The Virginia Attorney General election of 2013 took place on November 5, 2013, to elect the
Attorney General of Virginia
The attorney general of Virginia is an elected constitutional position that holds an executive office in the government of Virginia. Attorneys general are elected for a four-year term in the year following a presidential election. There are no ter ...
. The
incumbent
The incumbent is the current holder of an official, office or position, usually in relation to an election. In an election for president, the incumbent is the person holding or acting in the office of president before the election, whether seek ...
Attorney General,
Republican
Republican can refer to:
Political ideology
* An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law.
** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...
Ken Cuccinelli
Kenneth Thomas Cuccinelli II ( ; born July 30, 1968) is an American lawyer and politician who served as the Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security from 2019 to 2021. A member of the Republican Party, ...
, did not run for re-election. He was instead his party's nominee in the
2013 gubernatorial election.
On May 18, 2013, a
Republican state convention in
Richmond
Richmond most often refers to:
* Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States
* Richmond, London, a part of London
* Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England
* Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada
* Richmond, California, ...
nominated State Senator
Mark Obenshain
Mark Dudley Obenshain (born June 11, 1962) is an American Attorney at law, attorney and politician. He is currently serving as a member of the Senate of Virginia from Harrisonburg, Virginia, Harrisonburg. He is a member of the Republican Party of ...
over State Delegate
Rob Bell
Robert Holmes Bell Jr. (born August 23, 1970) is an American author, speaker and former pastor. Bell founded Mars Hill Bible Church in Grandville, Michigan, and pastored it until 2012. Under his leadership, Mars Hill was one of the fastest ...
.
The
Democratic primary on June 11, 2013, was won by State Senator
Mark Herring
Mark Rankin Herring (born September 25, 1961) is an American lawyer and politician who served as the 47th Attorney General of Virginia from 2014 to 2022. A Democrat, he previously served in the Senate of Virginia since a 2006 special election, ...
, who defeated former Assistant
United States Attorney
United States attorneys are officials of the U.S. Department of Justice who serve as the chief federal law enforcement officers in each of the 94 U.S. federal judicial districts. Each U.S. attorney serves as the United States' chief federal c ...
Justin Fairfax
Justin Edward Fairfax (born February 17, 1979) is an American lawyer and politician who served as the 41st lieutenant governor of Virginia from 2018 to 2022. A member of the Democratic Party, he is the second African-American elected statewide i ...
.
While the statewide elections for governor and lieutenant governor garnered more national attention, the race for attorney general was the most competitive. 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 him. On November 25, the
Virginia State Board of Elections The Virginia State Board of Elections (SBE) was created in 1946 as a nonpolitical agency responsible for ensuring uniformity, fairness, accuracy and purity in all elections in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The SBE promotes the proper administration ...
certified the results and Herring was declared the winner by 1,103,777 votes to 1,103,612 – a difference of 165 votes out of more than 2.2 million cast, or 0.007%.
After the certification, Obenshain requested a recount, which began on December 16. Obenshain conceded the election on December 18, and later that day, the recount ended with Herring winning by 907 votes, or 0.04%.
Democrats held the Attorney General's office for the first time since 1994, and with Herring's victory, Democrats held all five statewide offices – including both U.S. Senate seats – for the first time since 1970.
Republican nomination
Candidates
Nominated at convention
*
Mark Obenshain
Mark Dudley Obenshain (born June 11, 1962) is an American Attorney at law, attorney and politician. He is currently serving as a member of the Senate of Virginia from Harrisonburg, Virginia, Harrisonburg. He is a member of the Republican Party of ...
, state senator
Defeated at convention
*
Rob Bell
Robert Holmes Bell Jr. (born August 23, 1970) is an American author, speaker and former pastor. Bell founded Mars Hill Bible Church in Grandville, Michigan, and pastored it until 2012. Under his leadership, Mars Hill was one of the fastest ...
, state delegate
[
]
Withdrew
* John Frey, Fairfax County
Fairfax County, officially the County of Fairfax, is a county in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is part of Northern Virginia and borders both the city of Alexandria and Arlington County and forms part of the suburban ring of Washington, D.C. ...
Clerk of the Circuit Court
Democratic primary
Candidates
Declared
* Justin Fairfax
Justin Edward Fairfax (born February 17, 1979) is an American lawyer and politician who served as the 41st lieutenant governor of Virginia from 2018 to 2022. A member of the Democratic Party, he is the second African-American elected statewide i ...
, former Assistant United States Attorney
United States attorneys are officials of the U.S. Department of Justice who serve as the chief federal law enforcement officers in each of the 94 U.S. federal judicial districts. Each U.S. attorney serves as the United States' chief federal c ...
* Mark Herring
Mark Rankin Herring (born September 25, 1961) is an American lawyer and politician who served as the 47th Attorney General of Virginia from 2014 to 2022. A Democrat, he previously served in the Senate of Virginia since a 2006 special election, ...
, state senator[
]
Withdrew
* Michael Signer
Michael Signer is an American attorney, author,
and politician who served as mayor of Charlottesville, Virginia.
Early life and education
Signer is the son of Marjorie B. Signer, a communications director, and Robert Signer, a newspaper assignm ...
, attorney and candidate for lieutenant governor
A lieutenant governor, lieutenant-governor, or vice governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction. Often a lieutenant governor is the deputy, or lieutenant, to or ranked under a governor — a "second-in-comm ...
in 2009
Declined
* Ward Armstrong
Ward Lynn Armstrong (born June 2, 1956 in Bassett, Virginia) is an American trial lawyer and Democratic politician. He served in the Virginia House of Delegates from 1992 to 2011, and served as the minority leader from 2007 to 2011.
Electora ...
, former Minority Leader of the Virginia House of Delegates
The Virginia House of Delegates is one of the two parts of the Virginia General Assembly, the other being the Senate of Virginia. It has 100 members elected for terms of two years; unlike most states, these elections take place during odd-numbe ...
Polling
Results
General election
Endorsements
Predictions
Polling
Initial results
Recount
It was widely reported that a recount was expected after the results were certified on November 25, 2013. According to the Virginia Board of Elections rules, as updated for the November 2013 election: "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." This race is the second of the past three Virginia attorney general elections to go to a recount. In the 2005 race, Bob McDonnell
Robert Francis McDonnell (born June 15, 1954) is an American attorney, businessman, politician, and former military officer who served as the 71st governor of Virginia from 2010 to 2014. His career ended after his corruption scandal and convic ...
won by 360 votes, with the result certified in December.
Results
See also
* 2013 Virginia elections
* 2013 Virginia gubernatorial election
* 2013 Virginia lieutenant gubernatorial election
* 2013 United States gubernatorial elections
References
{{2013 United States elections
2013 Virginia elections
2013
File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fact ...
Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...