The Stage Is Set for Battleground Virginia 2017

After a primary on Tuesday that defied expectations, Virginia has its candidates for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Attorney General in 2017. Virginia is one of two states that holds elections every year (the other is New Jersey), and this year will have important consequences. As we detailed in March, political analysts will be watching Virginia very closely this year as a barometer for how voters are feeling about the Trump administration and as a bellwether for the 2018 midterm elections. Virginia was reliably red for decades but began shifting to a purple state in the 2000s. Barack Obama won the state in

Near-Upset in Virginia as GOP Primary Ends in Photo Finish

Politics is never boring in Virginia — a battleground state which is one of just two states that has elections every year — and last night’s primaries were no exception. (For some background on the races, read our preview from March.) Ed Gillespie narrowly defeated Corey Stewart to secure the Republican nomination for governor. Gillespie, former chairman of the Republican National Committee and Counselor to the President under George W. Bush, defeated Corey Stewart, chairman of the Prince William County Board of Supervisors and hardcore Donald Trump loyalist, by a razor-thin margin of 1.2 percent. It was a surprisingly close

Battleground 2017: A Rundown on This Year’s Biggest Elections

As I wrote last week, Virginia’s statewide elections this November will be a critical bellwether on how voters are feeling about Donald Trump, the Republican White House, and the Republican agenda. Democrats will pour millions of dollars into the race, seeking to test their message in a purple state before the 2018 midterm elections. Republicans will be looking for a stamp of approval of their first year in control that will fuel their attempts to build their U.S. Senate majority in 2018. Political observers will be watching Virginia very closely. Virginia was a red state for decades, but demographic changes