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Ralph Northam and Ed Gillespie Beat Upstarts in Virginia Governor Primaries Ed Gillespie and Ralph Northam Beat Upstarts in Virginia Governor Primaries
(35 minutes later)
ARLINGTON, Va. — The former Republican National Committee chairman Ed Gillespie barely survived an anti-establishment scare to claim the Republican nomination for governor of Virginia on Tuesday, according to The Associated Press. He will face Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam in a November clash that may test how much of a burden President Trump is among moderate voters, who are deeply contemptuous of the president.ARLINGTON, Va. — The former Republican National Committee chairman Ed Gillespie barely survived an anti-establishment scare to claim the Republican nomination for governor of Virginia on Tuesday, according to The Associated Press. He will face Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam in a November clash that may test how much of a burden President Trump is among moderate voters, who are deeply contemptuous of the president.
With all but one precinct reporting early Wednesday, Mr. Gillespie was leading by about 4,300 votes, or about 1.2 percent, over Corey Stewart, the chairman of the Prince William County Board of Supervisors, with all but three of the state’s precincts reporting. The threshold for a recount in Virginia is a margin of less than 1 percent of the total votes cast. With all but one precinct reporting early Wednesday, Mr. Gillespie was leading by about 4,300 votes, or about 1.2 percent, over Corey Stewart, the chairman of the Prince William County Board of Supervisors. The threshold for a recount in Virginia is a margin of less than 1 percent of the total votes cast.
The unexpectedly narrow outcome illustrated Mr. Trump’s enduring appeal among conservatives.The unexpectedly narrow outcome illustrated Mr. Trump’s enduring appeal among conservatives.
Emulating the president’s incendiary style by railing against political correctness and vowing to protect the state’s Confederate monuments, Mr. Stewart defeated Mr. Gillespie in a number of rural counties. It was a deeply embarrassing night for Mr. Gillespie, who greatly outspent Mr. Stewart and entered the primary with significant name recognition after barely losing a challenge to Senator Mark Warner, a Democrat, just three years ago. Emulating the president’s incendiary style by railing against political correctness and vowing to protect the state’s Confederate monuments, Mr. Stewart defeated Mr. Gillespie in a number of rural counties. It was a deeply embarrassing night for Mr. Gillespie, who greatly outspent Mr. Stewart and entered the primary with significant name recognition after barely losing a challenge to Senator Mark Warner, a Democrat, three years ago.
Mr. Stewart embraced the president and assailed Mr. Gillespie in harsh terms, calling him “Establishment Ed,” in much the same way Mr. Trump did to his rivals in last year’s Republican primary. And Mr. Gillespie kept his distance from the president, rarely stating his name and, when pressed by Mr. Stewart, saying only that he had supported the party’s “ticket” in 2016. Mr. Stewart embraced the president and assailed Mr. Gillespie, 55, in harsh terms, calling him “Establishment Ed,” in much the same way Mr. Trump gave derisive nicknames to his rivals in last year’s Republican primary. And Mr. Gillespie kept his distance from the president, rarely stating his name and, when pressed by Mr. Stewart, saying only that he had supported the party’s “ticket” in 2016.
Making the best of the situation, Mr. Gillespie joked to supporters in Richmond late Tuesday, “Obviously we did not waste a penny.”Making the best of the situation, Mr. Gillespie joked to supporters in Richmond late Tuesday, “Obviously we did not waste a penny.”
On the Democratic side, Mr. Northam handily defeated Tom Perriello, a former congressman, who entered the race unexpectedly at the start of the year and mounted an aggressive insurgent campaign that upset the state’s Democratic establishment.On the Democratic side, Mr. Northam handily defeated Tom Perriello, a former congressman, who entered the race unexpectedly at the start of the year and mounted an aggressive insurgent campaign that upset the state’s Democratic establishment.
But the threat roused Mr. Northam, 57, a mild-mannered physician. He amplified his language against Mr. Trump, calling the president “a narcissistic maniac.” And he effectively harnessed the support of every statewide elected Democrat, won a handful of other influential endorsements and spent millions on television ads to repel Mr. Perriello.But the threat roused Mr. Northam, 57, a mild-mannered physician. He amplified his language against Mr. Trump, calling the president “a narcissistic maniac.” And he effectively harnessed the support of every statewide elected Democrat, won a handful of other influential endorsements and spent millions on television ads to repel Mr. Perriello.
The surprisingly close Republican contest foreshadowed Mr. Gillespie’s quandary heading into the general election: how to handle a president who remains broadly popular on the right but is politically toxic among the broader electorate in Virginia, the only Southern state carried by Hillary Clinton.The surprisingly close Republican contest foreshadowed Mr. Gillespie’s quandary heading into the general election: how to handle a president who remains broadly popular on the right but is politically toxic among the broader electorate in Virginia, the only Southern state carried by Hillary Clinton.
Mr. Northam begins the general election with an advantage in large part because of Mr. Trump. Nearly 60 percent of Virginia independents disapprove of Mr. Trump, according to a Washington Post poll last month. Virginia is increasingly diverse, especially in its vote-rich urban crescent from the Washington suburbs to Hampton Roads, and it has been drifting away from Republicans, who have not won a statewide election here since 2009.Mr. Northam begins the general election with an advantage in large part because of Mr. Trump. Nearly 60 percent of Virginia independents disapprove of Mr. Trump, according to a Washington Post poll last month. Virginia is increasingly diverse, especially in its vote-rich urban crescent from the Washington suburbs to Hampton Roads, and it has been drifting away from Republicans, who have not won a statewide election here since 2009.
Mr. Trump has further widened the political gulf in a state that was already culturally cleaved among Appalachia, the traditional South and the fast-growing Middle Atlantic. Mr. Gillespie will have to try to forge a delicate coalition that melds pro-Trump rural conservatives with anti-Trump suburbanites.Mr. Trump has further widened the political gulf in a state that was already culturally cleaved among Appalachia, the traditional South and the fast-growing Middle Atlantic. Mr. Gillespie will have to try to forge a delicate coalition that melds pro-Trump rural conservatives with anti-Trump suburbanites.
Democrats here are plainly energized about sending a message to Mr. Trump: Turnout spiked from the last time they had a contested primary for governor and was substantially higher than in the Republican race. After Mr. Perriello, 42, entered the race with slashing speeches against the president, Mr. Northam saw how voters were responding and began speaking out more fiercely. By the end of the campaign, both Democrats were releasing commercials attacking Mr. Trump.Democrats here are plainly energized about sending a message to Mr. Trump: Turnout spiked from the last time they had a contested primary for governor and was substantially higher than in the Republican race. After Mr. Perriello, 42, entered the race with slashing speeches against the president, Mr. Northam saw how voters were responding and began speaking out more fiercely. By the end of the campaign, both Democrats were releasing commercials attacking Mr. Trump.
Now some Republicans fear that Mr. Northam, an Army veteran from the state’s Eastern Shore, could be difficult to attack as a dogmatic liberal. In fact, he said earlier this year that he had voted twice for former President George W. Bush, for whom Mr. Gillespie worked in the White House.Now some Republicans fear that Mr. Northam, an Army veteran from the state’s Eastern Shore, could be difficult to attack as a dogmatic liberal. In fact, he said earlier this year that he had voted twice for former President George W. Bush, for whom Mr. Gillespie worked in the White House.
Mr. Northam’s primary victory was a sign that institutional advantages still mattered in an increasingly diffuse political era, at least in a statewide election.Mr. Northam’s primary victory was a sign that institutional advantages still mattered in an increasingly diffuse political era, at least in a statewide election.
A former state senator with rural roots and the accent to match, Mr. Northam had the support of the state’s teacher’s union and won a coveted late endorsement from The Washington Post.A former state senator with rural roots and the accent to match, Mr. Northam had the support of the state’s teacher’s union and won a coveted late endorsement from The Washington Post.
He was joined on the final weekend before the election by three popular Virginia Democrats: Gov. Terry McAuliffe and Senators Tim Kaine and Mr. Warner. He had the support of every Democrat in the state’s General Assembly, raised more money than Mr. Perriello and outspent him on television in the race’s last weeks. Projecting a campaign of continuity, he was joined on the final weekend before the election by three popular Virginia Democrats: Gov. Terry McAuliffe and Senators Tim Kaine and Mr. Warner. He had the support of every Democrat in the state’s General Assembly, raised more money than Mr. Perriello and outspent him on television in the race’s last weeks.
Mr. Perriello enjoyed support from two of the country’s most prominent progressives, Senators Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, but he found little success in the most heavily populated parts of the state and was thrashed in liberal northern Virginia. He was hurt partly because he was little-known outside his Charlottesville-anchored district, but also because he had taken a more conservative tack on abortion rights and gun control during his single term in Congress. Mr. Perriello enjoyed support from two of the country’s most prominent progressives, Senators Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, but he found little success in the most heavily populated parts of the state and was thrashed in liberal Northern Virginia. He was hurt partly because he was little known outside his Charlottesville-anchored district, but also because he had taken a more conservative tack on abortion rights and gun control during his single term in Congress.
There was not supposed to be a Democratic race here at all. Mr. McAuliffe, who by state law cannot run for re-election, and every other Democrat elected statewide rallied behind Mr. Northam last year.There was not supposed to be a Democratic race here at all. Mr. McAuliffe, who by state law cannot run for re-election, and every other Democrat elected statewide rallied behind Mr. Northam last year.
But after Mr. Trump’s election, Mr. Perriello, who lost his seat in the House in 2010 and worked for the State Department under President Barack Obama, stunned Virginia’s political establishment by declaring his candidacy. He focused his gaze more on Washington than on Richmond, the state capital, seeming to seize on every controversy facing the Trump administration and eventually calling for the president’s impeachment.But after Mr. Trump’s election, Mr. Perriello, who lost his seat in the House in 2010 and worked for the State Department under President Barack Obama, stunned Virginia’s political establishment by declaring his candidacy. He focused his gaze more on Washington than on Richmond, the state capital, seeming to seize on every controversy facing the Trump administration and eventually calling for the president’s impeachment.
Mr. Perriello’s steady focus on Mr. Trump unsettled some of the more cautious Democrats in Virginia, but it won him attention and money beyond the state’s borders.Mr. Perriello’s steady focus on Mr. Trump unsettled some of the more cautious Democrats in Virginia, but it won him attention and money beyond the state’s borders.
Stirred by the threat of losing a nomination he thought was his, Mr. Northam pivoted from stockpiling money from Virginia’s business community to wooing the left. He courted African-American voters, who appeared to strongly support him on Tuesday, and engaged in a back-channel campaign to ensure Mr. Obama’s neutrality in the race.Stirred by the threat of losing a nomination he thought was his, Mr. Northam pivoted from stockpiling money from Virginia’s business community to wooing the left. He courted African-American voters, who appeared to strongly support him on Tuesday, and engaged in a back-channel campaign to ensure Mr. Obama’s neutrality in the race.
Mr. Northam called Eric H. Holder Jr., Mr. Obama’s friend and former attorney general, to note that he had supported Mr. Obama’s candidacy in another hotly contested Democratic primary here: his 2008 race for the presidential nomination against Mrs. Clinton.Mr. Northam called Eric H. Holder Jr., Mr. Obama’s friend and former attorney general, to note that he had supported Mr. Obama’s candidacy in another hotly contested Democratic primary here: his 2008 race for the presidential nomination against Mrs. Clinton.