Virginia Attorney General election, 2021 (May 8 Republican convention)

Elections in Virginia, 2021

* Convention date: 5/8/2021
* Convention period: 9 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
* Early voting: 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on 5/7/2021 (religious obligations only)

* * *

On the ballot: Governor • Lt. Governor • Attorney General • State House • Special state legislative • Municipal

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<- 2017

Virginia Attorney General

Democratic primary
Republican primary
General election
Election details
Filing deadline: March 25, 2021
Convention: May 8, 2021
Primary: June 8, 2021
General: November 2, 2021

* * *

Pre-election incumbent(s):
Mark Herring (D)
How to vote
Poll times: 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Voting in Virginia
Ballotpedia analysis
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State executive elections in 2021
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Virginia
executive elections
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Attorney general

Jason Miyares (R) defeated Leslie Haley (R), Chuck Smith (R), and Jack White (R) in the Republican Party state convention on May 8, 2021. He advanced to the general election for attorney general on November 2, 2021.[1]

Haley and Miyares both held elected office leading up to the convention. Haley had served on the Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors since 2016.[2] Her campaign messages included supporting high standards of ethics among public officials, protecting children from human trafficking, and protecting seniors from fraud and abuse.[3] Miyares had served as state delegate representing District 82 in the Virginia House of Delegates since 2016.[4] His campaign platform included reducing the Virginia Parole Board's early releases for violent offenders and punishing manufacturers and marketers who he said played a role in the opioid addiction epidemic.[5]

Neither Smith nor White had previously held elected office. Smith worked as counsel with the United States Navy.[6] His campaign messages included supporting access to firearm ownership, opposing abortion, and opposing censorship.[7][8] White worked in private practice at FH+H and was appointed in 2020 by the Trump Administration to review the issue of sexual assault in the Army.[9] His campaign platform included supporting access to firearm ownership and supporting the re-implementation of in-person learning following coronavirus-related school closures.[10]

Haley was endorsed by state Delegates Roxann Robinson (R) and Carrie Coyner (R).[11] Miyares was endorsed by former Virginia Attorney General Mark Earley (R), Rep. Ben Cline (R), and Sen. Marco Rubio (R).[12] Smith was endorsed by Rep. Bob Good (R) of the U.S. House of Representatives.[13] As of May 5, White's campaign had not announced any noteworthy endorsements.

Incumbent Attorney General Mark Herring (D), first elected in 2013, won re-election in 2017 with 53.4% of the vote to John Adams’ (R) 46.6%. The last Republican attorney general in Virginia was Ken Cuccinelli, who served from 2010 to 2014. Cuccinelli’s election in 2009, along with that year’s election of former Governor Bob McDonnell (R), was the last time a Republican candidate won statewide office in Virginia.[14]

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.[15] To read more about the 2021 Republican convention in Virginia, click here.

This page focuses on Virginia's Republican attorney general convention. For more in-depth information on Virginia's Democratic attorney general primary and the general election, see the following pages:

* Virginia Attorney General election, 2021 (June 8 Democratic primary)
* Virginia Attorney General election, 2021

This election is a battleground race. Other 2021 battlegrounds include:

* Jersey City Public Schools, New Jersey, elections (2021)
* Louisiana's 2nd Congressional District special election, 2021 (March 20 primary election)
* Mayoral election in Atlanta, Georgia (November 2, 2021 general election)

|

## Contents

* 1 Candidates and election results
* 2 Conventions in Virginia (2021)
* 2.1 Convention process
* 2.2 Frequently asked questions
* 2.3 Helpful links
* 2.3.1 Republican Party of Virginia
* 2.3.2 Campaign delegate resources
* 2.4 Candidate addresses
* 3 Candidate profiles
* 3.1 Leslie Haley
* 3.2 Jason Miyares
* 3.3 Chuck Smith
* 3.4 Jack White
* 4 Noteworthy primary endorsements
* 5 Timeline
* 5.1 2021
* 5.1.1 May
* 5.1.2 April
* 6 Campaign themes
* 6.1 Leslie Haley
* 6.1.1 Campaign website
* 6.2 Jason Miyares
* 6.2.1 Campaign website
* 6.3 Chuck Smith
* 6.3.1 Campaign website
* 6.4 Jack White
* 6.4.1 Campaign website
* 7 Campaign ads
* 7.1 Leslie Haley
* 7.2 Jason Miyares
* 7.3 Chuck Smith
* 7.4 Jack White
* 8 Campaign finance
* 9 Debates and forums
* 9.1 New Mission PAC candidate forum (May 2, 2021)
* 9.2 Virginia Citizens Defense League candidate forum (April 13, 2021)
* 10 Pivot Counties
* 11 State profile
* 11.1 Presidential voting pattern
* 11.1.1 Pivot Counties (2016)
* 11.1.2 Pivot Counties (2020)
* 12 See also
* 13 External links
* 14 Footnotes

## Candidates and election results[edit]

Republican convention

#####  Republican Convention for Attorney General of Virginia

Select round:  Round 3 Round 2 Round 1

The following candidates advanced in the ranked-choice voting election: Jason Miyares in round 3 . 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.

|  |

Candidate

Total Votes

Transfer

Round eliminated

|
|
|
|
|
|

| Jason Miyares |

51.7

| 6,490 | 1,193 | Advanced (3)

| Chuck Smith |

48.3

| 6,063 | 1,088 | 3

| Jack White |

0.0

| 0 | -2,281 | 3

| Leslie Haley |

0.0

| 0 | 0 | 2

|  |

Candidate

Total Votes

Transfer

Round eliminated

|
|
|
|
|
|

| Jason Miyares |

42.2

| 5,297 | 708 | Advanced (3)

| Chuck Smith |

39.6

| 4,975 | 651 | 3

| Jack White |

18.2

| 2,281 | 409 | 3

| Leslie Haley |

0.0

| 0 | -1,768 | 2

|  |

Candidate

Total Votes

Transfer

Round eliminated

|
|
|
|
|
|

| Jason Miyares |

36.6

| 4,589 | 0 | Advanced (3)

| Chuck Smith |

34.4

| 4,324 | 0 | 3

| Jack White |

14.9

| 1,872 | 0 | 3

| Leslie Haley |

14.1

| 1,768 | 0 | 2

* * *

There were no incumbents in this race. Source

| Total votes: 12,553

|
|

## Conventions in Virginia (2021)[edit]

In Virginia, political parties decide whether to nominate their candidates via primary or convention. In 2021, the Virginia Republican Party chose to hold a statewide nominating convention. The Virginia Democratic Party chose to hold statewide primaries.

Due to coronavirus crowd-size restrictions, the 2021 convention was an unassembled convention held across the state at 39 satellite locations. Unlike previous Virginia Republican conventions, there was no limit on how many delegates could cast votes, but these votes were weighted according to the number of delegate votes allocated to each locality. Delegates used ranked-choice voting in 2021 to determine the majority-vote winner, rather than multiple rounds of voting.[16]

The party committee first voted to use a convention to determine its nominee in early December 2020. In February 2021, the committee reached the supermajority vote threshold needed to hold an unassembled convention, meaning a convention where "delegates may cast their ballots at one or more polling locations within or adjacent to the area represented by the Official Committee."[17] Initially, the Party said it would hold a drive-in convention at Liberty University, but this plan was changed due to space restrictions at the venue. On March 12, the Party voted to hold the convention at 39 locations across the state.[18]

On April 25, 2021, the Republican Party of Virginia's State Central Committee voted to count all ballots by hand at a single location rather than using software or machine counting methods. Counting began the day after the convention. Party chairman Rich Anderson said he expected the counting process to be finished by May 11, but added that the party prepared for counting to continue until May 13.[19]

### Convention process[edit]

The Republican Party of Virginia held a nominating convention on May 8, 2021.[20] Delegates selected candidates for governor, lieutenant governor, and attorney general, who advanced to the November 2, 2021, general election.

Delegates were selected as representatives of their voting units. Each voting unit was allocated a set number of delegate votes, which were divided by the number of delegates representing that voting unit. For example, if a voting unit had 20 delegate votes and ten delegates, each delegate would cast two votes. If the same voting unit had 40 delegates, each delegate would cast one-half of a vote.[21] There were no limits on the number of delegates who were allowed to represent a voting unit.[20]

Voting units primarily corresponded with the state's 95 counties and 38 independent cities. However, eight independent cities were combined with seven counties in order to form seven voting units.[20]

The state's eleven district Republican Party committees determined the 39 voting locations. The district committees, which correspond with the state's eleven congressional districts, were allowed to establish a set number of polling locations as determined by the Republican Party of Virginia.[20]

Delegates casted a single ballot using ranked-choice voting.[20] Ranked-choice voting is an electoral system in which voters rank candidates by preference on their ballots. A candidate who wins a majority of first preference votes is declared the winner. If no candidate wins a majority of first-preference votes, the candidate with the fewest first-preference votes is eliminated. First-preference votes cast for the failed candidate are eliminated, lifting the second-preference choices indicated on those ballots. A new tally is conducted to determine whether any candidate has won a majority of the adjusted votes. The process is repeated until a candidate wins an outright majority.[22][23] The Republican Party of Virginia provided a guide to ranked-choice voting, which can be found here.

### Frequently asked questions[edit]

When was the convention held?

The convention took place from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET on May 8, 2021.[20]
Was early voting allowed?

Early voting took place from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. ET on May 7, 2021. Only delegates whose religious obligations prevented them from participating in the regularly-scheduled convention were allowed to vote early. In order to vote early, such delegates had to submit a certification to the party chairman no later than 5:00 p.m. ET on May 4, 2021.[24] A link to download the religious obligation certification form can be found here.
Where did the convention take place?

Voting took place across the state at 39 voting locations determined by the state's eleven district Republican Party committees. The party posted polling locations online on April 24, 2021, shown on the map below and listed here.[20][25]

Who voted in the convention and how were they selected to participate?

The Republican Party of Virginia lists the following requirements to be selected as a delegate in the convention:[20]

“  | All legal and qualified voters under the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia, regardless of race, religion, national origin or sex, who are in accord with the principles of the Republican Party and who, if requested, express in open meeting either orally or in writing as may be required, their intent to support all of its nominees for public office in the ensuing election, may participate as members of the Republican Party of Virginia in its mass meetings, party canvasses, conventions or primaries encompassing their respective election districts.[26] |  ”

|
|

—Republican Party of Virginia

Each voting unit established its own process for selecting its delegates, which could have included mass meetings, party canvasses, or conventions.[20] Delegate filing forms can be found here and a calendar of when and where each unit selected its delegates can be found here.

There was no limit on the number of delegates who were allowed to represent a given voting unit, but each voting unit was allocated a set number of delegate votes regardless of its number of delegates.[20]
How were the winners chosen?

There were 125 voting units in the state. Delegates represented and voted within their respective voting units. Each voting unit was allocated a set number of delegate votes calculated as one delegate vote per every 250 votes cast for the Republican candidate in the most recent elections for president and governor in that unit. The candidates who received the most delegate votes statewide won the nomination.[20]
How were the votes counted?

All ballots were taken to a single location under armed guard after the polls closed. Ballots were counted by hand starting the day after the convention. According to VA Scope, the State Party Central Committee expected the counting process to take multiple days to finish.[27][24]
What was the difference between a delegate and a delegate vote?

Delegate refers to any person selected to participate in the Republican convention as a voting member eligible to cast a ballot. Each voting unit's Republican Party committee was responsible for selecting the method to elect the delegates to represent that voting unit. There was no limit on the number of delegates a unit's committee was allowed to select.[20]

Delegate votes refers to the number of votes allocated to each voting unit.[20] The number of delegate votes and the number of delegates participating in a given voting unit determined the voting power of an individual delegate within that unit. A unit's delegate votes were divided between the number of delegates representing that unit.[21]
How many delegate votes were there?

The 125 voting units had 12,554 delegate votes. The table below lists the voting units alphabetically. Also shown are the number of delegate votes and each voting unit's share of the total 12,554 delegate votes.[20]

The map below shows the 125 voting units shaded based on the number of delegate votes.

### Helpful links[edit]

#### Republican Party of Virginia[edit]

* Vote totals spreadsheet
* Republican Party of Virginia 2021 nomination page
* 2021 convention call
* Find your local Republican Party
* List of polling locations
* Voting materials: Sample ballot — Ranked-choice voting guide — Vote-counting method

#### Campaign delegate resources[edit]

Candidates running for attorney general offered information and assistance to those wishing to become a delegate. Those resources can be found in the links below.

* Leslie Haley Delegate Page
* Jason Miyares Delegate Page
* Chuck White Delegate Page
* Jack White Delegate Page

### Candidate addresses[edit]

At an in-person convention, candidates are typically given the opportunity to deliver speeches to the delegates. Due to the unassembled nature of the convention in 2021, candidates submitted their addresses in the form of digital videos, shown below:[28]

"Leslie Haley for Virginia Attorney General" - Haley convention address, released January 14, 2021

"Jason Miyares for Attorney General" - Miyares convention address, released December 2, 2020

"Chuck Smith - Hanover County" - Smith convention address, released March 22, 2021

"Jack White For Attorney General" - White convention address, released March 9, 2021

## Candidate profiles[edit]

This section includes candidate profiles created in one of two ways. Either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey or Ballotpedia staff created a profile after identifying the candidate as noteworthy.[29] Ballotpedia staff compiled profiles based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements.

### Leslie Haley[edit]

Leslie Haley

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office:

* Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors (Assumed office: 2016)

Biography: Haley received a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a law degree from West Virginia University. She has worked as senior assistant ethics counsel with the Virginia State Bar, as a law professor, and as a private practice lawyer at Park Haley LLP.

* * *

Key Messages

* * *

Haley said she would work to ensure a high standard of ethics among publicly elected officials.

* * *

Haley said she supported police officers and would oppose reductions to police department budgets.

* * *

Haley said she would work to keep families safe. She said she would do this by protecting children from human trafficking, protecting the elderly from fraud and abuse, and holding drug manufacturers accountable that she said played a role in opioid addiction.

* * *

Sources: Leslie Haley's campaign website, "Home," accessed April 1, 2021; Twitter, "Leslie Haley on January 14, 2021," accessed April 1, 2021; WAVY.com, "Candidate Profile: Leslie Haley (Attorney General)," April 5, 2021; LinkedIn, "Leslie Haley," accessed April 1, 2021; Leslie Haley's campaign website, "About Leslie," accessed April 1, 2021

This information was current as of the candidate's run for Attorney General of Virginia in 2021

### Jason Miyares[edit]

Jason Miyares

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office:

* Virginia House of Delegates (Assumed office: 2016)

Biography: Miyares received a bachelor’s degree in business administration from James Madison University and a law degree from the College of William &amp; Mary. He worked as a private practice lawyer at Hanger &amp; Associates, P.C. and as a prosecutor for the City of Virginia Beach.

* * *

Key Messages

* * *

Miyares criticized Herring's tenure as attorney general. He said Herring did not focus enough on victims of crime, was inexperienced in prosecuting people who commit crimes, and was overly politically partisan.

* * *

Miyares said violent crime rates were a problem in Virginia and that his experience as a prosecutor would help him reduce those rates. His plan to reduce violent crime rates included working to ensure people who commit violent offenses receive lengthy prison sentences.

* * *

Miyares said he opposed the Virginia Parole Board’s current sentencing and parole policies. He said he would work to keep the incarcerated individuals who he says are dangerous in prison and support victims of violent crime.

* * *

Sources: Jason Miyares' campaign website, "Issues," accessed April 1, 2021; Facebook, "Jason Miyares on December 2, 2020," accessed April 1, 2021; WAVY.com, "Candidate Profile: Jason Miyares (Attorney General)," April 5, 2021; Facebook, "WTKR News 3 on June 15, 2021," accessed June 22, 2021; LinkedIn, "Jason Miyares," accessed April 1, 2021; Jason Miyares' campaign website, "About Conservative Leader & Delegate Jason Miyares," accessed April 1, 2021

This information was current as of the candidate's run for Attorney General of Virginia in 2021

### Chuck Smith[edit]

Chuck Smith

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Submitted Biography: "A local attorney in Virginia Beach who has practiced law for more than 41 years, in Federal law, State law, Iowa law, Virginia law, Military, and Immigration law; defending clients and their rights under the Constitution of the United States in federal courts (both Article I and Article III), state courts, military tribunals and civilian tribunals; representing people from all walks of life; with a current focus in Constitutional Law, Criminal, and Immigration. A former U.S. Marine (0311) and U.S. Naval Commander (Retired), Judge Advocate General's Corps; Chuck is married to his beautiful wife Edith and has five children, one of whom is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy. Chuck has lived in Virginia for the four decades in Roanoke, Norfolk, and Virginia Beach. Chuck has been active in his various communities and has served as either Chairman, President, Officer, Delegate, or on the Board of nearly every organization he has been a member of. "

* * *

Key Messages

The messages below are the candidate’s own.

* * *

Get the Constitution back, it is critical to a democracy

* * *

Stop shredding the Constitution

* * *

Stand against government encroachment

This information was current as of the candidate's run for Attorney General of Virginia in 2021

### Jack White[edit]

Jack White

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Biography: White graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point and received a law degree from Pepperdine Law School. He is a veteran of the Army and an ordained minister. He worked in private practice at FH+H and was appointed in 2020 by the Trump Administration to review the issue of sexual assault in the Army.

* * *

Key Messages

* * *

White said he supported police officers and would oppose reductions to police department budgets.

* * *

White said he supported access to firearm ownership. He said he would protect Second Amendment rights.

* * *

White said he would work to re-implement in-person learning at school as soon as possible, following the last year’s coronavirus-related school closures.

* * *

Sources: YouTube, "Jack White For Attorney General," March 9, 2021; Jack White's campaign website, "Home," accessed April 1, 2021; FH+H, "Home," accessed April 12, 2021

This information was current as of the candidate's run for Attorney General of Virginia in 2021

## Noteworthy primary endorsements[edit]

This section includes noteworthy endorsements issued in the primary, 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.

* Leslie Haley
* Jason Miyares
* Chuck Smith

Republican primary endorsements

Endorsement  |  Haley |  Miyares |  Smith |  White
Elected officials
35 Republican members of the Virginia State Legislature[30][31][32][33] |  | ✔ |  |
Rep. Ben Cline (R)[30] |  | ✔ |  |
State Delegate Carrie Coyner (R)[34] | ✔ |  |  |
Rep. Bob Good (R)[35] |  |  | ✔ |
State Delegate Roxann Robinson (R)[34] | ✔ |  |  |
Sen. Marco Rubio (R)[30] |  | ✔ |  |
Individuals
Former Virginia Attorney General Mark Earley (R)[30] |  | ✔ |  |

## Timeline[edit]

### 2021[edit]

* May 2021 (click to collapse)

#### May[edit]

* May 2, 2021: The candidates participated in a forum hosted by New Mission PAC.[36]

* April 2021 (click to expand)

#### April[edit]

* April 30, 2021: Miyares was endorsed by state Del. Chris Runion (R).
* April 28, 2021: Miyares was endorsed by state Sen. Bryce Reeves (R).[32]
* April 27, 2021: Miyares was endorsed by state Sen. Mark Obenshain (R).[31]
* April 15, 2021: The candidates filed campaign finance reports with the Virginia Department of Elections.
* April 13, 2021:
* Miyares was endorsed by Sen. Marco Rubio (R).[30]
* Haley, Miyares, and Smith participated in a candidate forum hosted by the Virginia Citizens Defense League.[37]

## Campaign themes[edit]

See also: Campaign themes

###  Leslie Haley[edit]

#### Campaign website[edit]

Haley’s campaign website stated the following:

“  |

Leslie Haley has been an active community leader in Virginia for close to three decades. Her commitment to ethics and integrity throughout her career have shaped who she is as a leader both in her profession and in her community. Leslie Haley has a proven track record of reducing government, supporting small business, and providing steady conservative leadership.

Leslie spent 14 years in public service with the Virginia State Bar as Senior Assistant Ethics Counsel, where she provided ethics advice and consultation to practicing lawyers. Leslie formed her own law firm where she is currently a partner. In her role, she provides ethical consultation, advice, and representation to lawyers.

As a small business owner, Leslie understands the vital role that small businesses play in the continued success of the community. She currently serves as the Chair of the Greater Richmond Partnership, a collaboration of public and private sectors that work to attract new economic development opportunities in central Virginia.

Leslie has been a staunch advocate for education, serving as Chair of the Chesterfield County Council of PTA/PTSAs and as President of the Midlothian PTSO. She has also been significantly involved in her community serving as Chair of Church Council and Trustee at St. Marks Methodist Church.

Leslie is well recognized in her profession and has served as the President of the Greater Richmond Bar Foundation; an organization of lawyers from central Virginia collaboratively engaged in assisting the underserved population in need of legal services.

Her peers in the legal profession bestowed the “Most Influential Women of Virginia Award” presented to her by Virginia Lawyers Weekly in 2010.

Leslie never has considered herself a politician and ran for the Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors in 2015 to help her community. Leslie is in her second term on the Board, and served two terms as its Chair.

Leslie holds an undergraduate degree in business administration and a Juris Doctorate degree from West Virginia University School of Law. She spent her third year of law school at the University of Richmond School of Law. Leslie has lived in Richmond since 1993, where she and her husband Joe have raised two children, Reagan and Alex. Their daughter, Reagan, is a graduate of James Madison University, and she and her husband reside in Chesterfield County. Their son, Alex, is pursuing an architecture degree at Virginia Tech. For her own personal life balance, Leslie enjoys teaching group fitness classes at ACAC in Midlothian. [26]

|  ”

|
|

—Leslie Haley’s campaign website (2021)[38]

###  Jason Miyares[edit]

#### Campaign website[edit]

Miyares' campaign website stated the following:

“  |

* Fighting for Election Integrity

Trusting our elections process is the cornerstone for a successful democracy. Jason will work to restore the integrity of our elections and ensure that every legal vote is counted.

* Restore Law & Order and Stand with Police

Law enforcement risk their lives keeping our communities safe and they deserve to know we have their back. As a former prosecutor, Jason continues to stand with law enforcement to ensure they have the support they need to do their jobs.

* Defend our 2nd Amendment Rights

In Richmond, Jason has a record of defending the 2nd Amendment. We can count on him to protect our constitutional rights from the constant attacks by the radical left.

* Punish Criminals and Protect Victims

Socialists Democrats in Richmond continue to put the rights of dangerous criminals ahead of the safety of Virginia families. Jason will always put Virginia first and stand up for victims of violent crime.

* Stop the Left-Wing Agenda in Richmond

Emboldened by their majorities in Richmond and Washington D.C., the Democratic leadership in Richmond is pushing a far left radical agenda that would fundamentally change Virginia. Jason has the proven record and experience to stop them and be the conservative check and balance we need in Richmond. [26]

|  ”

|
|

—Jason Miyares’ campaign website (2021)[39]

###  Chuck Smith[edit]

#### Campaign website[edit]

Smith’s campaign website stated the following:

“  |

* Shredding the Constitution

From our 1st Amendment of the United States Constitution, through the 10th Amendment, our freedom is in peril. The Virginia General Assembly joined the National Democrat (Socialist) Party in their assault on those freedoms given by God and guaranteed by our Constitution. I will meet this assault head-on.

* 2nd Amendment

The momentum to disarm the citizens is gaining strength in Virginia. The Liberal Virginia General Assembly got their collective “noses under the tent” and now pledge further dissolution of our 2nd Amendment rights. I will bear true faith and allegiance to the oath I will take when I assume the office of Attorney General… “the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.” … So help me God.

* Protect “Life”

The chilling effect of Governor Northam’s approach to “life” is a key reason I have to act, to get in to the arena and turn back this unthinkable assault on “life,” from inception until death.

* As Virginia’s Attorney General, Chuck will:
* Stop the shredding of the U.S. Constitution, the greatest document written by man. Ensure its provisions are equally enforced at all levels of government.
* Protect Virginia’s 2nd Amendment rights “to keep and bear arms.”
* Protect “life from conception until natural death.”
* Enforce laws against illegal immigration to protect all Virginians.
* Fight for Virginia freedoms against the encroachment of government on issues that matter to Virginians.
* Review/Redress the liberal agenda of the 2020 Virginia General Assembly.
* Restore the winning tradition of the Republican Party of Virginia after 10 straight statewide losses.

[26]

|  ”

|
|

—Chuck Smith’s campaign website (2021)[40]

###  Jack White[edit]

#### Campaign website[edit]

White’s campaign website stated the following:

“  |

* Schools

Protect the civil rights of students and families and open the schools

* Jobs

Get regulations out of the way and let businesses thrive

* Safety

Support and fund the police, rigorously prosecute bad actors

* Immigration

No sanctuary cities, follow the law

* Right to Bear Arms

The right to keep and bear arms is sacrosanct

* Human Trafficking

Stop the exploitation of the most vulnerable

* Corruption

Hold public officials accountable

* Religious Freedom

Protect the freedom to live your faith

* Voting Integrity

Protect the sanctity of the ballot [26]

|  ”

|
|

—Jack White’s campaign website (2021)[41]

## Campaign ads[edit]

This section shows advertisements released in this race. Ads released by campaigns and, if applicable, satellite groups are embedded or linked below. If you are aware of advertisements that should be included, please email us.

###  Leslie Haley[edit]

Supporting Haley

"Leslie Haley for Virgnia Attorney General" - Haley campaign ad, released January 14, 2021

###  Jason Miyares[edit]

Supporting Miyares

* "Jason Miyares for Attorney General" - Miyares campaign ad, released December 2, 2020

###  Chuck Smith[edit]

* "Chuck Smith for Attorney General" - Smith campaign ad, released November 9, 2020

###  Jack White[edit]

Supporting White

"Jack White For Attorney General" - White campaign ad, released March 9, 2021

## Campaign finance[edit]

The tables below contain data from financial reports submitted to state agencies. The data is gathered and made available by Transparency USA. Transparency USA tracks loans separately from total contributions. Learn more about this data here.

## Debates and forums[edit]

### New Mission PAC candidate forum (May 2, 2021)[edit]

* Click here to view a video of the forum.

### Virginia Citizens Defense League candidate forum (April 13, 2021)[edit]

"Virginia Citizens Defense League - Attorney General Forum" - Virginia Citizens Defense League's Debates candidate forum, April 13, 2021

## Pivot Counties[edit]

See also: Pivot Counties by state

Five of 133 Virginia counties—3.8 percent—are Pivot Counties. Pivot Counties are counties that voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and for Donald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 Pivot Counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states.

Counties won by Trump in 2016 and Obama in 2012 and 2008

County  |  Trump margin of victory in 2016  |  Obama margin of victory in 2012  |  Obama margin of victory in 2008
Buckingham County, Virginia | 11.28% | 2.43% | 0.87%
Caroline County, Virginia | 5.02% | 8.24% | 11.97%
Essex County, Virginia | 2.14% | 7.30% | 10.35%
Nelson County, Virginia | 5.59% | 2.72% | 9.15%
Westmoreland County, Virginia | 7.14% | 6.95% | 10.24%

Note: Although it is highlighted in the map above, the city of Chesapeake is not considered a county and not included in our calculations as such.

In the 2016 presidential election, Virginia was a battleground state. Hillary Clinton (D) won Virginia with 49.7 percent of the vote. Donald Trump (R) received 44.4 percent. In presidential elections between 1900 and 2016, Virginia voted Democratic 56.67 percent of the time and Republican 43.33 percent of the time. In the five presidential elections between 2000 and 2016, Virginia voted Democratic three times (2008, 2012, and 2016) and Republican two times (2000 and 2004).

## State profile[edit]

Demographic data for Virginia

| Virginia| U.S.
Total population:| 8,367,587| 316,515,021
Land area (sq mi):| 39,490| 3,531,905
Race and ethnicity**
White:| 69%| 73.6%
Black/African American:| 19.2%| 12.6%
Asian:| 6%| 5.1%
Native American:| 0.3%| 0.8%
Pacific Islander:| 0.1%| 0.2%
Two or more:| 3.2%| 3%
Hispanic/Latino:| 8.6%| 17.1%
Education
High school graduation rate:| 88.3%| 86.7%
College graduation rate:| 36.3%| 29.8%
Income
Median household income:| $65,015| $53,889
Persons below poverty level:| 13%| 11.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015)
Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Virginia.

* * *

**Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.

### Presidential voting pattern[edit]

See also: Presidential voting trends in Virginia

Virginia voted for the Democratic candidate in four out of the six presidential elections between 2000 and 2020.

#### Pivot Counties (2016)

Ballotpedia identified 206 counties that voted for Donald Trump (R) in 2016 after voting for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012. Collectively, Trump won these Pivot Counties by more than 580,000 votes. Of these 206 counties, five are located in Virginia, accounting for 2.43 percent of the total pivot counties.[42]

#### Pivot Counties (2020)

In 2020, Ballotpedia re-examined the 206 Pivot Counties to view their voting patterns following that year's presidential election. Ballotpedia defined those won by Trump won as Retained Pivot Counties and those won by Joe Biden (D) as Boomerang Pivot Counties. Nationwide, there were 181 Retained Pivot Counties and 25 Boomerang Pivot Counties. Virginia had five Retained Pivot Counties, 2.76 percent of all Retained Pivot Counties.

More Virginia coverage on Ballotpedia

* Elections in Virginia
* United States congressional delegations from Virginia
* Public policy in Virginia
* Influencers in Virginia
* Virginia fact checks
* More...

## See also[edit]

Virginia | State Executive Elections | News and Analysis

|
|

Virginia State Executive Offices Virginia State Legislature Virginia Courts |  2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 Virginia elections: 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 |  Party control of state government State government trifectas State of the state addresses Partisan composition of governors

## External links[edit]

|  Suggest a link

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* Search Google News for this topic
* Virginia Attorney General official website

## Footnotes[edit]

1. ↑ Virginia Republican Party, "Official Convention Call," accessed April 1, 2021
2. ↑ Leslie Haley's campaign website, "About Leslie," accessed April 1, 2021
3. ↑ WAVY.com, "Candidate Profile: Leslie Haley (Attorney General)," April 5, 2021
4. ↑ Jason Miyares' campaign website, "About Conservative Leader & Delegate Jason Miyares," accessed April 1, 2021
5. ↑ WAVY.com, "Candidate Profile: Jason Miyares (Attorney General)," April 5, 2021
6. ↑ Chuck Smith's campaign website, "Meet Chuck," accessed April 1, 2021
7. ↑ Chuck Smith's campaign website, "Platform," accessed April 1, 2021
8. ↑ Chuck Smith's responses to Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection Survey in 2021.
9. ↑ Jack White's campaign website, "Home," accessed April 1, 2021
10. ↑ YouTube, "Jack White For Attorney General," March 9, 2021
11. ↑ Leslie Haley's campaign website, "Endorsements," accessed April 12, 2021
12. ↑ Jason Miyares' campaign website, "Endorsements," accessed April 12, 2021
13. ↑ Facebook, "Chuck Smith on March 26, 2021," accessed April 12, 2021
14. ↑ NPR, "Why It's Been Years Since A Va. Republican Won Statewide Office," June 13, 2018
15. ↑ NBC News, "Here's the complicated way Virginia Republicans will pick their nominee for governor," March 25, 2021
16. ↑ NBC News, "Here's the complicated way Virginia Republicans will pick their nominee for governor," March 25, 2021
17. ↑ Republican Party of Virginia, "Plan of Organization," accessed April 2, 2021
18. ↑ The Washington Post, "Virginia GOP ends months-long standoff on nomination method," March 13, 2021
19. ↑ Virginia Scope, "How Virginia Republicans plan to execute an unassembled convention," April 30, 2021
20. ↑ 20.00 20.01 20.02 20.03 20.04 20.05 20.06 20.07 20.08 20.09 20.10 20.11 20.12 20.13 Republican Party of Virginia, "Republican Party of Virginia 2021 Convention," accessed April 1, 2021
21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 The Virginia Public Access Project, "The GOP's Convoluted Nomination Process," accessed April 1, 2021
22. ↑ FairVote, "Electoral Systems," accessed July 7, 2017
23. ↑ MinneapolisMN.gov, "Frequently Asked Questions about Ranked-Choice Voting," accessed July 7, 2017
24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 Facebook, "Republican Party of Virginia," April 25, 2021
25. ↑ Republican Party of Virginia, "2021 Unassembled Convention Polling Locations," accessed April 26, 2021
26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 26.2 26.3 26.4 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
27. ↑ VA Scope, "The Republican State Central Committee agrees to allow early voting in convention for religious reasons," April 25, 2021
28. ↑ Republican Party of Virginia, "Statewide Nomination 2021," accessed May 3, 2021
29. ↑ In battleground primaries, Ballotpedia based its selection of noteworthy candidates on polling, fundraising, and noteworthy endorsements. In battleground general elections, all major party candidates and any other candidates with the potential to impact the outcome of the race were included.
30. ↑ 30.0 30.1 30.2 30.3 30.4 Jason Miyares' campaign website, "Endorsements," accessed April 16, 2021
31. ↑ 31.0 31.1 Twitter, "Jason Miyares on April 27, 2021," accessed April 28, 2021
32. ↑ 32.0 32.1 Twitter, "Jason Miyares on April 28, 2021," accessed April 29, 2021
33. ↑ Twitter, "Jason Miyares on April 30, 2021," accessed April 30, 2021
34. ↑ 34.0 34.1 Leslie Haley's campaign website, "Endorsements," accessed April 16, 2021
35. ↑ Facebook, "Chuck Smith on March 26, 2021," accessed April 12, 2021
36. ↑ Facebook, "New Mission PAC on May 2, 2021," accessed May 3, 2021
37. ↑ YouTube, "VCDL-PAC Attorney General of VA Candidate Forum 4-/13/2021, hosted by Cathy McNickle, VCDL-PAC chair," April 13, 2021
38. ↑ Leslie Haley’s campaign website, “About Leslie,” accessed April 1, 2021
39. ↑ Jason Miyares' campaign website, “Issues,” accessed April 1, 2021
40. ↑ Chuck Smith’s campaign website, “Platform,” accessed April 1, 2021
41. ↑ Jack White’s campaign website, “Issues,” accessed April 1, 2021
42. ↑ The raw data for this study was provided by Dave Leip of Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections.

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