The 2013 Virginia gubernatorial election took place on November 5, 2013, to elect the governor of Virginia. The incumbent governor, Republican Bob McDonnell, was not eligible to run for re-election due to term limits established by the Virginia Constitution. Virginia is the only state that prohibits its governor from serving immediate successive terms.
Three candidates appeared on the ballot for Governor: Republican Ken Cuccinelli, the Attorney General of Virginia; Democrat Terry McAuliffe, a businessman and the former chairman of the Democratic National Committee; and Libertarian Robert Sarvis, a lawyer and businessman.
McAuliffe won the election and was sworn in as governor on January 11, 2014. This was the only Virginia gubernatorial election since 1973 in which the elected governor belonged to the same political party of the president at the time. This was also the first Virginia gubernatorial election since 1965 in which no candidate won an outright majority of the vote.
Candidates
Republican Party
Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling, elected to the post in 2005, made a deal with McDonnell whereby Bolling would run for re-election as lieutenant governor in 2009, enabling McDonnell to run for governor without a primary, in exchange for McDonnell's support in 2013. After the 2009 election, Bolling made no secret of his intention to run for governor in 2013, while Attorney General of Virginia Ken Cuccinelli openly stated that he was considering three options: a run for re-election as attorney general in 2013, running for the U.S. Senate in 2014, and running for governor in 2013. Cuccinelli announced to colleagues on December 1, 2011, that he was indeed running for governor. Bolling responded on the same day that he was disappointed that Cuccinelli decided to challenge him.
Bolling, who was polling poorly against Cuccinelli, withdrew from the race on November 28, 2012. He cited the Republican Party's decision to move to a nominating convention rather than hold a primary. He ruled out running for another term as lieutenant governor and refused to endorse Cuccinelli. Bolling considered running as an independent, but decided against it. Bolling also rejected the possibility of a write-in campaign.
Nominee
Ken Cuccinelli, Attorney General of Virginia
Cuccinelli became the de facto nominee after being the only candidate to file to run by the deadline, and was formally nominated at the state Republican convention on May 18, 2013.
Withdrew
Bill Bolling, Lieutenant Governor of Virginia
Declined
George Allen, former U.S. Senator and former Governor
Thomas M. Davis, former U.S. Representative
Jeff McWaters, state senator
Polling
Democratic Party
Nominee
Terry McAuliffe, businessman and former chairman of the Democratic National Committee (campaign)
On April 2, 2013, the Democratic Party of Virginia certified that McAuliffe was the only candidate to file for the June primary and therefore the Democratic nominee.
Declined
Ward Armstrong, former Minority Leader of the Virginia House of Delegates
Tom Perriello, former U.S. Representative
Chap Petersen, state senator
Mark Warner, U.S. Senator and former Governor
Libertarian Party
Nominee
Robert Sarvis, lawyer, entrepreneur and software developer
On April 21, 2013, the Libertarian Party of Virginia held a special convention and nominated Sarvis as the party's official gubernatorial candidate.
Sarvis' campaign submitted over 17,000 signatures to meet the Virginia State Board of Elections (SBE) requirement of 10,000 valid signatures. On June 26, 2013, the SBE confirmed to Sarvis' campaign that he would be listed on the ballot statewide during the elections this November. This made Sarvis the fourth minor party gubernatorial nominee to get on the Virginia ballot in 40 years.
Write-in candidates
Declared
John Parmele, Jr., navy retiree
Parmele announced his campaign as a write-in candidate in August 2013. Parmele unsuccessfully ran for the Virginia Beach City Council six times. In 2005, he ran as an independent for the 82nd district of the Virginia House of Delegates and lost to incumbent Harry Purkey.