The Importance of the Virginia Gubernatorial Race
Our members and small businesses throughout Virginia are focused on a significant political event this fall – the November 3 gubernatorial election. The race pits former Attorney General Bob McDonnell against state Sen. Creigh Deeds, and is already shaping up to be a battle among two men with extensive involvement in Virginia’s political environment. As one of only two states with a major election in 2009, all eyes will be on Virginia and a race that carries national implications.
The Background
Current Governor Tim Kaine is term-limited. Virginia has seen increasingly competitive elections in recent years, indicating that the race will be tight. And both men have faced off before during the 2005 attorney general race, where McDonnell beat Deeds by only 360 votes.
Even before the parties had elected their candidates, outside groups began running ads in support of or against the contenders. But the race really started to take shape after the June 9th primary. While McDonnell ran unopposed, the Democratic side had three major competitors, and with a last-minute drive, Creigh Deeds beat out Terry McAuliffe, a national political operative, and Brian Moran, a former state delegate, by winning 49.7 percent of the vote.
The Candidates
Both candidates have impressive legislative credentials. In November 2005, McDonnell was elected as the state’s attorney general. Previously he represented the 84th District for 14 years in the Virginia House of Delegates, and while there, he served as the assistant majority leader and chairman of the House Courts of Justice Committee. Additionally, he has a business background, having formerly worked for the American Hospital Supply Corporation.
Deeds was first elected to the House of Delegates in 1991 and is currently a State Senator for the 24th district, which includes Charlottesville. In 2001, he left the House to fill the seat of the late Senator Emily Couric in a special election. Before his work in the state legislature, he attended Concord College and received his law degree from Wake Forest University in 1984.
The Importance
The race will be exciting to watch, but it will also carry national significance. Political parties often use off-year election results to point to momentum going into an election year. History has shown that the opposite party of that which takes the White House wins the gubernatorial race in Virginia the following year. But most importantly, voters are looking for the candidate that will help small businesses on the most crucial issues affecting them – jobs, transportation and taxes. The answer to this could be an important indicator of where 2010 is headed.
Stay tuned to NFIB.com for important news and developments leading up to the election.
Dates to Keep in Mind:
Election Day: November 3. Polls open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Last Day to Register to Vote: October 5
Deadline to Apply for Absentee Ballot by Mail: October 27
Deadline to Apply for Absentee Ballot in Person: October 3
Visit the Virginia State Board of Elections website to register to vote and learn more about the election, or contact them at:
Virginia State Board of Elections
Washington Building, First Floor
1100 Bank Street, Richmond 23219.
Telephone: 804 864-8901
Toll Free: 800 552-9745
Fax: 804 371-0194
