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Virginia
Senate
VIRGINIA |
Nov. 4,
2014 U.S.
Senate
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Plurality: 17,727 votes (0.81 percentage points). VA
Department of Elections
Notes: Of the 36 Senate races in 2014, the Virginia contest provided the biggest surprise and the closest result. Sen. Mark Warner (D) eked out a win over Ed Gillespie (R) by 17,727 votes out of more that 2.1 million cast, a margin of less than one-percent. Also on the ballot was Robert Sarvis (L). Warner and Gillespie debated three times: at the Greenbriar in White Sulphur Springs, WV, sponsored by the Virginia Bar Association, on July 26 (>); in McLean, sponsored by the Fairfax Chamber of Commerce and News 4, on Oct. 7 (>); and at WCVE-TV studios in Richmond, sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Virginia and AARP Virginia, on Oct. 13 (>). Gillespie brought to the race a wealth of political experience, including his service as RNC chairman from 2003-05 and as counselor to President Bush from 2007-09, and he ran a focused campaign. He repeatedly took Warner to task for "voting with President Obama 97 percent of the time" and criticized "Obama-Warner policies." Warner highlighted his bipartisan efforts and charged Gillespie had "spent his entire career as a DC lobbyist and a partisan political operative." According to the Center for Responsive Politics (>), the Warner campaign spent $18.1 million, the Gillespie campaign $7.9 million and the Sarvis campaign about $85,000; outside spending was a modest $3.3 million. Campaign Managers: Mark Warner Trey Nix Campaign manager on Aneesh Chopra's 2013 campaign for lieutenant governor of Virginia. Campaign manager on Paul Hirschbiel's challenge to U.S. Rep. Scott Rigell in VA-2 in 2012. Originally from Alabama. Ed Gillespie Chris Leavitt (Jan. 2014) Campaign manager on Mark Obenshain for Attorney General, Nov. 2012-Dec. 2013. Campaign manager on Bob Goodlatte for Congress, Jan.-Nov. 2012. Campaign manager on Bryce Reeves for VA Senate, Mar.-Nov. 2011. Political director on Mike Bouchard for Governor (MI), Jan.-Aug. 2010. Field director in the Charlottesville area for the Republican Party of Virginia, April-Dec. 2009. Bachelor's degree in political science and government from the University of Maine, 2008. See also: James Hohmann. "How Gillespie nearly slayed Warner." Politico, Nov. 5, 2014. |
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