Politics & Government

Virginia 2013 Governor Race: Democrat Terry McAuliffe Wins

It's a rare political moment with Democrats in power in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

By Todd Richissin

Virginia voters narrowly elected Democrat Terry McAuliffe as governor Tuesday, edging out the tea party wing of the Republican Party and its candidate, Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli.

The election marked the first time since 1977 that Virginia voters went with the gubernatorial candidate from the same party as that of the person occupying the White House.

This time, with President Obama living just across the river from the Democrat's victory celebration, voters gave the race to the ultimate party insider, chum of Bill and Hillary Clinton and prolific fundraiser before, during and after serving as chairman of the Democratic National Committee.

Virginia, once reliably conservative-red, has become increasingly purple over the years, and voters lurched deeper toward the blue Tuesday, apparently showing their displeasure with the direction the GOP has taken in the state and nationally.

With 99 percent of the vote in, McAuliffe had 47.5 percent of the vote, Cuccinelli 45.9. Libertarian Robert Sarvis had 6.6. In the raw vote, McAuliffe had 1,027,453; Cuccinelli 991,562; and Sarvis 142,818.

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Virginia was severely affected by the October government shutdown, with tens of thousands of workers furloughed and polls showing the GOP overwhelmingly getting the blame.

Cuccinelli campaigned with tea party leaders and others who orchestrated the shutdown.

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Social issues, too, factored in, with MSNBC exit polling showing McAuliffe taking the women’s vote by more than 16 percent.

"When our team wins, it's going to be a clear repudiation of tea party politics," state Sen. Barbara Favola said from the McAuliffe victory party before final votes were counted. "Voters were very clear they were opposed to the shutdown."

Cuccinelli and his running mate for the lieutenant governor’s office, the Rev. E.W. Jackson, are hard-core anti-abortion foes, and each has opposed gay rights in the state with razor-sharp rhetoric from their offices, the pulpit and on the stump.

Jackson was handily defeated by Sen. Ralph S. Northam, a state senator, physician and Democrat.

Precincts reported steady traffic, but not overwhelming, with long lines moving quickly in most polling places.

Editor's Note: For county and city results across Virginia, click on the button for the results map above. Scroll down to see real-time results for lieutenant governor, attorney general and notable races around the country. The results are live, running tallies, as reported to The Associated Press.

 


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