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The Virginia Attorney General election of 2013 took place on November 5, 2013, to elect the Attorney General of Virginia. The incumbent Attorney General, Republican Ken Cuccinelli, was the Republican nominee in the 2013 gubernatorial election.
On May 18, 2013, a Republican state convention in Richmond nominated State Senator Mark Obenshain over State Delegate Robert B. Bell. The Democratic primary on June 11, 2013 was won by State Senator Mark Herring, who defeated former Assistant United States Attorney Justin Fairfax.
While the statewide elections for governor and lieutenant governor garnered more national attention, the race for attorney general was the most competitive and as of November 14, the Virginia State Board of Elections reported Herring was ahead in the unofficial results. Obenshain had an election night lead of 1,200 votes. In the following days, as provisional ballots were counted, Herring narrowed the lead and ultimately overtook Obenshain. The Virginia State Board of Elections reported that Herring led Obenshain by 1,103,777 votes to 1,103,613 - a difference of 164 votes out of more than 2.2 million cast. The results are expected to be certified on November 25.
While Herring declared victory, Obenshain did not concede or indicate if he intended to request a recount.
Republican nomination
Main article: Republican Party of Virginia convention, 2013Candidates
Nominated at convention
- Mark Obenshain, State Senator
Defeated at convention
- Robert B. Bell, State Representative
Withdrew
- John Frey, Fairfax County Clerk of the Circuit Court
Democratic primary
Candidates
Declared
- Justin Fairfax, former Assistant United States Attorney
- Mark Herring, State Senator
Withdrew
- Mike Signer, attorney and candidate for lieutenant governor in 2009
Declined
- Ward Armstrong, former minority leader of the Virginia House of Delegates
Polling
| Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size |
Margin of error |
Justin Fairfax |
Mark Herring |
Other | Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public Policy Polling | May 24–26, 2013 | 322 | ± 5.5% | 19% | 22% | — | 59% |
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Mark Herring | 72,861 | 51.66% | ||
| Democratic | Justin Fairfax | 68,177 | 48.34% | ||
| Majority | 4,684 | 3.32% | |||
| Turnout | 141,038 | ||||
General election
Endorsements
Mark Herring- Current and former statewide politicians
- Newspapers
- Organizations
- Virginia Police Benevolent Association
- Elected Officials
- Bill Chase, independent Culpeper County Supervisor
- Marty Williams, former Republican state senator
- Others
- John Brownlee, former United States Attorney for the Western District of Virginia and 2009 candidate for the Republican nomination for Attorney General
- Newspapers
- Organizations
- Virginia Fraternal Order of Police
Polling
| Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size |
Margin of error |
Mark Obenshain (R) |
Mark Herring (D) |
Other | Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public Policy Polling | November 2–3, 2013 | 870 | ± 3.3% | 45% | 47% | — | 8% |
| Christopher Newport University | October 25–30, 2013 | 1,038 | ± 3% | 45% | 43% | — | 12% |
| Public Policy Polling | October 26–27, 2013 | 709 EV | ± 3.6% | 42% | 54% | — | 3% |
| Hampton University | October 24, 26–27, 2013 | 800 | ± 2.9% | 45% | 39% | — | 16% |
| Washington Post/Abt SRBI | October 24–27, 2013 | 762 | ± 4.5% | 46% | 49% | — | 4% |
| Roanoke College | October 21–27, 2013 | 838 | ± 3.4% | 35% | 46% | — | 20% |
| Christopher Newport University | October 8–13, 2013 | 753 | ± 3.6% | 46% | 45% | — | 9% |
| Watson Center | October 1–6, 2013 | 886 | ± 3.1% | 42% | 45% | — | 14% |
| Roanoke College | September 30 – October 5, 2013 | 1,046 | ± 3% | 38% | 35% | — | 26% |
| Hampton University | September 25–29, 2013 | 800 | ± 2.9% | 41% | 37% | — | 23% |
| University of Mary Washington | September 25–29, 2013 | 559 | ± 4.7% | 42% | 36% | 6% | 16% |
| Washington Post/Abt SRBI | September 19–22, 2013 | 562 | ± 5% | 42% | 45% | — | 14% |
| Conquest Communications | September 19, 2013 | 400 | ±5% | 35.8% | 24.5% | — | 39.8% |
| NBC/Marist | September 17–19, 2013 | 546 | ± 3% | 34% | 39% | — | 26% |
| Roanoke College | September 9–15, 2013 | 874 | ± 3.3% | 31% | 33% | — | 34% |
| Public Policy Polling | July 11–14, 2013 | 601 | ± 4% | 36% | 38% | — | 25% |
| Roanoke College | July 8–14, 2013 | 525 | ± 4.3% | 33% | 29% | — | 38% |
| Public Policy Polling | May 24–26, 2013 | 672 | ± 3.8% | 32% | 33% | — | 34% |
|
Hypothetical polling | ||||||||||||||||
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Preliminary results
It has been widely reported that a recount is expected after the results are certified on November 25, 2013. According to the Virginia Board of Elections rules, as updated for the November 2013 election:
"In Virginia, there are no automatic recounts. Only an apparent losing candidate can ask for a recount, and only if the difference between the apparent winning candidate and that apparent losing candidates is not more than one percent (1%) of the total votes cast for those two candidates."
A recount would make the race the second of the past three Virginia attorney general elections to be decided in that manner. In the 2005 race, Bob McDonnell won by 360 votes, with the result certified in December.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Mark Herring | 1,103,777 | 49.89% | +7.60% | |
| Republican | Mark Obenshain | 1,103,613 | 49.88% | −7.63% | |
| Write-ins | 4,962 | 0.22% | +0.13% | ||
| Majority | 164 | 0.01% | |||
| Turnout | 2,212,316 | ||||
| Democratic gain from Republican | Swing | ||||
See also
- Virginia elections, 2013
- Virginia gubernatorial election, 2013
- Virginia lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2013
- United States gubernatorial elections, 2013
References
- Schmidt, Markus and Jim Nolan (May 18, 2013). "Virginia GOP convention: Obenshain nominee for AG". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved May 18, 2013.
- ^ Schmidt, Markus (June 12, 2013). "Northam, Herring complete Democratic ticket". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved June 12, 2013.
- "Unofficial Results - General Election - November 5, 2013". VSBE. November 14, 2013. Retrieved November 18, 2013.
{{cite news}}: Check|url=value (help) - Brett logiurato (November 13, 2013). "The Most Exciting Election In America Is Coming Down To The Wire". Business Insider. Retrieved November 13, 2013.
- ^ "Virginia Board of Elections - Election Night Results". November 7, 2013. Retrieved November 7, 2013.
- Rogers, Alex (November 13, 2013). "With 164 Vote Attorney General Victory, Virginia Democrats Sweep State". Time Magazine. Swampland. Retrieved November 12, 2013.
- "Mark Obenshain prepares next steps in Attorney General vote count". wjla.com. November 13, 2013. Retrieved November 13, 2013.
- Nikki Kahn (November 6, 2013). "Herring, Obenshain in dead heat in Virginia attorney general's race; recount expected". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved November 6, 2013.
- Nolan, Jim (December 3, 2011). "Obenshain announces interest in attorney general seat". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved October 21, 2012.
- ^ Kumar, Anita (July 24, 2012). "Sen. Mark Herring to run for attorney general in 2013". The Washington Post. Retrieved July 24, 2012.
- "Republican John Frey withdrawing from Virginia's attorney general race". The Washington Post. November 27, 2012. Retrieved November 28, 2012.
- Wilson, Todd Allen (September 14, 2012). "3rd Dem enters 2013 A.G. race". The Daily Press. Retrieved October 21, 2012.
- Walker, Julian (November 15, 2012). "Signer (D) declines AG bid, endorses Herring". The Virginian-Pilot. Retrieved November 28, 2012.
- Sluss, Michael (December 3, 2012). "Former Del. Ward Armstrong won't run statewide in 2013". The Roanoke Times. Retrieved December 23, 2012.
- "Race details at". Ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved November 16, 2013.
- Herring for attorney general The Virginian Pilot September 10, 2013
- Virginia endorsements: Ralph Northam and Mark Herring The Washington Post October 15, 2013
- "The Virginia Police Benevolent Association announces endorsement of Mark Herring for Attorney General". Sspba.org. August 30, 2013. Retrieved November 16, 2013.
- Chase endorses Obenshain Star-Exponent October 5, 2013
- Mark Obenshain snags endorsement of former Newport News senator Marty Williams Daily Press September 10, 2013
- Obenshain endorsed by former AG candidate PilotOnline.com February 15, 2013
- Editorial: Obenshain for AG Richmond Times-Dispatch October 20, 2013
- For attorney general: Obenshain The Richmond Times October 30, 2013
- Obenshain: The experience to solve problems Richmond Times-Dispatch October 24, 2013
- "Commonwealth of Virgina State Board of Elections. Virginia Election Recounts and Contests -- The Basics" (PDF). November 7, 2013. Retrieved November 15, 2013.
- "Herring, Obenshain may face recount in Va. AG's race; December outcome likely". The Washington Post. November 6, 2013. Retrieved November 8, 2013.
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