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| VIRGINIA |
Nov. 5, 2013 Governor |
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Plurality: 56,435 votes (2.52 percentage points). VA
Dept. of Elections
DEMOCRATIC PICK-UP Notes: Gov. Bob McDonnell (R) was term-limited. Former DNC Chairman Terry McAuliffe (D) defeated Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli (R) by a narrow margin. Software engineer Robert Sarvis (L) achieved a surprisingly strong showing despite being excluded from the debates. On the Republican side, McDonnell was finishing his term embroiled in a scandal over taking cash and gifts. Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling (R) had launched a campaign for governor in May 2012, but suspended it in late November, leaving Cuccinelli as the only remaining candidate. The Republican Party of Virginia convention in May 2013 confirmed Cuccinelli as the nominee (>). McAuliffe was picking up from four years earlier; in 2009 he sought the Democratic nomination, finishing second to Creigh Deeds. In 2013 he did not face a primary challenge and was certified as the Democratic nominee in April 2013 (>). McAuliffe painted Cuccinelli as an ideologue who would push a social conservative agenda, while Cuccinelli charged McAuliffe "doesn't know how Virginia government works." Among the major issues were Cuccinelli's tax cut proposals and McAuliffe's advocacy of Medicaid expansion. Both candidates also faced questions about possible scandal—McAuliffe for his involvement with the GreenTech electric car company, which he chaired to Dec. 2012, and Cuccinelli for gifts from Star Scientific and its CEO. The two major party candidates debated three times: at the Virginia Bar Association summer meeting at the Omni Resort in Hot Springs on July 20, broadcast by PBS (>); at Capital One headquarters in McLean on Sept. 25, hosted by the Fairfax Chamber of Commerce, and broadcast by WRC-TV NBC 4 (>); and at Virginia Tech University in Blacksburg on Oct. 24 (>). Cuccinelli trailed in polls and in mid-September the Norfolk Virginian-Pilot reported on a campaign shake up and redefined roles for some senior staff. According to the Virginia Public Access Project, the McAuliffe campaign spent $38.5 million, the Cuccinelli campaign $21.1 million and the Sarvis campaign $219,623 (>). Additionally, although Bolling withdrew relatively early, his campaign spent $2.8 million. Campaign Managers: Terry McAuliffe: Robby Mook (Nov. 2012) Executive director (Dec. 2010-Nov. 2012) IE director (May-Nov. 2010) and; political director (Mar. 2009-May 2010) at the DCCC. Campaign manager on Jeanne Shaheen's campaign for U.S. Senate in New Hampshire, July-Nov. 2008. State director in Nevada, in Ohio, and in Indiana for then-Sen. Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign, Feb. 2007-June 2008. Directed the 2006 Maryland Democratic Coordinated Campaign. In 2004 Mook served as DNC deputy field director for programs and finished out the campaign as GOTV director in Wisconsin. Earlier he served as deputy field director on Howard Dean's 2003-04 New Hampshire primary campaign (started April 20, 2003). Worked for NYC councilwoman Eva Markowitz. Field director for the Vermont Democratic Party Coordinated Campaign in 2002. B.A. in classics from Columbia University, 2002. Worked for the Vermont Democratic House caucus in 2000 and the Vermont Democratic Party as a canvasser in 1998. Vermont native. Ken Cuccinelli: Dave Rexrode Executive director of the Republican Party of Virginia Jan. 2010-Dec. 2012 and also served as Virginia RNC Victory director in 2012. Deputy campaign manager on Attorney General Bob McDonnell's campaign for Governor of Virginia, Feb.-Dec. 2009. Campaign manager on Bob Goodlatte for Congress, Feb.-Nov. 2008. Coalitions director on John McCain 2008 to July 2007. Director of coalitions at the RNC, Jan. 2005-Dec. 2006. Deputy director of coalitions for the Central Region for Bush-Cheney '04. B.S. in public administration, political science from James Madison University, 2001; while at James Madison managed Randy Fisher's first campaign for Augusta County sheriff. Native of Augusta County, VA (Waynesboro area). See also: Steven Nelson. "Sarvis Says He Wasn't 'Obama Puppet' Bowling for Cuccinelli." USN&WR, Nov. 7, 2013. Alexander Burns. "How McAuliffe mapped his win." Politico, Nov. 6, 2013. James Hohmann. "Why McAuliffe barely won." Politico, Nov. 6, 2013. Terry McAuliffe 2013 Victory Speech. C-SPAN. Peter Hamby. "Libertarian threatens to spoil GOP hopes in Virginia." CNN, Sept. 27, 2013. Chris Good. "The Compllicated Legal Backstory of Terry McAuliffe's Former Car Company." ABC News, Aug. 27, 2013. Ben Pershing. "Building campaigns, McAuliffe cleans house while Cuccinelli keeps old hands." The Washington Post, Apr. 6, 2013. |
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