The 2009 Virginia gubernatorial election was held on November 3, 2009, to elect the next governor of Virginia. The election was held concurrently with other elections for Virginia's statewide offices, the House of Delegates, and other United States offices. Incumbent Democratic Governor Tim Kaine was ineligible to run for re-election, as the Constitution of Virginia prohibits its governors from serving consecutive terms. Republican Bob McDonnell was elected as governor as part of a Republican sweep. Republican Bill Bolling was reelected as lieutenant governor, and Republican Ken Cuccinelli was elected as attorney general. The winners were inaugurated on January 16, 2010, and served until January 11, 2014.

State Senator Creigh Deeds was selected as the Democratic nominee, having defeated former Democratic National Committee Chair Terry McAuliffe and former state Delegate Brian Moran in the Democratic primary election. This was the first contested Democratic primary in two decades. McDonnell, a former state attorney general, was selected at his party's nominating convention. The two major candidates competed in the 2005 Virginia attorney general election, and were in a rematch, but in the Governor's race. McDonnell defeated Deeds in the general election by a margin of 59%–41%, much larger than in the previous attorney general election.

This was the last time until 2021 that a Republican won any statewide election in Virginia. This is also the last time any of the following counties have voted Republican in a statewide race: Albemarle, Fairfax, Prince William, Henrico, Sussex, Brunswick, and the independent city of Suffolk. Additionally, this was the last gubernatorial election in Virginia to be decided by double digits until 2025, and it renains the last time that Republicans did so as of 2026.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Terry McAuliffe, former chairman of the Democratic National Committee and chair of the Hillary Clinton 2008 presidential campaign Creigh Deeds, state senator from Warm Springs Brian Moran, former state delegate from Alexandria

Campaign

The Democratic primary campaign for governor unofficially began on December 13, 2007, when State Senator Creigh Deeds, who ran for attorney general of Virginia in 2005, announced that he would run for the Democratic nomination. State Delegate Brian Moran, brother of Congressman Jim Moran, joined Deeds on January 4, 2008, when he established a political action committee. For the following year (before McAuliffe indicated his intentions to run), Deeds and Moran picked up endorsements and raised money. On January 3, 2009, McLean resident Terry McAuliffe, former chairman of the Democratic National Committee and chairman of Hillary Clinton's 2008 presidential campaign announced that he was also running. The Democratic primary, which took place on June 9, 2009, was the first contested in over twenty years.

Moran received many endorsements from members of the State Democratic Party as well as the mayors of the Hampton Roads area. Deeds picked up support from Northern and Western Virginia, such as the endorsement from U.S. Congressman Rick Boucher. The area of strength for Deeds was concentrated in Western and Southern Virginia, and the area of strength for Moran consisted mostly of Eastern Virginia, with both reaching out to Northern Virginian voters.

The race was close from the beginning, with McAuliffe considered to be a semi-frontrunner due to his lead in the polls and big campaign war chest. However, in the last few weeks of the race, Deeds began to surge in the polls. By election night, June 9, he swept to victory. Deeds spent $14.49 for each vote on the Democratic primary election. McAuliffe spent $68.25 for each vote on the Democratic primary election.

Endorsements

Fundraising Fundraising totals through June 30, 2009, from the Virginia Public Access Project.Virginia Public Access Project

Candidate Raised Spent Cash on hand Creigh Deeds $6,207,528 $3,486,179 $2,721,350 Terry McAuliffe $8,250,507 $8,250,205 $304 Bob McDonnell $73,981 $3,360 $920,623 Brian Moran $4,057,882 $4,034,070 $23,816

Polling Source Dates administered Terry McAuliffe Brian Moran Creigh DeedsSurvey USASurvey USAJune 830%21%42%Public Policy PollingPublic Policy PollingJune 6–726%24%40%Suffolk UniversitySuffolk University June 420%20%27%Daily Kos/Research 2000Daily Kos/Research 2000June 1–326%27%30%Survey USASurvey USAMay 31 – June 235%26%29%Public Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling May 28–3124%22%27%Public Policy PollingPublic Policy PollingMay 19–21, 200929%20%20%Daily Kos/Research 2000Daily Kos/Research 2000 May 18–20, 200936% 22% 13%Survey USASurvey USA May 17–19, 200937% 22% 26%Public Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling May 1–3, 200930% 20% 14%Survey USASurvey USA April 25–27, 200938% 22% 22%Research 2000Research 2000 April 6–8, 2009 19%24% 16%Public Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling March 27–29, 2009 18%22% 15%Public Policy PollingPublic Policy PollingFebruary 28 – March 1, 200921%19%14%Public Policy PollingPublic Policy PollingJanuary 30 – February 1, 200918%18%11%

Results

Republican convention Attorney General Bob McDonnell first announced his intention to run at American Legion's Boys State of Virginia 2007. This was the sixth consecutive Virginian gubernatorial election in which an attorney general ran.

McDonnell was the only Republican candidate to file with the election board before the November 2008 deadline. As a result, there was no Republican Party primary. McDonnell accepted the Republican nomination at a state convention on May 30, 2009, in Richmond. Other potential candidates for the Republican nomination, lieutenant governor Bill Bolling and former senator George Allen, both declined to run.

Chairman of the Republican National Committee Michael Steele had said that the election for governor of Virginia is one of the most important elections for the Republican Party.

General election Deeds and McDonnell both ran for attorney general of Virginia in 2005. McDonnell won by just over 300 votes, in the same election in which Tim Kaine was elected governor with 52% of the vote.

The main themes of the election were the economy, transportation, and jobs.

The first debate was in Hot Springs, Virginia on July 25.

Vice President Joe Biden campaigned for Deeds in Henrico County, Virginia, a suburb of Richmond, Virginia on July 16. Also attending were Richmond Mayor Dwight Clinton Jones, state senator A. Donald McEachin (D-Henrico), and Virginia first lady Anne Holton.

On August 6, President Barack Obama and Governor Tim Kaine campaigned for Deeds in McLean, Virginia.

Deeds is from Bath County, Virginia, a rural area of fewer than 5,000 people, where John McCain received over 55% of the vote. McDonnell is from Virginia Beach, which McCain won with 49.9%.

Fundraising Candidate General elec. raised Total raised R Creigh Deeds (Democrat) $10,057,402 $16,264,930 Robert F McDonnell (Republican) $21,466,436 $21,466,436

Predictions SourceRankingAs of Rothenberg Political Report October 26, 2009

Polling Source Dates administered CreighDeeds (D) BobMcDonnell (R)SurveyUSASurveyUSA October 30 – November 1, 2009 40% 58%Public Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling November 1, 2009 42% 56%Mason-Dixon/Richmond Times-Dispatch October 28–29, 2009 41% 53%Research 2000Research 2000 October 26–28, 2009 44% 54%Center for Community ResearchCenter for Community Research October 21–27, 2009 36% 53%Rasmussen ReportsRasmussen Reports October 27, 2009 41% 54%SurveyUSASurveyUSA October 25–26, 2009 41% 58%Public Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling October 23–26, 2009 40% 55%The Washington PostThe Washington Post October 22–25, 2009 44% 55%Virginia Commonwealth UniversityVirginia Commonwealth University October 21–25, 2009 36% 54%SurveyUSASurveyUSA October 17–19, 2009 40% 59%Public Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling October 16–19, 2009 40% 52%Clarus ResearchClarus Research October 18–19, 2009 41% 49%CNU-Pilot-WVECCNU-Pilot-WVEC October 19, 2009 31% 45%Rasmussen ReportsRasmussen Reports October 12, 2009 43% 50%Mason-Dixon October 6–8, 2009 40% 48%The Washington PostThe Washington Post October 4–7, 2009 44% 53%Survey USASurvey USA October 2–4, 2009 43% 54%Rasmussen ReportsRasmussen Reports September 29, 2009 42% 51%Survey USASurvey USA September 26–28, 2009 41% 55%Public Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling September 25–28, 2009 43% 48%Insider AdvantageInsider Advantage September 23, 2009 44%48%The Washington PostThe Washington Post September 20, 2009 47%51%Research 2000Research 2000 September 14–16, 2009 43%50%Rasmussen ReportsRasmussen ReportsSeptember 16, 2009 46% 48%Clarus Research GroupClarus Research GroupSeptember 16, 2009 37% 42%Survey USASurvey USASeptember 3, 2009 42% 54%Rasmussen ReportsRasmussen ReportsSeptember 1, 2009 42% 51%Public Policy PollingPublic Policy PollingAugust 28–31, 2009 42% 49%The Washington PostWashington PostAugust 16, 2009 40% 47%Rasmussen ReportsRasmussen ReportsAugust 10, 2009 38% 47%Research 2000Research 2000August 3–5, 2009 43% 51%Public Policy PollingPublic Policy PollingJuly 31 – August 3, 2009 37% 51%Survey USASurvey USAJuly 27–28, 2009 40% 55%Rasmussen ReportsRasmussen ReportsJuly 14, 2009 41% 44%Public Policy PollingPublic Policy PollingJune 30 – July 2, 2009 43% 49%Research 2000Research 2000June 15–17, 2009 44% 45%ALRALR June 10–14, 2009 42% 38%Rasmussen ReportsRasmussen Reports June 10, 2009 47% 41%Survey USASurvey USAJune 5 – 7, 2009 43% 47%Survey USAMay 31 – June 2, 2009 43% 44%Research 2000Research 2000 May 18–20, 2009 32% 45%Survey USA May 17–19, 2009 40% 46%Survey USA April 27, 2009 39% 44%Rasmussen ReportsRasmussen Reports April 15, 2009 30% 45%Research 2000 April 6–8, 2009 31% 38%Rasmussen ReportsRasmussen Reports February 4, 2009 30% 39%Rasmussen ReportsRasmussen Reports December 4, 2008 39% 39%Public Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling June 14–16, 2008 27% 32%

with McAuliffe Source Dates administered Terry McAuliffe (D) Bob McDonnell (R)Survey USAMay 31 – June 2, 2009 40% 47%Research 2000 May 18–20, 2009 34% 44%Survey USA May 19, 2009 40% 46%Survey USA April 27, 2009 39% 46%Rasmussen ReportsRasmussen Reports April 15, 2009 33% 45%Research 2000 April 8, 2009 33% 40%Rasmussen Reports February 4, 2009 35% 42%Rasmussen Reports December 4, 2008 36% 41%

with Moran Source Dates administered Brian Moran (D) Bob McDonnell (R)Survey USAMay 31 – June 2, 2009 37% 48%Research 2000 May 18–20, 2009 35% 42%Survey USA May 19, 2009 37% 47%Survey USA April 27, 2009 34% 46%Rasmussen Reports April 15, 2009 34% 44%Research 2000Research 2000 April 8, 2009 36% 37%Rasmussen Reports February 4, 2009 36% 39%Rasmussen ReportsRasmussen Reports December 4, 2008 41% 37%Public Policy Polling June 14–16, 2008 27% 33%

Results

By county and independent city