Virginia lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2017

Virginia 2017 elections

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Virginia lieutenant gubernatorial election

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Filing deadline:
March 30, 2017
Primary date:
June 13, 2017
General election date:
November 7, 2017

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Winner:
Justin Fairfax (D)
Incumbent prior to election:
Ralph Northam (D)

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Virginia held an election for lieutenant governor on November 7, 2017. The primary election was held on June 13, 2017. The winner of this race was Justin Fairfax (D). Click here to view vote totals for this election.

HIGHLIGHTS

* Incumbent Ralph Northam (D) ran for governor in 2017, leaving the lieutenant governor election an open race.

* Democrat Justin Fairfax defeated Susan Platt and Gene Rossi in the primary election.

* Republican Jill Holtzman Vogel defeated Glenn Davis and Bryce Reeves in the primary election.

## Contents

* 1 Overview
* 2 Candidates
* 3 Context of the 2017 election
* 3.1 Endorsements
* 3.1.1 Justin Fairfax
* 3.1.2 Jill Holtzman Vogel
* 3.2 Noteworthy events
* 3.2.1 October 5 debate
* 3.2.2 August 9 debate
* 3.3 Primary elections
* 3.4 Incumbent Ralph Northam (D)
* 3.5 Party control in Virginia
* 3.6 Polls
* 4 Campaign data
* 4.1 Campaign media
* 5 Qualifications
* 6 Authority
* 7 Duties
* 8 Past elections
* 8.1 Success running for governor
* 8.2 Full history
* 8.3 State profile
* 8.3.1 Presidential voting pattern
* 8.3.1.1 Pivot Counties (2016)
* 8.3.1.2 Pivot Counties (2020)
* 8.4 Recent news
* 8.5 See also
* 8.6 External links
* 8.7 Footnotes

## Overview[edit]

At the time of the 2017 election,Virginia had had a divided government since Governor Terry McAuliffe was elected in 2013, ending a two-year Republican trifecta. The office of lieutenant governor in Virginia has been largely controlled by Democrats since the office was created in 1850. The last Republican to hold the seat was William T. Bolling, who served from 2006 until 2014. Because the Lieutenant Governor of Virginia has the ability to cast a tie-breaking vote in the Virginia State Senate, the incoming lieutenant governor could determine the state's trifecta status in the event of an even partisan split in the Senate.

## Candidates[edit]

Justin Fairfax

State Sen. Jill Holtzman Vogel

Click [show] to see candidates who were defeated in the primary election.|

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Gene Rossi
Susan Platt
Del. Glenn Davis
State Sen. Bryce Reeves

Virginia Lieutenant Gubernatorial Election, 2017

Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes
| Democratic  |  Justin Fairfax | 52.70% | 1,362,080
| Republican  | Jill Holtzman Vogel | 47.30% | 1,222,434
Total Votes (2566/2566 precincts reporting) | 2,584,514
Source: The New York Times, "Live Election Results: Virginia," November 7, 2017

## Context of the 2017 election[edit]

### Endorsements[edit]

####  Justin Fairfax[edit]

* Rep. Donald McEachin
* Rep. Gerry Connolly
* State Sen. Chap Petersen
* Del. Marcia Price
* Roanoke Mayor Sherman Lea
* People for the American Way
* Pride Fund to End Gun Violence
* Virginia Education Association
* Sierra Club
* Americans for Responsible Solutions PAC
* Virginia Police Benevolent Association[1]
* Richmond Crusade for Voters[2]
* Human Rights Campaign[3]
* The Washington Post[4]

####  Jill Holtzman Vogel[edit]

* Former Sen. John Warner
* Rep. Barbara Comstock
* Rep. Bob Goodlatte
* Rep. Frank Wolf
* Former Virginia Attorney General Jerry Kilgore
* State Sen. Steve Newman
* State Sen. Mark Obenshain
* State Sen. Bill Stanley
* State Sen. Richard Stewart
* Del. Scott Lingamfelter
* 32 sheriffs
* Virginia Citizen's Defense League
* NOVABIZPAC
* Virginia Fraternal Order of Police[5]
* Virginia Farm Bureau Federation AgPAC[6]
* Richmond Times-Dispatch[7]

### Noteworthy events[edit]

#### October 5 debate[edit]

October 5, 2017, debate

On October 5, 2017, the second lieutenant gubernatorial debate was held at the University of Richmond. Justin Fairfax and Jill Holtzman Vogel discussed abortion, firearms regulations, and healthcare. The hourlong debate, which the Associated Press reported "often featured sharp exchanges [among Fairfax and Vogel] accusing each other of low-road campaigning", was the final meeting between the two candidates before the November 7 general election.

Many issues that had been brought up in the August 9 debate resurfaced, with Fairfax repeating his criticism of a bill proposed by Vogel in 2012 that would have required the administration of a vaginal ultrasound before an abortion. Vogel again argued that Fairfax was misrepresenting the bill and that she had a track record of advocating for policies that would improve healthcare for women.

The candidates' discussion on firearms referenced the October 1, 2017, mass shooting in Las Vegas, in which 58 concertgoers were killed and 589 injured. Fairfax argued in favor of requiring background checks before all firearms purchases and implementing more restrictive firearms regulations. Vogel countered that too little time had passed since the shooting to conclude what measures might have prevented it, and stated her opposition to additional restrictions on firearms, asserting that previous restrictions had done little to lower crime rates while making it more difficult for victims to defend themselves.

Fairfax and Vogel also discussed healthcare, with Vogel citing a candidate survey in which Fairfax had expressed support for Sen. Bernie Sanders' proposal to expand Medicaid. Vogel added that the state should not expand Medicaid coverage on the basis that the federal government might not continue to fund the program and that the state might not be able to afford it regardless. Fairfax countered that it was important that the state expand Medicaid, adding that the federal government would still cover the majority of associated costs.[8][9]

#### August 9 debate[edit]

August 9, 2017, debate

On August 9, 2017, the Senior Statesmen of Virginia hosted the first debate of the general election at Piedmont Community College. Justin Fairfax and Jill Holtzman Vogel discussed a range of issues including abortion, firearms regulation, and taxes. The debate revealed areas of agreement between the candidates - both Fairfax and Vogel criticized the state’s current method of drawing legislative districts, arguing that it gives the party with a majority in the state legislature an undue advantage. The candidates also agreed that the state should coordinate a response to climate change and that employers should be required to ensure that new employees have legal permission to work in the country.

The candidates disagreed on the economy, campaign finance, firearms control, and Confederate monuments. Fairfax argued that the state’s economy has improved since Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) took office in 2014, saying,

“  | We have a lot that we can celebrate about those four years. Unemployment has gone down from 5.4 percent when they took office to today 3.7 percent. They’ve been able to create 200,000 new jobs in the commonwealth of Virginia and bring about $16 billion in additional capital investment.[10] | ”

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—Justin Fairfax (D)[11]

Vogel countered that McAuliffe’s term in office had not been a positive development for the state’s economy, arguing,

“  | We’re now ranked 33rd in the nation in terms of tax climate...More people are leaving Virginia than coming to Virginia.[10] | ”

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—Jill Holtzman Vogel (R)[11]

During the debate, Fairfax called for the state to limit the amount an individual could spend on any given race, which Vogel criticized as a restriction on political expression. Vogel outlined her staunch opposition to increased firearms regulation in contrast to Fairfax, who stated that he was open to measures similar to those proposed by gubernatorial candidate Ralph Northam (D). Fairfax also called for local governments to have the power to move monuments honoring figures associated with the Confederacy from public display into museums, a proposal opposed by Vogel. Another area of disagreement was abortion policy, with Fairfax criticizing Vogel over a 2012 bill she had sponsored that would have required women seeking an abortion to undergo a vaginal ultrasound. Vogel argued that Fairfax had misrepresented the bill and that she has prioritized women’s health during her time in office.[11][12]

### Primary elections[edit]

Click here to learn more about the 2017 lieutenant gubernatorial primary in Virginia
During a primary election, voters select the candidate they believe should represent a political party in a general election. Primaries usually take place several months before a general election. Virginia utilizes a hybrid primary process in which registered voters do not have to be members of a party to vote in that party's primary.[13] In the past, the Virginia Republican Party had selected candidates for statewide races at a convention; however, in August 2016, the State Central Committee voted 41-40 to select candidates via primary elections instead.[14]

Virginia's primary election was held on June 13, 2017. In the Democratic primary, former assistant U.S. attorney Justin Fairfax defeated political consultant Susan Platt and former prosecutor Gene Rossi. In the Republican primary, state Sen. Jill Holtzman Vogel defeated state Sen. Bryce Reeves and Del. Glenn Davis.

### Incumbent Ralph Northam (D)[edit]

Lieutenant Governor Ralph Northam (D) was first elected in 2013, winning the open election for the seat by over 10 percentage points--a significant win for an office that usually sees very narrow margins of victory in open races. Prior to his election, Northam had served in the Virginia State Senate from 2008 to 2014.

Before his career in public service, Northam worked as a physician specializing in pediatric neurology.

### Party control in Virginia[edit]

At the time of the 2017 election,Virginia had had a divided government since Governor Terry McAuliffe was elected in 2013, ending a two-year Republican trifecta: Democrats held the governorship while Republicans held a three-seat majority in the State Senate and a 32-seat majority in the House. The state had been represented in the United States Senate by Democrats since 2009, though its class 2 Senate seat was held by Republicans from 1973 to 2009. Virginians also elected Republican George F. Allen to the class 1 seat in 2001; he served until 2007. Though the state's electoral votes went to Democrat Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012, Virginia voters had previously selected the Republican candidate in every presidential election since 1968.[15]

The office of lieutenant governor in Virginia has been largely controlled by Democrats since the office was created in 1850. The last Republican to hold the seat was William T. Bolling, who served from 2006 until 2014. The only other periods of non-Democratic control in the office since the turn of the 20th century were Republican John Henry Hager's tenure from 1998 to 2002, Republican John Nichols Dalton from 1974 to 1978, and independent Henry Evans Howell Jr. from 1971 to 1974. With few exceptions--including the election of incumbent Ralph Northam (D) in 2013--open elections for the seat are usually quite close. Bolling won 2005's open election by just 1 percentage point; Tim Kaine won 2001's open race by less than 2 percentage points.

Virginia Party Control: 1992-2026
Five years of Democratic trifectas • Four years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.

Year  | 92  | 93  | 94  | 95  | 96  | 97  | 98  | 99  | 00  | 01  | 02  | 03  | 04  | 05  | 06  | 07  | 08  | 09  | 10  | 11  | 12  | 13  | 14  | 15  | 16  | 17  | 18  | 19  | 20  | 21  | 22  | 23  | 24  | 25  | 26

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Governor | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | D
Senate | D | D | D | D | S | S | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | R | R | D | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D
House | D | D | D | D | D | D | S | S | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | R | R | D | D | D

### Polls[edit]

Virginia lieutenant gubernatorial election

Poll | Justin Fairfax | Jill Holtzman Vogel| Undecided/Other| Margin of error| Sample size
The Polling Company
(October 30 - November 2, 2017) | 40%| 43%| 18%| +/-3.5| 800
Suffolk University
(October 30 - November 1, 2017) | 44%| 40%| 16%| +/-4.4| 500
The Washington Post
(October 26-29, 2017) | 49%| 43%| 8%| +/-4.0| 921
Christopher Newport University
(October 20-25, 2017) | 47%| 44%| 9%| +/-3.8| 812
Roanoke College
(October 8-13, 2017) | 45%| 42%| 13%| +/-4.0| 607
Christopher Newport University
(October 2-6, 2017) | 48%| 40%| 12%| +/-4.3| 928
Christopher Newport University
(September 12-22, 2017) | 46%| 42%| 13%| +/-3.7| 776
Suffolk University
(September 13-17, 2017) | 36%| 35%| 27%| +/-4.4| 500
University of Mary Washington
(September 5-12, 2017) | 44%| 36%| 20%| +/-3.8| 1,000
Virginia Commonwealth University
(July 17-25, 2017) | 41%| 34%| 25%| +/-4.2| 806
AVERAGES|  44%|  39.9%|  16.1%|  +/-4.01|  765
Note: The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to editor@ballotpedia.org.
Virginia lieutenant gubernatorial election (no margin of error reported)

Poll | Justin Fairfax | Jill Holtzman Vogel| Undecided/Other| Sample Size
Public Policy Polling
(September 21-23, 2017) | 43%| 37%| 21%| 849
Note: A "0%" finding means the candidate was not a part of the poll. The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to editor@ballotpedia.org.

## Campaign data[edit]

### Campaign media[edit]

Click here to view campaign advertisements for this race.
Note: If a candidate is not listed below, Ballotpedia staff were unable to locate any campaign media for that candidate. Do you know of any? Tell us!

Justin Fairfax (D) |

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Jill Holtzman Vogel (R) |

# Qualifications[edit]

In order to be eligible for the office of lieutenant governor, a candidate must be:

* a United States citizen
* a resident and registered voter of Virginia for at least five years preceding the election
* at least 30 years old

# Authority[edit]

The Virginia Constitution addresses the office of the lieutenant governor Article V, the Executive.

Under Article V, Section 13:

A Lieutenant Governor shall be elected at the same time and for the same term as the Governor, and his qualifications and the manner and ascertainment of his election, in all respects, shall be the same, except that there shall be no limit on the terms of the Lieutenant Governor.

# Duties[edit]

The lieutenant governor serves as the president of the Virginia State Senate and is first in the line of succession to the governor; in the event the governor dies, resigns or otherwise leaves office, the lieutenant governor becomes governor.

He serves as the President of the Senate but only has a vote in cases of a tie. (§ 14)

The Code of Virginia provides that the lieutenant governor is automatically a member of these state boards, commissions and councils:

* The Board of Trustees of the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation
* The Board of Trustees of the Center for Rural Virginia
* The Board of Directors of the Virginia Economic Development Partnership
* The Board of Directors of the Virginia Tourism Authority
* The Virginia Military Advisory Council
* The Commonwealth Preparedness Council
* The Council on Virginia’s Future[16]

# Past elections[edit]

Virginia belongs to the handful of states that hold off-year elections, that is, elections in odd-numbered years that are neither presidential nor midterm years. In Virginia's case, elections are held in the year after a presidential and before a midterm; thus, 2017, 2021 and 2025 are all lieutenant gubernatorial election years. Legally, the inauguration is always held the second Wednesday in the January after an election.

By law, lieutenant governors are elected in separate elections from governors in both the primary and general elections. This means it is possible to have a partisan split in the executive office.

In the event of a tie between two candidates or a contested election, a joint session of the legislature shall cast ballots.

### Success running for governor[edit]

An April 2013 article in Governing looked at how successful lieutenant governors in all states have been in their bids for the governorship. Their research showed that since the early 1990s they made 55 attempts for the top post, of which 17 won and 38 lost—a winning percentage of 31 percent.[17]

Virginia stood out among the states, where incumbent lieutenant governors won four of the nine races for governor since 1977. State term limits allow governors only one term in office and provide lieutenant governors with an advantage. University of Virginia political scientist Larry Sabato explained the situation, stating, "It's a part-time, poorly paid post whose occupants mainly spend their time running for governor." And due to Virginia's system, he added, "being seen as in the wings is a big plus."[17]

### Full history[edit]

To view the electoral history dating back to 2001 for the office of Lieutenant Governor of Virginia, click [show] to expand the section.

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2013

On November 5, 2013, Ralph Northam won election to the office of Lieutenant Governor of Virginia. He defeated E.W. Jackson (R) in the general election.

| Lieutenant Governor of Virginia, 2013

Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes
| Democratic  | Ralph Northam | 55.1% | 1,213,155
| Republican  |  E.W. Jackson  | 44.5% | 980,257
| Write-In |  Various | 0.3% | 7,472
Total Votes | 2,200,884
Election results via Virginia State Board of Elections.

2009

On November 3, 2009, William T. "Bill" Bolling won re-election to the office of Lieutenant Governor of Virginia. He defeated Jody M. Wagner (D) in the general election.

Lieutenant Governor of Virginia, 2009

Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes
| Republican  | William T. "Bill" Bolling Incumbent | 56.5% | 1,106,793
| Democratic  |  Jody M. Wagner  | 43.4% | 850,111
| Write-In |  Various | 0.1% | 1,569
Total Votes | 1,958,473
Election results via Virginia State Board of Elections.

2005

On November 8, 2005, William T. Bolling won election to the office of Lieutenant Governor of Virginia. He defeated Leslie L. Byrne (D) in the general election.

Lieutenant Governor of Virginia, 2005

Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes
| Republican  | William T. Bolling | 50.5% | 979,265
| Democratic  |  Leslie L. Byrne  | 49.3% | 956,906
| Write-In |  Various | 0.2% | 4,065
Total Votes | 1,940,236
Election results via Virginia State Board of Elections.

2001

On November 6, 2001, Tim Kaine won election to the office of Lieutenant Governor of Virginia. He defeated Jay K. Katzen (R) and Gary A. Reams (L) in the general election.

Lieutenant Governor of Virginia, 2001

Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes
| Democratic  | Tim Kaine | 50.3% | 925,974
| Republican  |  Jay K. Katzen  | 48.1% | 883,886
| Libertarian  |  Gary A. Reams  | 1.6% | 28,783
| Write-In |  Various | 0% | 490
Total Votes | 1,839,133
Election results via Virginia State Board of Elections.

## 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.

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**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 five out of the seven presidential elections between 2000 and 2024.

#### 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.[18]

#### 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
* Endorsers in Virginia
* Virginia fact checks
* More...

## Recent news[edit]

The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Virginia Lieutenant Governor election 2017. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.

Virginia lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2017 - Google News

## See also[edit]

Virginia government:

* Virginia state executive offices
* Virginia State Legislature
* Virginia courts

Elections:

* State executive official elections, 2017
* State executive official elections, 2016
* State executive official elections, 2015

Ballotpedia exclusives:

* State executives compensation
* State of the state addresses
* Trifecta control of state government

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## External links[edit]

| Suggest a link

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* Lieutenant governor of Virginia official website

## Footnotes[edit]

1. ↑ Justin Fairfax for Lieutenant Governor, "Endorsements," accessed October 9, 2017
2. ↑ Richmond Free Press, "Richmond Crusade for Voters endorses diverse slate," October 12, 2017
3. ↑ Augusta Free Press, "Human Rights Campaign endorses Justin Fairfax for lieutenant governor," October 18, 2017
4. ↑ The Washington Post, "The Post’s endorsements in Virginia," October 28, 2017
5. ↑ Jill Vogel for Virginia, "News Archives," accessed October 9, 2017
6. ↑ Augusta Free Press, "Virginia Farm Bureau Federation AgPAC endorses Gillespie, Vogel, Adams," August 19, 2017
7. ↑ Richmond Times-Dispatch, "Editorial: For Lieutenant Governor, Jill Holtzman Vogel," October 29, 2017
8. ↑ The Washington Post, "Candidates for Va. lt. governor battle over guns and minimum wage," October 6, 2017
9. ↑ U.S. News & World Report, "Sharp Words Fly in Lieutenant Governor Debate in Richmond," October 5, 2017
10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Richmond Times-Dispatch, "Justin Fairfax and Jill Vogel spar in first debate for LG," August 9, 2017
12. ↑ The Washington Post, "Much-lampooned ultrasound bill revived in race for Va. lieutenant governor," August 9, 2017
13. ↑ Code of Virginia, "Title 24.2, Section 530," accessed June 10, 2014
14. ↑ Culpepper Star-Advocate, "Virginia GOP votes 41-40 to switch and nominate 2017 statewide candidates in a primary," August 27, 2016
15. ↑ National Archives and Records Administration, "Historical election results," accessed September 4, 2016
16. ↑ About the Office of the Lieutenant Governor of Virginia
17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 Governing, "How Successful Are Lieutenant Governors Seeking the Governorship?" April 12, 2013
18. ↑ The raw data for this study was provided by Dave Leip of Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections.

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