Republican Party of Virginia
Encyclopedia
The Republican Party of Virginia (RPV) is the Virginia
chapter of the Republican Party
. It is based in the Richard D. Obenshain Center in Richmond
in the Commonwealth of Virginia
.
specifies the organization of the state party and how candidates will be selected. The 79-member State Central Committee sets the policy and plans for the party between larger State Conventions, which gather at least once every four years.
Candidates for elective office can be selected by (1) mass meetings, (2) party canvasses, (3) conventions, or (4) primaries. A mass meeting consists of a meeting where any participants must remain until votes are taken at the end. A party canvass or "firehouse primary" allows participants to arrive anytime during announced polling hours, cast a secret ballot, and then leave. A convention includes a process for selecting delegates, and then only the delegates may vote. Mass meetings, party canvasses and conventions are conducted by party officials and volunteers. Primaries are administered by the State Board of Elections at all established polling places. Because Virginia does not have party registrations, participation in primaries are open to any register voter regardless of party. However, on June 15, 2006, the Plan was amended to redefine a primary:
At the same time, the Plan was amended to require participants in any of the candidate selection methods to "express in open meeting either orally or in writing as may be required their intent to support all [Republican] nominees for public office in the ensuing election".
The candidate selection process has been criticized as favoring "party insiders" and disfavoring moderate candidates. For example, both Jim Gilmore
and the more moderate Thomas M. Davis
were seeking the 2008 Republican candidate for U.S. Senate. However, two weeks following the decision that the candidate will be selected at a convention instead of a primary,
Davis announced that he would not seek the nomination.
that are not restricted based on party registration:
In 2004, the Republican Party amended the State Party Plan to attempt to restrict participation in primaries to exclude voters who had voted in a Democratic primary after March 1, 2004, or in the last five
years, whichever is more recent. In August 2004, Stephen Martin
, an incumbent State Senator, designated that the Republican candidate for his seat in the November 2007 election should be selected by primary. The Republicans then sued the State Board of Elections demanding a closed primary be held, with taxpayer funding of a mechanism to exclude voters who had participated in past Democratic primaries.
The Federal District Court dismissed the suit on standing and ripeness grounds. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit reversed and sent the case back for a trial on its merits. The District Court then ruled that the rule forcing a party to accept the choice of its incumbent office holder of an open primary was unconstitutional. The state could continue to hold open primaries if a party opted for a primary instead of a mass meeting, party canvass, or convention to choose its nominees.
On October 1, 2007, the Fourth Circuit affirmed this holding, which largely left Virginia's primary system intact, striking down only the rule allowing an incumbent officeholder to choose an open primary over the objection of his or her party.
The Republican State Central Committee dropped plans to require voters to sign a loyalty oath before voting in the February 2008 Presidential Primary. The party had proposed to require each voter to sign a pledge stating "I, the undersigned, pledge that I intend to support the nominee of the Republican Party for President." However, there was no way to enforce the pledge, and the proposal caused vocal public opposition.
(1936–1978), the State Party Chairman who beginning in 1972, helped lead the party's renaissance in Virginia following 95 years of virtual control by the State's Democratic Party
(since Reconstruction except when William Mahone
and the Readjuster Party
coalition dominated affairs for a few years).
In 1978, "Dick" Obenshain had won the party's nomination to run for the U.S. Senate to replace retiring Senator William Scott
when the 42-year old candidate and two others were killed in an airplane crash of a twin engine aircraft on August 2, 1978 while attempting a night landing at the Chesterfield County Airport
. They had been returning to Richmond from a campaign appearance.
of Winchester
became the party's chairman in 2004. Following Senator George Allen's
unsuccessful 2006 reelection bid, Griffin submitted her resignation as Chairman effective November 15, 2006. Her brother, Mark Obenshain
, is a State Senator from Harrisonburg
in the Virginia General Assembly
. Both are the children of the late Richard D. Obenshain.
Ed Gillespie
was elected as the new Chairman of the RPV on December 2, 2006. He resigned on June 13, 2007 to become the counselor to President George W. Bush
. Mike Thomas served as interim chairman until July 21 when former Lieutenant Governor of Virginia
John H. Hager
was elected chairman. On April 9, 2007 the RPV named Fred Malek
to serve as the Finance Chairman and Lisa Gable to serve as the Finance Committee Co-Chair.
On May 31, 2008, Hager was defeated in his bid for re-election at a statewide GOP convention by a strongly conservative member of the House of Delegates
, Jeff Frederick
of Prince William County
. Frederick, who was then 32 years old, was the 5th party chairman in 5 years. The following year, Frederick was removed from the position by RPV's State Central Committee, with the backing of most the senior GOP establishment. Many argued that Frederick's election and later removal was a war within the party between insiders and outsiders (or grassroots versus establishment). After his removal, Frederick considered seeking the chairman job again at the party's 2009 convention, but later declined. On May 30, 2009, the State Convention selected former Fairfax party chairman and current Louisa chairman Pat Mullins to serve as party chair over Bill Stanley, the Frankin County party chairman. Many of Frederick's supporters supported Stanley in that race. Frederick went on to win the Republican nomination for the 36th District state Senate seat in the 2011 election in the primary on August 23, 2011.
In a special session of the legislature held on April 8, 2009 to consider extending unemployment insurance benefits in order to implement the federal stimulus package, the Republicans voted along party lines, 53 to 46 in the House of Delegates to defeat the proposal. Two Republican delegates from high unemployment districts voted in favor of Kaine's proposal.
Since 1978, each Governor issues an executive order barring discrimination in the state workforce shortly after their inaugurations. The executive orders issued by Governors Warner and Kaine barred discrimination based on 'sexual orientation." However, McDonnell has refused to issue such an order for his administration. On March 10, 2010, in response to public criticism after Attorney General Kenneth T. Cuccinelli wrote an opinion letter invalidating state college policies against employment discrimination, Governor McDonnell issued a directive prohibiting discrimination in the state workforce, including on the basis of sexual orientation. Unlike the prior executive orders, McDonnell's directive does not have the force of law.
On February 16, 2010, Attorney General Kenneth T. Cuccinelli II filed at the United States Environmental Protection Agency
a request to reopen its proceeding regarding EPA's finding that greenhouse gases endanger public health. He also sought judicial review of EPA's finding in federal court. As a result, Virginia joins Texas as the only states seeking to attack the EPA's actions. His press statement explained, "We cannot allow unelected bureaucrats with political agendas to use falsified data to regulate American industry and drive our economy into the ground.”
Governor Robert McDonnell issued a proclamation designating April 2010 as "Confederate
History Month" following similar designations by two of his Republican predecessors, George Allen
and James S. Gilmore. However, the last two governors, who were Democrats, did not designate such a month. Unlike Gilmore's proclamation, which included anti-slavery language, McDonnell left out any mention of slavery, drawing condemnation by the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus and the NAACP.
On September 16, 2010, Bill Howell
(R-Stafford), Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates, published an on-line Wall Street Journal editorial advocating an amendment to the United States Constitution
to give state legislatures the power to repeal federal legislation. Under the proposal, if two-thirds of the state legislatures agree, any federal law enacted by Congress and the President would be nullified or amended. Howell announced that he will introduce legislation in the 2011 General Assembly to advocate such an amendment. The Republicans are pushing the amendment in the 2011 session.
presidential nominee Barack Obama
won Virginia's 13 electoral votes in the 2008 presidential election
, taking 1.96 million votes (52.6%) to Republican nominee John McCain
's 1.73 million votes (46.3%). Democrat Mark Warner soundly defeated Republican Jim Gilmore
in Virginia's U.S. Senate race
by a margin of 65%-34%. In the House elections
, two Republican incumbents, Virgil Goode
and Thelma Drake
, were unseated, with Goode losing to Democrat Tom Perriello
by just 727 votes. Democrat Gerry Connolly
took the open seat held by the retiring Republican Tom Davis
. As a result of the 2008 elections, Democrats took control of both the state's U.S. Senate seats and the state's House delegation.
Because Gerry Connolly was elected to Congress from the 11th District
, a special election was held on February 3 to fill his seat as Chairman of the Fairfax County Board. In that election, about 16% of the registered voters participated, and Democrat Sharon Bulova
defeated Republican Pat Herrity
by 1,206 votes. Anthony Bedell, chairman of the Fairfax County Republican Party told the Washington Post, "In November, we got our clocks cleaned. Three months later, even in a special this was a squeaker. That's good news for Republicans."
Another special election was held to fill Bulova's Braddock District board seat on March 10. Republican John Cook won the seat by 89 votes.
were the only states to hold statewide elections in 2009. The Republicans selected their candidates at a State Convention held on May 29–30, 2009 in Richmond. Former Attorney General of Virginia
Bob McDonnell
was nominated for Governor. "His candidacy is part of a Republican renaissance that starts this year in Virginia," said Michael Steele chair of the Republican National Committee. Incumbent Lieutenant Governor
Bill Bolling
, who declined to run for governor to avoid a primary fight with McDonnell, defeated Patrick Muldoon for the Lieutenant Governor
nomination. State Senator
Ken Cuccinelli
, who the Washington Post described as "one of the most conservative members of the General Assembly," defeated John Brownlee
and David M. Foster for the Attorney General
nomination.
All three candidates won handily in the November elections
, in a victory for Republicans that was seen as a rebuke of the Democratic Party's policies in the White House
and Congress.
defeated freshman Democratic incumbent Glenn Nye
53%-42% in the 2nd District
. Attorney Robert Hurt
defeated freshman Democratic incumbent Tom Perriello
51%-47% in the 5th District
. And House of Delegates Majority Leader Morgan Griffith
defeated 28-year Democratic incumbent Rick Boucher
51%-46% in the 9th District
. With the election, Republicans now hold 8 of Virginia's 11 House seats.
After Republicans took control of the U.S. House in the elections, Virginia Republican Eric Cantor
of the 7th District
was elected House Majority Leader.
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
chapter of the Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
. It is based in the Richard D. Obenshain Center in Richmond
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
in the Commonwealth of Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
.
Organization and candidate selection
The State Party Planspecifies the organization of the state party and how candidates will be selected. The 79-member State Central Committee sets the policy and plans for the party between larger State Conventions, which gather at least once every four years.
Candidates for elective office can be selected by (1) mass meetings, (2) party canvasses, (3) conventions, or (4) primaries. A mass meeting consists of a meeting where any participants must remain until votes are taken at the end. A party canvass or "firehouse primary" allows participants to arrive anytime during announced polling hours, cast a secret ballot, and then leave. A convention includes a process for selecting delegates, and then only the delegates may vote. Mass meetings, party canvasses and conventions are conducted by party officials and volunteers. Primaries are administered by the State Board of Elections at all established polling places. Because Virginia does not have party registrations, participation in primaries are open to any register voter regardless of party. However, on June 15, 2006, the Plan was amended to redefine a primary:
"Primary" is as defined in and subject to the Election Laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia, except to the extent that any provisions of such laws conflict with this Plan, infringe the right to freedom of association, or are otherwise invalid.
At the same time, the Plan was amended to require participants in any of the candidate selection methods to "express in open meeting either orally or in writing as may be required their intent to support all [Republican] nominees for public office in the ensuing election".
The candidate selection process has been criticized as favoring "party insiders" and disfavoring moderate candidates. For example, both Jim Gilmore
Jim Gilmore
James Stuart "Jim" Gilmore III is an American politician from the Commonwealth of Virginia, former 68th Governor of Virginia, and a member of the Republican Party. A native Virginian, Gilmore studied at the University of Virginia, and then served in the U.S. Army as a counterintelligence agent...
and the more moderate Thomas M. Davis
Thomas M. Davis
Thomas Milburn "Tom" Davis III was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives, representing Virginia's 11th congressional district in Northern Virginia. Davis was considering a run for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by five-term incumbent and fellow Republican John...
were seeking the 2008 Republican candidate for U.S. Senate. However, two weeks following the decision that the candidate will be selected at a convention instead of a primary,
Davis announced that he would not seek the nomination.
Open primary litigation
Virginia does not provide for voters to register by party. Virginia law requires "open" primariesOpen primary
An open primary is a primary election that does not require voters to be affiliated with a political party in order to vote for partisan candidates. In a traditional open primary, voters may select one party's ballot and vote for that party's nomination. As in a closed primary, the highest voted...
that are not restricted based on party registration:
All persons qualified to vote... may vote at the primary. No person shall vote for the candidates of more than one party.
In 2004, the Republican Party amended the State Party Plan to attempt to restrict participation in primaries to exclude voters who had voted in a Democratic primary after March 1, 2004, or in the last five
years, whichever is more recent. In August 2004, Stephen Martin
Stephen H. Martin
Stephen Holliday "Steve" Martin is an American politician of the Republican Party. He was a member of the Virginia House of Delegates 1988–1994. Since 1994 he has been a member of the Senate of Virginia...
, an incumbent State Senator, designated that the Republican candidate for his seat in the November 2007 election should be selected by primary. The Republicans then sued the State Board of Elections demanding a closed primary be held, with taxpayer funding of a mechanism to exclude voters who had participated in past Democratic primaries.
The Federal District Court dismissed the suit on standing and ripeness grounds. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit reversed and sent the case back for a trial on its merits. The District Court then ruled that the rule forcing a party to accept the choice of its incumbent office holder of an open primary was unconstitutional. The state could continue to hold open primaries if a party opted for a primary instead of a mass meeting, party canvass, or convention to choose its nominees.
On October 1, 2007, the Fourth Circuit affirmed this holding, which largely left Virginia's primary system intact, striking down only the rule allowing an incumbent officeholder to choose an open primary over the objection of his or her party.
The Republican State Central Committee dropped plans to require voters to sign a loyalty oath before voting in the February 2008 Presidential Primary. The party had proposed to require each voter to sign a pledge stating "I, the undersigned, pledge that I intend to support the nominee of the Republican Party for President." However, there was no way to enforce the pledge, and the proposal caused vocal public opposition.
Richard D. Obenshain Center
The party headquarters building is named the Richard D. Obenshain Center in memory of Richard D. ObenshainRichard D. Obenshain
Richard Dudley Obenshain was an attorney in southwest Virginia and rising conservative political leader in the Republican Party of Virginia until his death in the crash of a small airplane.- Biography :...
(1936–1978), the State Party Chairman who beginning in 1972, helped lead the party's renaissance in Virginia following 95 years of virtual control by the State's Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
(since Reconstruction except when William Mahone
William Mahone
William Mahone was a civil engineer, teacher, soldier, railroad executive, and a member of the Virginia General Assembly and U.S. Congress. Small of stature, he was nicknamed "Little Billy"....
and the Readjuster Party
Readjuster Party
The Readjuster Party was a political coalition formed in Virginia in the late 1870s during the turbulent period following the American Civil War. Readjusters aspired "to break the power of wealth and established privilege" and to promote public education, a program which attracted biracial support....
coalition dominated affairs for a few years).
In 1978, "Dick" Obenshain had won the party's nomination to run for the U.S. Senate to replace retiring Senator William Scott
William L. Scott
William Lloyd Scott was a Republican politician from Virginia.Scott was born in Williamsburg, Virginia. He received a law degree from George Washington University, and was employed by the federal government 1934–1961, principally as trial attorney with Department of Justice...
when the 42-year old candidate and two others were killed in an airplane crash of a twin engine aircraft on August 2, 1978 while attempting a night landing at the Chesterfield County Airport
Chesterfield County, Virginia
Chesterfield County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, a state of the United States. In 2010, its population was estimated to be 316,236. Chesterfield County is now the fourth-largest municipality in Virginia . Its county seat is Chesterfield...
. They had been returning to Richmond from a campaign appearance.
Current leadership
Pat Mullins was elected interim Chairman of the RPV in a meeting of the State Central Committee on May 3, 2009, and was selected as Chairman at the State Convention on May 30, 2009.Past leadership (2004-2009)
Kate Obenshain GriffinKate Obenshain Griffin
Kate Obenshain is a conservative political commentator and Vice President of Young America's Foundation. She regularly appears as a guest on the Fox News Channel.-Education/career:...
of Winchester
Winchester, Virginia
Winchester is an independent city located in the northwestern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the USA. The city's population was 26,203 according to the 2010 Census...
became the party's chairman in 2004. Following Senator George Allen's
George Allen (U.S. politician)
George Felix Allen is a former United States Senator from the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the son of former NFL head coach George Allen. Allen served Virginia in the state legislature, as the 67th Governor, and in both bodies of the U.S. Congress, winning election to the Senate in 2000...
unsuccessful 2006 reelection bid, Griffin submitted her resignation as Chairman effective November 15, 2006. Her brother, Mark Obenshain
Mark Obenshain
Mark D. Obenshain is a Republican member of the Senate of Virginia from Harrisonburg. Obenshain has accumulated a conservative voting record since his election to the Shenandoah Valley's 26th state senate district in 2003...
, is a State Senator from Harrisonburg
Harrisonburg, Virginia
Harrisonburg is an independent city in the Shenandoah Valley region of Virginia in the United States. Its population as of 2010 is 48,914, and at the 2000 census, 40,468. Harrisonburg is the county seat of Rockingham County and the core city of the Harrisonburg, Virginia Metropolitan Statistical...
in the Virginia General Assembly
Virginia General Assembly
The Virginia General Assembly is the legislative body of the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the oldest legislative body in the Western Hemisphere, established on July 30, 1619. The General Assembly is a bicameral body consisting of a lower house, the Virginia House of Delegates, with 100 members,...
. Both are the children of the late Richard D. Obenshain.
Ed Gillespie
Ed Gillespie
Edward W. Gillespie is an American Republican political strategist and former Counselor to the President in the George W. Bush White House. Gillespie, along with Jack Quinn, former Chief of Staff to Vice President Al Gore, founded Quinn Gillespie & Associates, a bipartisan lobbying firm...
was elected as the new Chairman of the RPV on December 2, 2006. He resigned on June 13, 2007 to become the counselor to President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
. Mike Thomas served as interim chairman until July 21 when former Lieutenant Governor of Virginia
Lieutenant Governor of Virginia
The Lieutenant Governor is a constitutional officer of the Commonwealth of Virginia. The Lieutenant Governor is elected every four years along with the Governor and Attorney General. The office is currently held by Republican William T. Bolling. The governor and lieutenant governor are elected...
John H. Hager
John H. Hager
John Henry Hager is an American politician who served as the chairman of the Republican Party of Virginia from July 2007 until May 2008...
was elected chairman. On April 9, 2007 the RPV named Fred Malek
Fred Malek
Frederic Vincent "Fred" Malek is the former President of Marriott Hotels and Northwest Airlines and former assistant to United States Presidents Richard Nixon and George H.W. Bush. Malek served as a National Finance Committee co-chair of John McCain's 2008 presidential campaign...
to serve as the Finance Chairman and Lisa Gable to serve as the Finance Committee Co-Chair.
On May 31, 2008, Hager was defeated in his bid for re-election at a statewide GOP convention by a strongly conservative member of the House of Delegates
Virginia House of Delegates
The Virginia House of Delegates is the lower house of the Virginia General Assembly. It has 100 members elected for terms of two years; unlike most states, these elections take place during odd-numbered years. The House is presided over by the Speaker of the House, who is elected from among the...
, Jeff Frederick
Jeff Frederick
Jeffrey M. Frederick is a former member of the General Assembly of Virginia. A Republican, he served three terms in the Virginia House of Delegates and also served as chairman of the Republican Party of Virginia and as a member of the Republican National Committee from May 2008 to April...
of Prince William County
Prince William County, Virginia
-National protected areas:* Featherstone National Wildlife Refuge* Manassas National Battlefield Park* Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge* Prince William Forest Park-Government and politics:...
. Frederick, who was then 32 years old, was the 5th party chairman in 5 years. The following year, Frederick was removed from the position by RPV's State Central Committee, with the backing of most the senior GOP establishment. Many argued that Frederick's election and later removal was a war within the party between insiders and outsiders (or grassroots versus establishment). After his removal, Frederick considered seeking the chairman job again at the party's 2009 convention, but later declined. On May 30, 2009, the State Convention selected former Fairfax party chairman and current Louisa chairman Pat Mullins to serve as party chair over Bill Stanley, the Frankin County party chairman. Many of Frederick's supporters supported Stanley in that race. Frederick went on to win the Republican nomination for the 36th District state Senate seat in the 2011 election in the primary on August 23, 2011.
Policy positions
While Virginia Republicans take positions on a wide variety of issues, some of the noteworthy ones include:- Religion - the Party creed states, "That faith in God, as recognized by our Founding Fathers, is essential to the moral fiber of the Nation."
- Immigration - offered legislation to limit government services, such as in-state tuition at state colleges, to undocumented residents. State and local law enforcement should cooperate in enforcing immigration laws.
- Transportation - opposed funding transportation needs through increases in taxes and/or fees, offered abusive driver fees as an alternative revenue source; seeks to fund projects through bonds which will be funded from future general funds. The Republican leadership has announced that it will resist any new taxes during the special session called for June 23, 2008 to fund transportation needs. In May 2010, Virginia applied to the Federal Highway AdministrationFederal Highway AdministrationThe Federal Highway Administration is a division of the United States Department of Transportation that specializes in highway transportation. The agency's major activities are grouped into two "programs," the Federal-aid Highway Program and the Federal Lands Highway Program...
to erect tollbooths on I-95 at the North Carolina Border to help finance road maintenance. - Pre-Kindergarten education - opposed Governor Kaine's initiative to fund Pre-K education.
- Handgun control - expanded the rights to carry concealed handguns and eased the process for issuing concealed weapon permits; oppose background checks for weapons purchased at gun shows.
- Judiciary - blocked judicial appointments in the 2007 legislative session.
- Voting rights - defeated "early voting proposals" to allow voters to vote in-person at the County Registrars 45-days before election day
- Tobacco - defeated measures to restrict smoking rights or raise the tax on cigarettes.
- Health care - challenging the federal requirement that all adults have health insurance. The Republican-controlled House of Delegates approved a bill to drop the requirement that sixth grade girls be vaccinated against HPV.
- Arts and culture - the Republican 2010 budget proposal sought to end long-standing state funding of the arts and defunded the Virginia Commission for the Arts. After a conference with the Virginia Senate, the final budget cut the Commission to 16% below its 2009 levels.
- Offshore drilling - supports drilling for oil and gas in federal waters 50 miles off the Virginia coast.
- Public employee pensions - The approved 2010 budget delays payments to the pension fund, effectively borrowing $620 million from the fund while promising to start repaying in 2013 with 7.5% interest. The budget also increases the retirement age for new hires, and recalculates benefits for new hires. New hires will also have to pay a 5% contribution to the pension. However, the state will continue to pay for employee contributions for current employees. A separate bill, HB 610 sponsored by Harry R. Purkey (R), would have placed all new hires on a defined contribution pension plan.
In a special session of the legislature held on April 8, 2009 to consider extending unemployment insurance benefits in order to implement the federal stimulus package, the Republicans voted along party lines, 53 to 46 in the House of Delegates to defeat the proposal. Two Republican delegates from high unemployment districts voted in favor of Kaine's proposal.
Since 1978, each Governor issues an executive order barring discrimination in the state workforce shortly after their inaugurations. The executive orders issued by Governors Warner and Kaine barred discrimination based on 'sexual orientation." However, McDonnell has refused to issue such an order for his administration. On March 10, 2010, in response to public criticism after Attorney General Kenneth T. Cuccinelli wrote an opinion letter invalidating state college policies against employment discrimination, Governor McDonnell issued a directive prohibiting discrimination in the state workforce, including on the basis of sexual orientation. Unlike the prior executive orders, McDonnell's directive does not have the force of law.
On February 16, 2010, Attorney General Kenneth T. Cuccinelli II filed at the United States Environmental Protection Agency
United States Environmental Protection Agency
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is an agency of the federal government of the United States charged with protecting human health and the environment, by writing and enforcing regulations based on laws passed by Congress...
a request to reopen its proceeding regarding EPA's finding that greenhouse gases endanger public health. He also sought judicial review of EPA's finding in federal court. As a result, Virginia joins Texas as the only states seeking to attack the EPA's actions. His press statement explained, "We cannot allow unelected bureaucrats with political agendas to use falsified data to regulate American industry and drive our economy into the ground.”
Governor Robert McDonnell issued a proclamation designating April 2010 as "Confederate
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
History Month" following similar designations by two of his Republican predecessors, George Allen
George Allen (U.S. politician)
George Felix Allen is a former United States Senator from the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the son of former NFL head coach George Allen. Allen served Virginia in the state legislature, as the 67th Governor, and in both bodies of the U.S. Congress, winning election to the Senate in 2000...
and James S. Gilmore. However, the last two governors, who were Democrats, did not designate such a month. Unlike Gilmore's proclamation, which included anti-slavery language, McDonnell left out any mention of slavery, drawing condemnation by the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus and the NAACP.
On September 16, 2010, Bill Howell
William J. Howell
William J. Howell is an American politician of the Republican Party. He is the current Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates...
(R-Stafford), Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates, published an on-line Wall Street Journal editorial advocating an amendment to the United States Constitution
United States Constitution
The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It is the framework for the organization of the United States government and for the relationship of the federal government with the states, citizens, and all people within the United States.The first three...
to give state legislatures the power to repeal federal legislation. Under the proposal, if two-thirds of the state legislatures agree, any federal law enacted by Congress and the President would be nullified or amended. Howell announced that he will introduce legislation in the 2011 General Assembly to advocate such an amendment. The Republicans are pushing the amendment in the 2011 session.
2008 elections
DemocraticDemocratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
presidential nominee Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
won Virginia's 13 electoral votes in the 2008 presidential election
United States presidential election, 2008
The United States presidential election of 2008 was the 56th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on November 4, 2008. Democrat Barack Obama, then the junior United States Senator from Illinois, defeated Republican John McCain, the senior U.S. Senator from Arizona. Obama received 365...
, taking 1.96 million votes (52.6%) to Republican nominee John McCain
John McCain
John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
's 1.73 million votes (46.3%). Democrat Mark Warner soundly defeated Republican Jim Gilmore
Jim Gilmore
James Stuart "Jim" Gilmore III is an American politician from the Commonwealth of Virginia, former 68th Governor of Virginia, and a member of the Republican Party. A native Virginian, Gilmore studied at the University of Virginia, and then served in the U.S. Army as a counterintelligence agent...
in Virginia's U.S. Senate race
United States Senate election in Virginia, 2008
The 2008 United States Senate election in Virginia was held on November 4, 2008. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator John Warner decided to retire instead of seeking a sixth term...
by a margin of 65%-34%. In the House elections
United States House of Representatives elections in Virginia, 2008
The 2008 congressional elections in Virginia were held on November 4, 2008 to determine who would represent the state of Virginia in the United States House of Representatives, coinciding with the presidential and senatorial elections...
, two Republican incumbents, Virgil Goode
Virgil Goode
Virgil Hamlin Goode, Jr. , is an American politician, last serving as a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives. He represented the 5th congressional district of Virginia from 1997 to 2009...
and Thelma Drake
Thelma Drake
Thelma D. Drake was a Member of Congress of the Republican party from the state of Virginia. She was first elected to the United States House of Representatives in November 2004 to represent . She was defeated by Democrat Glenn Nye in 2008.Thelma Drake grew up in Ohio and attended Elyria High School...
, were unseated, with Goode losing to Democrat Tom Perriello
Tom Perriello
Thomas Stuart Price "Tom" Perriello is the former U.S. Representative for , serving from 2009 until 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district includes much of Southside Virginia and stretches north to Charlottesville....
by just 727 votes. Democrat Gerry Connolly
Gerry Connolly
Gerald E. 'Gerry' Connolly is a member of the United States House of Representatives from Virginia's 11th congressional district. He was first elected in 2008. Connolly is a member of the Democratic Party....
took the open seat held by the retiring Republican Tom Davis
Thomas M. Davis
Thomas Milburn "Tom" Davis III was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives, representing Virginia's 11th congressional district in Northern Virginia. Davis was considering a run for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by five-term incumbent and fellow Republican John...
. As a result of the 2008 elections, Democrats took control of both the state's U.S. Senate seats and the state's House delegation.
Special elections
The Republican Party sought to reverse its November 2008 losses in a series of special elections which historically draw low voter turnout. In the January 13 special election to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Delegate Brian Moran to run for Governor, Democrat Charniele Herring became the first African-American woman from Northern Virginia to be elected to the House of Delegates, defeating Republican candidate Joe Murray by 16 votes. She was seated on Jan. 26, following repeated efforts by the Republican caucus to delay her seating until a recount could be completed.Because Gerry Connolly was elected to Congress from the 11th District
Virginia's 11th congressional district
Virginia's Eleventh Congressional District is a U.S. congressional district in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It comprises most of Fairfax County, all of the city of Fairfax, and part of eastern Prince William County...
, a special election was held on February 3 to fill his seat as Chairman of the Fairfax County Board. In that election, about 16% of the registered voters participated, and Democrat Sharon Bulova
Sharon Bulova
Sharon Bulova is currently the chairman of the Fairfax County, Virginia Board of Supervisors after having beaten Republican Pat Herrity in a special election held February 3, 2009. The special election was held to replace fellow Democrat Gerry Connolly who was elected to the US House of...
defeated Republican Pat Herrity
Pat Herrity
Patrick S. "Pat" Herrity is a member of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, representing the Springfield District since being elected November 2007. Herrity is also a certified public accountant and is the Chief Financial Officer of Arrowhead Global Solutions...
by 1,206 votes. Anthony Bedell, chairman of the Fairfax County Republican Party told the Washington Post, "In November, we got our clocks cleaned. Three months later, even in a special this was a squeaker. That's good news for Republicans."
Another special election was held to fill Bulova's Braddock District board seat on March 10. Republican John Cook won the seat by 89 votes.
Statewide elections
Virginia and New JerseyNew Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
were the only states to hold statewide elections in 2009. The Republicans selected their candidates at a State Convention held on May 29–30, 2009 in Richmond. Former Attorney General of Virginia
Attorney General of Virginia
The Attorney General of Virginia is an executive office in the Government of Virginia. Attorneys General are elected for a four-year term in the year following a presidential election . There are no term limits restricting the number of terms someone can serve as Attorney General...
Bob McDonnell
Bob McDonnell
Robert Francis "Bob" McDonnell is an American politician who has been the 71st Governor of Virginia since January 2010. A former lieutenant colonel in the United States Army, McDonnell served in the Virginia House of Delegates from 1993 to 2006 and served as Attorney General of Virginia from 2006...
was nominated for Governor. "His candidacy is part of a Republican renaissance that starts this year in Virginia," said Michael Steele chair of the Republican National Committee. Incumbent Lieutenant Governor
Lieutenant governor
A lieutenant governor or lieutenant-governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction, but is often the deputy or lieutenant to or ranking under a governor — a "second-in-command"...
Bill Bolling
Bill Bolling
William T. "Bill" Bolling is the current Lieutenant Governor of Virginia. Running as a Republican, he was elected twice to the position by defeating his Democratic opponent in both the 2005 and 2009 general elections. He is the first Lieutenant Governor in the Commonwealth of Virginia to serve two...
, who declined to run for governor to avoid a primary fight with McDonnell, defeated Patrick Muldoon for the Lieutenant Governor
Lieutenant Governor of Virginia
The Lieutenant Governor is a constitutional officer of the Commonwealth of Virginia. The Lieutenant Governor is elected every four years along with the Governor and Attorney General. The office is currently held by Republican William T. Bolling. The governor and lieutenant governor are elected...
nomination. State Senator
Senate of Virginia
The Senate of Virginia is the upper house of the Virginia General Assembly. The Senate is composed of 40 Senators representing an equal number of single-member constituent districts. The Senate is presided over by the Lieutenant Governor of Virginia...
Ken Cuccinelli
Ken Cuccinelli
Kenneth Thomas 'Ken' Cuccinelli II is a U.S. politician and the Attorney General of Virginia. From 2002 until January 16, 2010 he was a Republican member of the Senate of Virginia, representing the 37th district in Fairfax County...
, who the Washington Post described as "one of the most conservative members of the General Assembly," defeated John Brownlee
John L. Brownlee
John L. Brownlee is a former United States Attorney for the Western District of Virginia and a former Republican candidate for the office of Attorney General of Virginia.-Personal:...
and David M. Foster for the Attorney General
Attorney General of Virginia
The Attorney General of Virginia is an executive office in the Government of Virginia. Attorneys General are elected for a four-year term in the year following a presidential election . There are no term limits restricting the number of terms someone can serve as Attorney General...
nomination.
All three candidates won handily in the November elections
Virginia elections, 2009
The following offices were up for election in the United States Commonwealth of Virginia in the November 2009 general election:*Three statewide offices – Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General – for four-year terms...
, in a victory for Republicans that was seen as a rebuke of the Democratic Party's policies in the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
and Congress.
House of Delegates elections
All 100 House seats were up for election in 2009. Republicans took nine seats held by Democrats while just one Democrat took a seat held by a Republican, for a net gain of eight seats and a 59-seat majority.Special elections
On January 12, 2010, in a special election for the 37th State Senate district, Democrat Dave W. Marsden beat Republican Steve M. Hunt by a 327 vote margin. In the 8th State Senate district, Republican Jeff L. McWaters beat Democrat William W. "Bill" Fleming by a vote of 78-21%. On March 2, 2010, Democrat Eileen Filler-Corn was elected to fill Marsden's Delegate seat by 37 votes, out of 11,528 cast. Because the vote margin was within 0.5%, the state will pay for a recount. She was sworn in on March 3, 2010 after her opponent dropped his plans to request a recount.Congressional elections
All of the state's 11 U.S. House seats were up for election in 2010 (neither U.S. Senate seat was up for election). Republicans picked up three seats held by Democrats. Auto dealer Scott RigellScott Rigell
Edward Scott Rigell is the U.S. Representative for . He is a member of the Republican Party.-Early life, education, and business career:...
defeated freshman Democratic incumbent Glenn Nye
Glenn Nye
Glenn Carlyle Nye III is the former U.S. Representative for , serving from 2009 until 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party...
53%-42% in the 2nd District
Virginia's 2nd congressional district
Virginia's second congressional district is a U.S. congressional district in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It encompasses all of Accomack and Northampton Counties and the City of Virginia Beach and parts of the cities of Norfolk and Hampton...
. Attorney Robert Hurt
Robert Hurt (Virginia politician)
Robert Hurt is the U.S. Representative for , serving since January 2011. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district stretches from Charlottesville to Southside and west to Bedford and Franklin counties. Prior to joining Congress, Hurt was a state senator and delegate, councilman and...
defeated freshman Democratic incumbent Tom Perriello
Tom Perriello
Thomas Stuart Price "Tom" Perriello is the former U.S. Representative for , serving from 2009 until 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district includes much of Southside Virginia and stretches north to Charlottesville....
51%-47% in the 5th District
Virginia's 5th congressional district
Virginia's fifth congressional district is a United States congressional district in the commonwealth of Virginia. It covers all or part of Greene, Campbell, Bedford, Albermarle, Nelson, Fluvanna, Buckingham, Cumberland, Appomattox, Prince Edward, Charlotte, Lunenburg, Franklin, Henry,...
. And House of Delegates Majority Leader Morgan Griffith
Morgan Griffith
Howard Morgan Griffith is the U.S. Representative for Virginia's 9th congressional district. He is a member of the Republican Party. He was the majority leader of the Virginia House of Delegates and represented the 8th District, serving from 1994 until 2011...
defeated 28-year Democratic incumbent Rick Boucher
Rick Boucher
Frederick Carlyle "Rick" Boucher is the former U.S. Representative for , serving from 1983 until 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party.-Early life, education and career:...
51%-46% in the 9th District
Virginia's 9th congressional district
Virginia's ninth congressional district is a United States congressional district in the commonwealth of Virginia, covering much of the southwestern part of the state. The 9th is Virginia's second-largest district in area, covering 8800.24 square miles . The current representative is Morgan Griffith...
. With the election, Republicans now hold 8 of Virginia's 11 House seats.
After Republicans took control of the U.S. House in the elections, Virginia Republican Eric Cantor
Eric Cantor
Eric Ivan Cantor is the U.S. Representative for Virginia's 7th congressional district, serving since 2001. A member of the Republican Party, he became House Majority Leader when the 112th Congress convened on January 3, 2011...
of the 7th District
Virginia's 7th congressional district
Virginia's Seventh Congressional District is a U.S. congressional district in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The district is currently represented by Republican Congressman Eric Cantor, the current House majority leader, first elected in 2000.-Voting:...
was elected House Majority Leader.
Current elected officials
The Virginia Republican Party controls all three statewide offices and holds a majority in the Virginia House of Delegates. While Republicans control neither U.S. Senate seat, they hold 8 of the state's 11 U.S. House seats.U.S. House of Representatives
- Rob WittmanRob WittmanRobert J. Wittman is the U.S. Representative for , serving since a special election in 2007. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district stretches from the fringes of the Washington suburbs to the Hampton Roads area...
, 1st DistrictVirginia's 1st congressional districtVirginia's first congressional district is a United States congressional district in the commonwealth of Virginia. It is often referred to as "America's First District" as it includes Jamestown, the first English settlement in the New World... - Scott RigellScott RigellEdward Scott Rigell is the U.S. Representative for . He is a member of the Republican Party.-Early life, education, and business career:...
, 2nd DistrictVirginia's 2nd congressional districtVirginia's second congressional district is a U.S. congressional district in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It encompasses all of Accomack and Northampton Counties and the City of Virginia Beach and parts of the cities of Norfolk and Hampton... - Randy ForbesRandy ForbesJames Randy Forbes is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2001. He is a member of the Republican Party.-Early life, education and career:...
, 4th DistrictVirginia's 4th congressional districtVirginia's fourth congressional district is a United States congressional district in the state of Virginia. It covers all or part of the counties of Amelia, Brunswick, Chesterfield, Dinwiddie, Greensville, Isle of Wight, Nottoway, Powhatan, Prince George, Southampton, Sussex, and the cities of... - Robert HurtRobert Hurt (Virginia politician)Robert Hurt is the U.S. Representative for , serving since January 2011. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district stretches from Charlottesville to Southside and west to Bedford and Franklin counties. Prior to joining Congress, Hurt was a state senator and delegate, councilman and...
, 5th DistrictVirginia's 5th congressional districtVirginia's fifth congressional district is a United States congressional district in the commonwealth of Virginia. It covers all or part of Greene, Campbell, Bedford, Albermarle, Nelson, Fluvanna, Buckingham, Cumberland, Appomattox, Prince Edward, Charlotte, Lunenburg, Franklin, Henry,... - Bob GoodlatteBob GoodlatteRobert William "Bob" Goodlatte is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1993. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district is based in Roanoke and also includes Lynchburg, Harrisonburg and Staunton.-Early life, education and career:...
, 6th DistrictVirginia's 6th congressional districtVirginia's sixth congressional district is a United States congressional district in the commonwealth of Virginia. It covers all or part of Shenandoah, Rockingham, Highland, Augusta, Bath, Bedford, Rockbridge, Botetourt, Roanoke and Amherst Counties. The current representative is Bob Goodlatte... - Eric CantorEric CantorEric Ivan Cantor is the U.S. Representative for Virginia's 7th congressional district, serving since 2001. A member of the Republican Party, he became House Majority Leader when the 112th Congress convened on January 3, 2011...
, 7th DistrictVirginia's 7th congressional districtVirginia's Seventh Congressional District is a U.S. congressional district in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The district is currently represented by Republican Congressman Eric Cantor, the current House majority leader, first elected in 2000.-Voting:... - Morgan GriffithMorgan GriffithHoward Morgan Griffith is the U.S. Representative for Virginia's 9th congressional district. He is a member of the Republican Party. He was the majority leader of the Virginia House of Delegates and represented the 8th District, serving from 1994 until 2011...
, 9th DistrictVirginia's 9th congressional districtVirginia's ninth congressional district is a United States congressional district in the commonwealth of Virginia, covering much of the southwestern part of the state. The 9th is Virginia's second-largest district in area, covering 8800.24 square miles . The current representative is Morgan Griffith... - Frank Wolf, 10th DistrictVirginia's 10th congressional districtVirginia's Tenth Congressional District is a U.S. congressional district in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The residents of the 10th District are currently represented by Republican Congressman Frank Wolf, first elected to the 10th's seat in the U.S...
Statewide offices
- Governor: Bob McDonnellBob McDonnellRobert Francis "Bob" McDonnell is an American politician who has been the 71st Governor of Virginia since January 2010. A former lieutenant colonel in the United States Army, McDonnell served in the Virginia House of Delegates from 1993 to 2006 and served as Attorney General of Virginia from 2006...
- Lieutenant GovernorLieutenant Governor of VirginiaThe Lieutenant Governor is a constitutional officer of the Commonwealth of Virginia. The Lieutenant Governor is elected every four years along with the Governor and Attorney General. The office is currently held by Republican William T. Bolling. The governor and lieutenant governor are elected...
: Bill BollingBill BollingWilliam T. "Bill" Bolling is the current Lieutenant Governor of Virginia. Running as a Republican, he was elected twice to the position by defeating his Democratic opponent in both the 2005 and 2009 general elections. He is the first Lieutenant Governor in the Commonwealth of Virginia to serve two... - Attorney GeneralAttorney General of VirginiaThe Attorney General of Virginia is an executive office in the Government of Virginia. Attorneys General are elected for a four-year term in the year following a presidential election . There are no term limits restricting the number of terms someone can serve as Attorney General...
: Ken CuccinelliKen CuccinelliKenneth Thomas 'Ken' Cuccinelli II is a U.S. politician and the Attorney General of Virginia. From 2002 until January 16, 2010 he was a Republican member of the Senate of Virginia, representing the 37th district in Fairfax County...
See also
- Democratic Party of VirginiaDemocratic Party of VirginiaThe Democratic Party of Virginia is based in Richmond in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is affiliated with the national Democratic Party of the United States. The organization is governed by a State Party Plan, which guarantees an open and fair candidate selection process...
- Virginia elections, 2008Virginia elections, 2008In 2008, Virginia for the first time since 1964, cast its electoral college votes for a Democrat. It also elected a United States Senator, members of the United States House of Representatives, and local officers such as county board and school board members....
- Virginia elections, 2009Virginia elections, 2009The following offices were up for election in the United States Commonwealth of Virginia in the November 2009 general election:*Three statewide offices – Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General – for four-year terms...