rewards students for successfully progressing through a program and applies to more middle-income families. Kirk also carried legislation creating the Online Virginia Network. The Virginia Online Network will increase opportunities for non-traditional students and the more than one million Virginians who have started, but not completed their college degrees. The Online Virginia Network is a consortium of online classes from various state universities with one-stop shopping for scheduling, registering, and taking online classes.[47]

”
—Kirk Cox, [49]

Campaign finance summary

Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

Kirk Cox campaign contribution history
YearOfficeStatusContributionsExpenditures
2021Governor of VirginiaLost convention$1,484,056 $1,467,259
2021Governor of VirginiaWon convention$1,484,056 $1,467,259
2019Virginia House of Delegates District 66Won general$2,014,465 N/A**
2017Virginia House of Delegates District 66Won general$952,080 N/A**
Grand total$5,934,658 $2,934,519
Sources: OpenSecrets,  Federal Elections Commission ***This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
** Data on expenditures is not available for this election cycle
Note: Totals above reflect only available data.

Committee assignments

Note: This membership information was last updated in September 2023. Ballotpedia completes biannual updates of committee membership. If you would like to send us an update, email us at: editor@ballotpedia.org.

2020-2021

Cox was assigned to the following committees:

2019-2020

Cox was assigned to the following committees:

2016 legislative session

At the beginning of the 2016 legislative session, Cox served on the following committees:

Virginia committee assignments, 2016
• Appropriations
• Rules, Vice-Chair

2015 legislative session

In the 2015 legislative session, Cox served on the following committees:

2014 legislative session

In the 2014 legislative session, Cox served on the following committees:

2012-2013

In the 2012-2013 legislative session, Cox served on the following committees:

2010-2011

In the 2010-2011 legislative session, Cox served on the following committees:

The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.


Scorecards

See also: State legislative scorecards and State legislative scorecards in Virginia

A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.

Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.

Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of Virginia scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.





2021

In 2021, the Virginia State Legislature was in session from January 13 to February 8.

Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to economic issues.
Legislators are scored on their votes on bills the organization chose to evaluate.
Legislators are scored based on their voting record on reproductive issues.
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2020


2019


2018


2017


2016


2015


2014


2013


2012

Presidential preference

2016 presidential endorsement

✓ Cox endorsed Marco Rubio for the Republican primary in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.[50]

See also: Endorsements for Marco Rubio

Personal

Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Cox and his wife, Julia, have four children.

See also

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Candidate

Governor of Virginia
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    Footnotes

    1. ↑ The Washington Post, "Virginia legislature shuns drama, gets underway with Republican leadership," January 10, 2018
    2. ↑ Project Vote Smart, "Biography," accessed May 28, 2014
    3. ↑ Richmond Times-Dispatch, "Crowded field for governor solidifies ahead of convention, a bellwether on the future of Va. GOP," March 28, 2021
    4. ↑ Virginia Scope, "Uniting behind the nominee is crucial for Virginia Republicans this November," March 15, 2021
    5. ↑ LinkedIn, "Amanda Chase," accessed April 2, 2021
    6. ↑ Virginia Mercury, "Q&A: Amanda Chase pitches herself as Virginia’s Donald Trump," Dec. 11, 2020
    7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 The Hill, "Michael Flynn endorses pro-Trump Virginia GOP candidate," April 6, 2021
    8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Gab, "Roger Stone," May 2, 2021
    9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Facebook, "Amanda Freeman Chase," May 7, 2021
    10. ↑ Kirk Cox's campaign website, "Meet Kirk," accessed April 2, 2021
    11. ↑ Kirk Cox's campaign website, "Home," accessed April 5, 2021
    12. ↑ Kirk Cox's campaign website, "Kirk Cox Talks About Why He’s The Best Choice for Governor with Roanoke City GOP," accessed April 5, 2021
    13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 Kirk Cox's campaign website, "Endorsements," accessed March 31, 2021
    14. ↑ Patch, "Meet Pete Snyder: One of Seven Republicans Running for Lieutenant Governor," Feb. 9, 2013
    15. ↑ LinkedIn, "Pete Snyder," accessed April 2, 2021
    16. ↑ Pete Snyder's campaign website, "Home," accessed April 5, 2021
    17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 17.4 17.5 Pete Snyder's campaign website, "Endorsements," accessed April 27, 2021
    18. ↑ LinkedIn, "Glenn Youngkin," accessed April 5, 2021
    19. ↑ Glenn Youngkin's campaign website, "Home," accessed April 5, 2021
    20. ↑ Facebook, "Steve Newman," April 12, 2021
    21. ↑ Facebook, "Glenn Youngkin," April 2, 2021
    22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 Twitter, "Glenn Youngkin," Feb. 19, 2021
    23. ↑ NBC News, "Here's the complicated way Virginia Republicans will pick their nominee for governor," March 25, 2021
    24. ↑ YouTube, "Sen. Ted Cruz Endorses Glenn Youngkin for Governor of Virginia," May 2, 2021
    25. ↑ YouTube, "Gov Kevin Stitt Endorses Glenn Youngkin for Governor of Virginia," May 4, 2021
    26. ↑ Facebook, "Pete Snyder," March 19, 2021
    27. ↑ WJHL, "Kirk Cox on gubernatorial endorsement from US Rep. Morgan Griffith," March 11, 2021
    28. ↑ Facebook, "Pete Snyder," May 4, 2021
    29. ↑ 29.0 29.1 WHSV, "Pete Snyder announces campaign leadership team," Feb. 1, 2021
    30. ↑ Facebook, "Pete Snyder," April 22, 2021
    31. ↑ Facebook, "Amanda Freeman Chase," May 5, 2021
    32. ↑ YouTube, "Sarah Huckabee Sanders Endorses Pete Snyder for Governor," March 25, 2021
    33. ↑ Facebook, "Pete Snyder," May 6, 2021
    34. ↑ Facebook, "Anthony Shaffer," April 22, 2021
    35. ↑ Facebook, "Pete Snyder," April 20, 2021
    36. ↑ Facebook, "Amanda Freeman Chase," May 2, 2021
    37. ↑ Virginia Department of Elections, "Candidacy Requirements for the November 7, 2017 General Election," accessed March 21, 2017
    38. ↑ Virginia Department of Elections, "2017 November General Unofficial Results," accessed November 7, 2017
    39. ↑ Virginia Department of Elections, "2017 June Democratic Primary," accessed July 6, 2017
    40. ↑ Virginia Department of Elections, "2017 June Republican Primary," accessed July 6, 2017
    41. ↑ Virginia State Board of Elections, "2015 November Election Calendar," accessed January 2, 2015
    42. ↑ Virginia Board of Elections, "2015 Primary election results," accessed September 1, 2015
    43. ↑ Virginia Board of Elections, "2015 General election candidates," accessed September 1, 2015
    44. ↑ Virginia Board of Elections, “Official Results - 2013 General Election," accessed December 2, 2013
    45. ↑ Virginia State Board of Elections, "November 2011 General Election Official Results," accessed May 15, 2014
    46. ↑ Follow the Money, "Virginia House of Delegates 2009 General Election Results," accessed May 15, 2014
    47. ↑ 47.0 47.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
    48. ↑ Kirk Cox's campaign website, “On the Issues,” accessed April 1, 2021
    49. ↑ kirkcox.com, "Issues," accessed August 1, 2017
    50. ↑ The Washington Post, "Rubio rolls out Va. campaign leaders and long list of endorsements," December 11, 2015

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