Virginia's 2014 elections U.S. Senate • U.S. House • State ballot measures • School boards • Candidate ballot access |
U.S. Senate, Virginia General Election, 2014 | ||||
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Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
Democratic | Mark Warner Incumbent | 49.1% | 1,073,667 | |
Republican | Ed Gillespie | 48.3% | 1,055,940 | |
Libertarian | Robert Sarvis | 2.4% | 53,102 | |
N/A | write-in | 0.1% | 1,764 | |
Total Votes | 2,184,473 | |||
Source: Virginia Department of Elections |
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November 4, 2014 |
No primary, due to convention |
Mark Warner |
Mark Warner |
Cook Political Report: Likely Democratic[1] Sabato's Crystal Ball: Likely D[2] |
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In a race that was too close to call, Sen. Mark Warner declared victory in his bid for re-election to the United States Senate. Initially, Gillespie did not concede. He said, "Unfortunately some campaigns last longer than others, and I'm going to need a little more hard work ... we know there will be a canvass that commences [Wednesday] and we will have a better sense [of who won]. We're going to be patient here."[3] On November 7, 2014, Gillespie decided not to seek a recount and conceded to Warner.[4]
Candidate Filing Deadline | Primary Election | General Election |
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Primary: A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. Virginia utilizes an open primary process in which registered voters do not have to be members of a party to vote in that party's primary.[5][6][7][8]
Voter registration: Voters had to register to vote in the primary by February 10, 2014. For the general election, the voter registration deadline was October 14, 2014 (22 days before election).[9]
Incumbent: Mark Warner (D) was the incumbent going into the 2014 election. He was first elected in 2008.
General election candidates
June 7, 2014, Republican State Convention
U.S. Senate, Virginia General Election, 2014 | ||||
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Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
Democratic | Mark Warner Incumbent | 49.1% | 1,073,667 | |
Republican | Ed Gillespie | 48.3% | 1,055,940 | |
Libertarian | Robert Sarvis | 2.4% | 53,102 | |
N/A | write-in | 0.1% | 1,764 | |
Total Votes | 2,184,473 | |||
Source: Virginia Department of Elections |
On June 7, 2014, delegates met at the 2014 Republican State Convention to choose the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate to take on incumbent Mark Warner. Ed Gillespie won the nomination.[18] Gillespie was chosen by Republican delegates over Anthony DeTora, senior policy advisor for Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, Wayshak Hill, a veteran combat pilot, and businessman Charles Moss.
On the campaign trail, Gillespie focused on his five-point economic growth plan which included: "replacing Obamacare, unleashing American energy, tax & regulatory relief, education reform and cutting wasteful spending."[19] Gillespie also tied Warner to President Barack Obama's policies, including the Affordable Care Act. He said, "Instead of being an independent voice for us, he’s been a blank check for President Obama.”[20]
Throughout the campaign, Warner presented himself as a bipartisan legislator, and he accused Gillespie of being a "partisan warrior." Warner said, "You got somebody who’s got a proven record of being bipartisan, of being a problem-solver, and you’ve got somebody who’s spent a career as a lobbyist and a partisan operative. And if folks think Washington’s going to get fixed by one more partisan warrior, then they got their candidate. But I don’t think we need more partisan warriors from either … party.”[21]
Gillespie and Warner also faced Libertarian Robert Sarvis, who ran a campaign for governor of Virginia in 2013. During the gubernatorial election, Sarvis earned seven percent of the vote, the highest percentage earned by a third-party candidate in the state since 1965.[22]
According to the Washington Post, "The son of a former Virginia state senator has told federal investigators that U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner discussed the possibility of several jobs, including a federal judgeship, for the senator’s daughter in an effort to dissuade him from quitting the evenly divided state Senate."[23]
Warner spokesman Kevin Hall responded to the accusation saying, "Senator Warner was not in a position to offer, and never did offer, any job to Mrs. Ketron. When he spoke to Senator Puckett the following day, it was clear that he had made up his mind and had already drafted his letter of resignation.”[23]
Republicans and Democrats in the Virginia General Assembly tried to use state Sen. Phillip Puckett in a battle over the expansion of Medicaid. Republicans, who wanted to gain control of the assembly in order to block the expansion of Medicaid, planned to put Puckett on the state tobacco commission after he retired. Democrats persuaded Puckett to stay, in order to expand Medicaid. Paul Reagan, Gov. Terry McAuliffe’s chief of staff, left the following message for Puckett: "If there’s something that we can do for her, I mean, you know, we have a couple of big agencies here that we still need agency heads. We could potentially, potentially, subject to approval of the governor and so forth, you know, the Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy could be available."[23]
Gillespie listed the following issues on his website:[24]
“ |
Replacing Obamacare The single biggest drag on our economy right now is Obamacare, and the single most important thing we can do to create jobs, foster growth, increase wages, and save taxpayer dollars is to replace this failed legislation with sensible, market-based reforms that work. I will vote to replace Obamacare with a real reform plan that puts patients first and provides more affordable options. My plan is based on the belief that the American people want a health care system that provides access to quality, affordable care; empowering doctors and patients, not politicians and political appointees. They want a system that makes healthcare more affordable, lets us keep the insurance we like and the doctors we trust, and allows businesses to grow and hire. UNLEASHING AMERICAN ENERGY The Obama Administration’s anti-energy policies are among the biggest impediments to economic growth. At every turn, President Obama and his Democratic allies in Congress like Mark Warner have pursued energy policies driven by a narrow political agenda rather than developing our domestic natural resources in order to reduce our dependence on foreign producers, create high-paying jobs, and lower utility bills and the price of gas at the pump for all Americans. While Mark Warner supports a carbon tax and cap and trade policies, I have fought against them and taken a strong stand against new EPA regulations that would raise energy prices for consumers and kill even more jobs. I believe in an energy approach that embraces both traditional and alternative energy resources. I support oil, coal, and natural gas production—including responsible deep sea drilling off our coast which has been under moratorium since Mark Warner took office—because we can protect our environment while ensuring access to the domestic energy resources we need to create new jobs in Virginia, lower prices at the pump, and keep utility bills affordable. It’s time to harness our energy production capabilities and our natural resources in the service of improving the quality of life of our citizens and prosperity, and to put a stop to misguided policies that are a drag on economic growth and damaging our international competitiveness. Tax & Regulatory Relief The onerous tax and regulatory burden on U.S. businesses and American families is a boot on the throat of our economic recovery, and simplifying our complicated tax code and streamlining regulations are essential parts of any pro-growth agenda. We need to reduce one of the highest marginal business tax rates in the world to make American companies more competitive, while at the same time easing the tax burden on individuals and families, allowing them to keep more of their hard-earned money. Federal regulations should be subject to cost-benefit analysis, and outdated and unnecessarily excessive regulations should be repealed. Employers—and small businesses in particular—are being strangled by an unending cascade of burdensome regulations. EDUCATION REFORM New federal mandates handed down from Washington cannot hope to address what ails our public education system. Yet Washington has been doubling down on this failed approach. The Warner-Obama solution to education has been to continue throwing money at the problem in hopes that doing more of the same will result in a higher percentage of students graduating from our K-12 schools with a quality education. On the issue of school choice, parents have spoken. We want a greater range of options for our children, particularly those stuck in failing public schools. As your Senator, I will answer. I will work to make it easier for states to establish new charter schools, foster innovation, and ensure that our children are given the tools they need to succeed. Every child deserves a high quality education, which is why I’ll work tirelessly to empower parents to make the educational choices that are in their children’s best interests. Opportunity is enhanced by competition and choice, which is why I support public schools, charter schools, private and parochial schools, magnet schools, and home schooling, and support school choice programs that help ensure that all families have access to meaningful educational options. Cutting Wasteful Spending One of the most important steps we can take to get America’s economy moving again is to rein in reckless federal spending that threatens to bankrupt our country and saddle future generations with an unsupportable burden of debt that will dramatically reduce the quality of their lives. An $18 trillion debt is simply unacceptable, and we cannot afford the consequences of continued inaction. We’re saddling our children with debt to pay for promises made in the past, and new promises President Obama and Mark Warner made in Obamacare. As your Senator, I’ll support a Balanced Budget Amendment (which Mark Warner voted against), work to reform and simplify our tax code, and fight to cut wasteful spending. It’s time we stop spending money we just don’t have.[25] |
” |
—Ed Gillespie, https://web.archive.org/web/20141021205202/http://edforsenate.com/eg2/ |
Sarvis listed the following issues on his website:[26]
“ |
Jobs & Economic Growth End cronyism and unshackle the economy. Economic freedom leads to innovation, job-creation, and wage growth. Debt, Spending & Balanced Budgets Reduce spending. Simplify taxes. Reform entitlements. Reverse bureaucratic bloat. Balance the budget. Healthcare Reform Real healthcare reform begins with deregulation—more healthcare service-providers, rational incentives, and innovation will produce accessible and affordable care. Civil Liberties & Surveillance Restore and protect civil liberties by ending government mass surveillance of innocent citizens. Immigration Reject nativism and protectionism. Welcome immigrants of all skill levels. Foreign Affairs Lead the world by example—protect freedom at home and engage in free trade with all peaceful nations. Drug Reform Legalize marijuana at the federal level and end the catastrophic drug war. Reduce incarceration of nonviolent criminals. End asset-forfeiture abuse. Reverse the militarization of police. Freedom to Marry: Same-Sex Marriage Treat same-sex couples equally. Freedom to Carry: Gun Rights & the Second Amendment Protect gun rights and respect the Second Amendment. Term Limits, Nonpartisan Redistricting, and Other Electoral Reforms It's time to enact Congressional term limits and nonpartisan redistricting for Congressional districts. And that's not all. Pipelines & Eminent Domain Don't give private companies special privileges and eminent domain powers. Environmental Policy Protect the environment through strict liability rules, market-based mechanisms, and innovation prizes. Economic Stability Deep economic recessions and financial crises often stem from monetary policy mistakes. Establish a rule-based NGDP-targeting policy. Farm & Food Freedom End unnecessary regulations and restrictions on farmers and wasteful subsidies to Big AgriBusiness. Abortion Congress does not have the power to pass laws restricting abortions.[25] |
” |
—Robert Sarvis, https://web.archive.org/web/20141021211751/http://www.robertsarvis.com/issues |
Below are important votes that Warner cast during the 113th Congress.
On February 4, 2014, the Democratic controlled Senate approved the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2013, H.R. 2642, also known as the Farm Bill.[27] It passed the Senate with a vote of 68-32. The nearly 1,000-page bill reformed and continued various programs of the Department of Agriculture through 2018. The $1 trillion bill expanded crop insurance for farmers by $7 billion over the next decade and created new subsidies for rice and peanut growers that will kick in if or when prices drop; however, cuts to the food stamp program cut an average of $90 per month for 1.7 million people in 15 states.[28] Warner joined with 46 other Democratic senators in favor of the bill.
On January 16, 2014, the Democratic-controlled Senate approved H.R. 3547, a $1.1 trillion spending bill to fund the government through September 30, 2014.[29][30] The Senate voted 72-26 for the 1,582 page bill, with 17 Republicans and 55 Democrats voting in favor of the bill.[30] The omnibus package included 12 annual spending bills to fund federal operations.[31] It included a 1 percent increase in the paychecks of federal workers and military personnel, a $1 billion increase in Head Start funding for early childhood education, reduced funding to the Internal Revenue Service and the Environmental Protection Agency and left the Affordable Care Act without any drastic cuts. Warner voted with the Democratic Party in favor of the bill.[29][30]
Warner voted for H.R.325 -- No Budget, No Pay Act of 2013. The bill passed the Senate on January 31, 2013, with a vote of 64 - 34. The purpose of the bill was to temporarily suspend the debt ceiling and withhold the pay of members of Congress until a budget could be passed. The vote largely followed party lines with Democrats overwhelmingly supporting it and many Republicans in opposition to the bill.[32]
During the shutdown in October 2013, the Senate rejected, down party lines, every House-originated bill that stripped the budget of funding for the Affordable Care Act. A deal was reached late on October 16, 2013, just hours before the debt ceiling deadline. The bill to reopen the government, H.R. 2775, lifted the $16.7 trillion debt limit and funded the government through January 15, 2014. Federal employees also received retroactive pay for the shutdown period. The only concession made by Senate Democrats was to require income verification for Obamacare subsidies.[33] The final vote on H.R. 2775 was 81-18, with all 18 votes against the bill from Republican members. Warner voted with the Democratic Party for the bill.[34]
Warner voted against Senate Amendment 1197 -- Requires the Completion of the Fence Along the United States-Mexico Border. The amendment was rejected by the Senate on June 18, 2013, with a vote of 39 - 54. The purpose of the amendment was to require the completion of 350 miles of fence described in the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 before registered provisional immigrant status may be granted. It would also require 700 miles of fence be completed before the status of registered provisional immigrants may be changed to permanent resident status. The vote followed party lines.[35]
Warner was endorsed by the following:
Gillespie was endorsed by the following:
General election | |||||||||||||||||||
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Poll | Mark Warner (D) | Ed Gillespie (R) | Robert Sarvis (L) | Undecided | Margin of Error | Sample Size | |||||||||||||
Vox Populi October 30, 2014 | 44% | 40% | 5% | 11% | +/-3.6 | 734 | |||||||||||||
Public Policy Polling October 29-30, 2014 | 49% | 40% | 5% | 6% | +/-3.2 | 937 | |||||||||||||
Christopher Newport University’s Watson Center for Public Policy October 23-29, 2014 | 51% | 44% | 2% | 3% | +/-3.9 | 634 | |||||||||||||
Roanoke College October 20-25, 2014 | 45% | 32% | 3% | 20% | +/-3.6 | 738 | |||||||||||||
University of Mary Washington October 1-6, 2014 | 47% | 37% | 6% | 3% | +/-5.3 | 444 | |||||||||||||
Christopher Newport University’s Watson Center for Public Policy Sept. 29-Oct. 5 | 51% | 39% | 3% | 7% | +/-3.5 | 839 | |||||||||||||
Christopher Newport University’s Watson Center for Public Policy September 2-7, 2014 | 53% | 31% | 5% | 11% | +/-3.4 | 819 | |||||||||||||
Roanoke College Poll July 14-19, 2014 | 47% | 22% | 5% | 26% | +/-4.2 | 566 | |||||||||||||
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 |
Warner (D) v. Gillespie (R) v. Sarvis (L) | |||||||||||||||||||
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Poll | Mark Warner | Ed Gillespie | Robert Sarvis (L) | Wouldn't vote | Someone else | Undecided | Margin of Error | Sample Size | |||||||||||
Quinnipiac University March 19-24, 2014 | 47% | 22% | 5% | 2% | 0% | 15% | +/-2.7 | 1,288 | |||||||||||
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 |
Warner (D) v. Gillespie (R) | |||||||||||||||||||
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Poll | Mark Warner (D) | Ed Gillespie (R) | Someone else | Undecided | Margin of Error | Sample Size | |||||||||||||
Roanoke College February 22-28, 2014 | 56% | 39% | 12% | 2% | +/-3.4 | 821 | |||||||||||||
Harper Polling February 4-5, 2014 | 44% | 38% | 0% | 18% | +/-3.2 | 936 | |||||||||||||
Wason Center for Public Policy January 15-22, 2014 | 50% | 30% | 2% | 18% | +/-3.1 | 1,023 | |||||||||||||
Roanoke College January 13-17, 2014 | 50% | 30% | 0% | 20% | +/-3.9 | 633 | |||||||||||||
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 |
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Mark Warner was one of seven senators attacked by the 60 Plus Association in a radio advertisement released on March 31, 2014, for sponsoring legislation "that will allow the government to take over the mortgage industry." According to PR Newswire, "The plan, proposed by Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Johnson (D-SD) and Ranking Member Crapo, and supported by President Barack Obama, dismisses all current shareholder investments in Fannie and Freddie and wipes out ordinary investors. 60 Plus Chairman Jim Martin stressed his organization's concerns, saying, 'These investors include retirees, teachers, police officers, and firefighters who will lose retirement savings while the government sucks all the profits. The Johnson-Crapo legislation would also largely codify the Treasury's Third Amendment that has confiscated all money due to Fannie and Freddie's private shareholders.'"[41]
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Candidates for Congress were required to file up to seven main reports with the Federal Election Commission during the 2014 elections season. Below are Warner's reports.[42]
Mark Warner (2014) Campaign Finance Reports | |||||||||
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Report | Date Filed | Beginning Balance | Total Contributions for Reporting Period | Expenditures | Cash on Hand | ||||
April Quarterly[43] | April 18, 2013 | $3,704,309.64 | $636,036.08 | $(153,979.26) | $4,186,366.46 | ||||
July Quarterly[44] | July 17, 2013 | $4,186,366.46 | $1,423,313.76 | $(315,897.86) | $5,293,782.36 | ||||
October Quarterly[45] | October 15, 2013 | $5,293,782.36 | $873,089.75 | $(255,386.00) | $5,911,486.11 | ||||
Year-end[46] | January 31, 2014 | $5,911,486 | $1,595,892 | $(345,427) | $7,161,950 | ||||
April Quarterly[47] | April 15, 2014 | $7,161,950.56 | $2,683,545.83 | $(994,179.06) | $8,851,317.33 | ||||
July Quarterly[48] | July 15, 2014 | $9,456,884.22 | $1,267,232.83 | $(1,809,304.92) | $8,914,812.13 | ||||
October Quarterly[49] | October 15, 2014 | $8,914,812.13 | $2,060,277.12 | $(2,846,405.98) | $8,128,683.27 | ||||
Running totals | |||||||||
$10,539,387.37 | $(6,720,580.08) |
Candidates for Congress were required to file up to seven main reports with the Federal Election Commission during the 2014 elections season. Below are Gillespie's reports.[50]
Ed Gillespie (2014) Campaign Finance Reports | |||||||||
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Report | Date Filed | Beginning Balance | Total Contributions for Reporting Period | Expenditures | Cash on Hand | ||||
April Quarterly[51] | April 11, 2014 | $0.00 | $2,216,345.52 | $(244,297.80) | $1,972,047.72 | ||||
July Quarterly[52] | September 17, 2014 | $2,316,698.84 | $1,203,492.37 | $(408,198.57) | $3,111,992.64 | ||||
October Quarterly[53] | October 14, 2014 | $3,111,992.64 | $1,873,718.02 | $(2,974,121.60) | $2,011,589.06 | ||||
Running totals | |||||||||
$5,293,555.91 | $(3,626,617.97) |
Candidates for Congress were required to file up to seven main reports with the Federal Election Commission during the 2014 elections season. Below are Sarvis' reports.[54]
Robert Sarvis (2014) Campaign Finance Reports | |||||||||
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Report | Date Filed | Beginning Balance | Total Contributions for Reporting Period | Expenditures | Cash on Hand | ||||
July Quarterly[55] | August 25, 2014 | $0.00 | $47,167.44 | $(40,093.48) | $7,073.96 | ||||
Running totals | |||||||||
$47,167.44 | $(40,093.48) |
Candidates for Congress were required to file up to seven main reports with the Federal Election Commission during the 2014 elections season. Below are DeTora's reports.[56]
Anthony DeTora (2014) Campaign Finance Reports | |||||||||
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Report | Date Filed | Beginning Balance | Total Contributions for Reporting Period | Expenditures | Cash on Hand | ||||
April Quarterly[57] | April 15, 2014 | $0.00 | $20,060.00 | $(14,460.00) | $5,600.00 | ||||
Running totals | |||||||||
$20,060 | $(14,460) |
Candidates for Congress were required to file up to seven main reports with the Federal Election Commission during the 2014 elections season. Below are Hill's reports.[58]
Wayshak Hill (2014) Campaign Finance Reports | |||||||||
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Report | Date Filed | Beginning Balance | Total Contributions for Reporting Period | Expenditures | Cash on Hand | ||||
April Quarterly[59] | April 15, 2014 | $109,538.72 | $28,553.12 | $(50,733.01) | $87,358.83 | ||||
Running totals | |||||||||
$28,553.12 | $(50,733.01) |
Candidates for Congress were required to file up to seven main reports with the Federal Election Commission during the 2014 elections season. Below are Moss' reports.[60]
Charles Moss (2014) Campaign Finance Reports | |||||||||
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Report | Date Filed | Beginning Balance | Total Contributions for Reporting Period | Expenditures | Cash on Hand | ||||
April Quarterly[61] | April 17, 2014 | $0.00 | $5,735.00 | $(2,282.85) | $3,452.15 | ||||
Running totals | |||||||||
$5,735 | $(2,282.85) |
On November 6, 2012, Tim Kaine won election to the United States Senate. He defeated George Allen in the general election.
U.S. Senate, Virginia General Election, 2012 | ||||
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Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
Democratic | Timothy M. Kaine | 52.9% | 2,010,067 | |
Republican | George F. Allen | 47% | 1,785,542 | |
Write-In | N/A | 0.2% | 6,587 | |
Total Votes | 3,802,196 | |||
Source: Virginia State Board of Elections "Official Election Results, 2012 General Election" |
On November 4, 2008, Mark Warner won election to the United States Senate. He defeated James "Jim" S. Gilmore (R), William B. Redpath (L) and Glenda Gail Parker (G) in the general election.[62]