2021 Virginia lieutenant gubernatorial election explained

Election Name:	2021 Virginia lieutenant gubernatorial election
Country:	Virginia
Type:	presidential
Ongoing:	no
Previous Election:	2017 Virginia lieutenant gubernatorial election
Previous Year:	2017
Next Election:	2025 Virginia lieutenant gubernatorial election
Next Year:	2025
Election Date:	November 2, 2021
Image1:	File:Winsome Sears in November 2021.jpg
Nominee1:	Winsome Sears
Party1:	Republican Party (United States)
Popular Vote1:	1,658,332
Percentage1:	50.71%
Nominee2:	Hala Ayala
Party2:	Democratic Party (United States)
Popular Vote2:	1,608,030
Percentage2:	49.17%
Map Size:	300px
Lieutenant Governor
Before Election:	Justin Fairfax
Before Party:	Democratic Party (United States)
After Election:	Winsome Sears
After Party:	Republican Party (United States)
Time Zone:	EDT

The 2021 Virginia lieutenant gubernatorial election was held on November 2, 2021, to elect the next lieutenant governor of Virginia. Incumbent Democratic Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax was eligible to run for a second term, but instead unsuccessfully ran for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination.^[1] On November 3, Hala Ayala conceded the race,^[2] making Republican Winsome Sears the first black woman to be elected to the lieutenant governorship of Virginia or any statewide office, as well as the first woman elected lieutenant governor in Virginia's history. Sears was also the first Jamaican-American to become a lieutenant governor.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Hala Ayala, member of the Virginia House of Delegates^[3]

Eliminated in primary

• Mark Levine, member of the Virginia House of Delegates and former candidate for Virginia's 8th congressional district in 2014^[4]
• Andria McClellan, Norfolk city councilwoman^[5]
• Sean Perryman, president of the Fairfax County, Virginia NAACP^[6]
• Sam Rasoul, member of the Virginia House of Delegates and nominee for Virginia's 6th congressional district in 2008^[7]
• Xavier Warren, sports agent^[8]

Withdrawn

• Paul Goldman, former chair of the Virginia Democratic Party^[9]
• Elizabeth Guzmán, member of the Virginia House of Delegates^[10] (ran for re-election)
• Kellen Squire, nurse^[11]

Declined

• Justin Fairfax, incumbent lieutenant governor (ran for governor)^[12]

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Hala Ayala	Elizabeth Guzman	Mark Levine	Andria McClellan	Sean Perryman	Sam Rasoul	Xavier Warren	Other	Undecided
Roanoke College^[13]	May 24 – June 1, 2021	637 (LV)	± 3.9%		16%	3%	7%	7%	3%	11%	2%	–		45%
Christopher Newport University^[14]	April 11–20, 2021	806 (LV)	± 3.9%	2%	4%	2%	2%	1%		12%	2%	1%		64%

Results

Republican convention

After months of uncertainty, the Republican Party of Virginia State Central Committee decided to hold an "unassembled convention" to select their nominees for governor, lieutenant governor, and attorney general, as opposed to holding a state run primary. The convention was held May 8 using ranked choice voting.^[15]

Candidates

Nominated at convention

• Winsome Sears, former member of the Virginia House of Delegates (2002–2004), nominee for Virginia's 3rd congressional district in 2004 and write-in candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2018^[16]

Defeated at convention

• Puneet Ahluwalia, business consultant^[17]
• Lance Allen, security company executive^[18]
• Glenn Davis, member of the Virginia House of Delegates and candidate for lieutenant governor in 2017
• Tim Hugo, former member of the Virginia House of Delegates (2003–2020)
• Maeve Rigler, business executive^[19]

Results

Virginia GOP Convention, Lieutenant Governor nominee^[20]											- style="background:#eee; text-align:center;" ! rowspan=2 style="text-align:center;"	Candidate ! colspan=2 style="text-align:center;"	Round 1 ! colspan=2 style="text-align:center;"	Round 2 ! colspan=2 style="text-align:center;"	Round 3 ! colspan=2 style="text-align:center;"	Round 4 ! colspan=2 style="text-align:center;"	Round 5	- ! Votes	% ! Votes	% ! Votes	% ! Votes	% ! Votes	%	- ! scope="row" style="text-align:left;"		4,075.68	32.5%	4,300.11	34.3%	4,626.70	36.9%	5,425.91	43.2%	6,827.89	54.4%	-	- ! scope="row" style="text-align:left;"		2,824.17	22.5%	2,987.20	23.8%	3,184.76	25.4%	3,816.11	30.4%	5,726.11	45.6%	-	- ! scope="row" style="text-align:left;"		2,536.77	20.2%	2,675.44	21.3%	2,838.05	22.6%	3,311.97	26.4% ! colspan=2 style="text-align:center;"	-	- ! scope="row" style="text-align:left;"		1,538.80	12.3%	1701.82	13.6%	1,904.50	15.2% ! colspan=4 style="text-align:center;"	-	- ! scope="row" style="text-align:left;"		818.95	6.5%	889.43	7.1% ! colspan=6 style="text-align:center;"	-	- ! scope="row" style="text-align:left;"		759.62	6.1% ! colspan=8 style="text-align:center;"	-

General election

Polling

Graphical summary

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Hala Ayala (D)	Winsome Sears (R)	Other	Undecided
The Trafalgar Group (R)^[21]	October 29–31, 2021	1,081 (LV)	± 3.0%	47%		50%	1%	2%
Echelon Insights (R)^[22]	October 27–29, 2021	611 (LV)	± 4.0%	46%		48%	–	6%
Roanoke College^[23]	October 14–28, 2021	571 (LV)	± 4.7%		46%	44%	0%	10%
Washington Post/Schar School^[24]	October 20–26, 2021	1,107 (RV)	± 3.5%		48%	44%	3%	3%
		918 (LV)	± 4.0%		50%	46%	1%	3%
Christopher Newport University^[25]	October 17–25, 2021	944 (LV)	± 3.5%		49%	48%	–	3%
Suffolk University^[26]	October 21–24, 2021	500 (LV)	± 4.4%		46%	44%	–	10%
co/efficient (R)^[27]	October 20–21, 2021	785 (LV)	± 3.5%	46%		47%	–	7%
Cygnal (R)^[28]	October 19–21, 2021	816 (LV)	± 3.4%	47%	47%	–	6%
Virginia Commonwealth University^[29]	October 9–21, 2021	722 (LV)	± 6.4%		36%	35%	16%	13%
Data for Progress (D)^[30]	October 4–15, 2021	1,589 (LV)	± 2.0%		47%	42%	3%	8%
Christopher Newport University^[31]	September 27 – October 6, 2021	802 (LV)	± 4.2%		48%	44%	–	8%
Roanoke College^[32]	September 12–26, 2021	603 (LV)	± 4.6%		45%	40%	1%	14%
KAConsulting LLC (R)^[33]	September 17–19, 2021	700 (LV)	± 3.7%		34%	24%	3%		40%
Virginia Commonwealth University^[34]	September 7–15, 2021	731 (LV)	± 6.9%		33%	30%	20%	16%
University of Mary Washington^[35]	September 7–13, 2021	1,000 (A)	± 3.1%	38%	38%	6%	18%
		528 (LV)	± 4.1%	41%		47%	2%	10%
Monmouth University^[36]	August 24–29, 2021	802 (RV)	± 3.5%		43%	42%	2%	14%
Christopher Newport University^[37]	August 15–23, 2021	800 (LV)	± 3.6%		52%	42%	1%	6%
Roanoke College^[38]	August 3–17, 2021	558 (LV)	± 4.2%		42%	36%	2%	20%
Virginia Commonwealth University^[39]	August 4–15, 2021	770 (RV)	± 5.4%		38%	31%	19%	12%
		~747 (LV)	± 5.5%		39%	31%	17%	12%
JMC Analytics and Polling (R)^[40]	June 9–12, 2021	550 (LV)	± 4.2%		42%	36%	–	22%

Results

By congressional district

Sears won 6 of 11 congressional districts, including two that were represented by Democrats.^[41]

District	Ayala	Sears	Representative
		41%	59%		Rob Wittman
		46%	54%		Elaine Luria
		62%	38%		Bobby Scott
		57%	43%		Donald McEachin
		40%	60%		Bob Good
		34%	66%		Ben Cline
		45%	55%		Abigail Spanberger
		73%	27%		Don Beyer
		26%	74%		Morgan Griffith
		52%	47%		Jennifer Wexton
		67%	33%		Gerry Connolly

See also

• 2021 United States gubernatorial elections
• 2021 Virginia gubernatorial election
• 2021 Virginia Attorney General election
• 2021 Virginia House of Delegates election

Notes

Partisan clients

External links

Official campaign websites

• Hala Ayala (D) for Lieutenant Governor
• Winsome Sears (R) for Lieutenant Governor

Notes and References

1. Regardless of who won the election, it would have been the first time in Virginia history that a female became Lieutenant Governor. Web site: Constitution of Virginia – Article V. Executive. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20190423211656/https://law.lis.virginia.gov/constitution/article5/section13/. 2019-04-23. 2019-04-23. law.lis.virginia.gov.
   • Web site: Perry. Eric. Justin Fairfax looking to make run for governor in 2021. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20210202042432/https://www.whsv.com/content/news/Justin-Fairfax-looking-to-make-run-for-governor-in-2021-566348141.html. February 2, 2021. Dec 16, 2020. whsv.com. 19 December 2019 .
   • Web site: Dec 19, 2019. Virginia Lt. Gov. Fairfax announces plan to run for governor in 2021. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20201201045347/https://www.wtkr.com/2019/12/19/virginia-lt-gov-fairfax-announces-plan-to-run-for-governor-in-2021/. December 1, 2020. Dec 16, 2020. WTKR.
   • Web site: Virginia's Lt. Governor Justin Fairfax Is Running For Governor Despite Sexual Assault Allegations. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20210201205328/https://wamu.org/story/19/12/20/virginias-lt-governor-justin-fairfax-is-running-for-governor-despite-sexual-assault-allegations/. February 1, 2021. Dec 16, 2020.
   • Web site: Lt. Gov. Fairfax announces he will run for governor in 2021. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20210130200156/http://richmondfreepress.com/news/2019/dec/27/lt-gov-fairfax-announces-he-will-run-governor-2021/. January 30, 2021. Dec 16, 2020. richmondfreepress.com.
   • Web site: Albiges. Marie. A year ago, a racist photo nearly brought down Virginia's governor. What has changed — and what hasn't?. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20210202112747/https://fredericksburg.com/news/state_region/a-year-ago-a-racist-photo-nearly-brought-down-virginia-s-governor-what-has-changed/article_8cc0d030-4436-11ea-adeb-63b2e47a1e22.html. February 2, 2021. Dec 16, 2020. Fredericksburg.com. 31 January 2020 .
2. Ayala . Hala . Hala Ayala . HalaAyala . 1455943965304315911 . November 3, 2021 . Virginia, from the bottom of my heart, thank you. The results are in, and while they may not be what we had hoped for, this is just the beginning. (1/8) . en . November 9, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211103170429/https://twitter.com/HalaAyala/status/1455943965304315911 . November 3, 2021 . live.
3. News: Olivo . Antonio . Virginia Del. Hala Ayala announces bid for lieutenant governor . Washington Post . en . July 14, 2020 . July 14, 2020 . July 14, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200714145607/https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/virginia-hala-ayala-lieutenant-governor/2020/07/13/9c828cbe-c516-11ea-a99f-3bbdffb1af38_story.html . live .
4. News: Del. Mark Levine joins the crowded race for Virginia lieutenant governor . December 21, 2020 . Vozzella . Laura . . December 28, 2020 . December 22, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201222073743/https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/del-mark-levine-joins-the-crowded-race-for-virginia-lieutenant-governor/2020/12/20/b321e71c-42ed-11eb-975c-d17b8815a66d_story.html . live .
5. News: Vozzella. Laura. Norfolk City Council member Andria McClellan to run for Virginia lieutenant governor. en-US. Washington Post. 2020-12-01. 0190-8286. 2020-12-01. https://web.archive.org/web/20201201155337/https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/norfolk-mcclellan-lieutenant-governor/2020/12/01/ef2c42b6-3357-11eb-8d38-6aea1adb3839_story.html. live.
6. Web site: CAIN. ANDREW. Fairfax NAACP leader Sean Perryman announces Democratic bid for LG. 2020-10-14. Richmond Times-Dispatch. 13 October 2020 . en. 2020-10-16. https://web.archive.org/web/20201016104834/https://richmond.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/fairfax-naacp-leader-sean-perryman-announces-democratic-bid-for-lg/article_645ddf89-17c3-57c1-9151-86be698fda20.html. live.
7. Web site: Domingo. Ida. 2020-10-20. Delegate Sam Rasoul announces candidacy for Virginia Lt. Governor. 2020-10-20. WSET. 2020-11-01. https://web.archive.org/web/20201101090240/https://wset.com/news/local/delegate-sam-rasoul-announces-candidacy-for-virginia-lt-governor. live.
8. Web site: Baylor. Kaicey. 2020-09-22. Pittsylvania County native announces candidacy for Virginia Lt. Governor. 2020-10-05. WSET. 2021-10-07. https://web.archive.org/web/20211007012249/https://wset.com/news/local/pittsylvania-county-native-announces-candidacy-for-lt-governor. live.
9. Web site: Amy. Friedenberger. Paul Goldman drops out of lieutenant governor race. 2021-04-19. Roanoke Times. April 2021 . en. 2021-04-19. https://web.archive.org/web/20210419205516/https://roanoke.com/news/paul-goldman-drops-out-of-lieutenant-governor-race/article_58f9b636-92fa-11eb-aa30-ffb4d50574b9.html. live.
10. Web site: Brown. Bob. Guzman withdraws from lieutenant governor's race, will vie to keep her House seat. 2021-04-17. Richmond Times Dispatch. 17 April 2021 . en. 2021-04-17. https://web.archive.org/web/20210417151500/https://richmond.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/guzman-withdraws-from-lieutenant-governors-race-will-vie-to-keep-her-house-seat/article_682fe84d-5b41-5242-bc8e-787ec0e2296b.html?utm_source=RTD&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=Breaking%20News. live.
11. Web site: Albiges. Marie. Charlottesville's Kellen Squire ends bid for lieutenant governor. 2020-09-10. pilotonline.com. 13 December 2019 . 2020-09-13. https://web.archive.org/web/20200913094428/https://www.pilotonline.com/government/elections/vp-nw-kellen-squire-lieutenant-governor-drops-20191213-xnu7z57axvb4zj2nno4bwpqdry-story.html. live.
12. Web site: 2019-12-19. Virginia Lt. Gov. Fairfax announces plan to run for governor in 2021. 2020-09-10. WTKR. en. 2020-09-10. https://web.archive.org/web/20200910180830/https://www.wtkr.com/2019/12/19/virginia-lt-gov-fairfax-announces-plan-to-run-for-governor-in-2021. live.
13. https://www.roanoke.edu/about/news/rc_poll_democratic_primary_2021 Roanoke College
14. https://cnu.edu/wasoncenter/surveys/archive/2021-04-22.html Christopher Newport University
15. News: Unorthodox Republican contest for Virginia governor breeds confusion, suspicion. en-US. Washington Post. 2021-07-01. 0190-8286. 2021-04-09. https://web.archive.org/web/20210409124342/https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/virginia-gop-convention/2021/04/04/4bfe8fc4-9228-11eb-a74e-1f4cf89fd948_story.html. live.
16. Web site: Ley. Ana. Winsome E. Sears, once a local Republican on the rise, announces bid for lieutenant governor. January 21, 2021. The Virginian Pilot. 21 January 2021 . January 23, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210123035534/https://www.pilotonline.com/government/virginia/vp-nw-winsome-sears-lieutenant-governor-20210121-sabvuccn5jatrk2fbs3jayatzi-story.html. live.
17. Web site: Northern Virginia business consultant Puneet Ahluwalia announces GOP run for LG . September 28, 2020 . Cain . Andrew . . December 28, 2020 . January 30, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210130155652/https://richmond.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/northern-virginia-business-consultant-puneet-ahluwalia-announces-gop-run-for-lg/article_703f5b3d-bf5c-5b3f-a4a4-82d155274195.html . live .
18. News: Crowded field in 2021 Va. lieutenant governor's race . October 5, 2020 . Olivo . Antonio . Vozzella . Laura . . December 28, 2020 . January 1, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210101040159/https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/virginia-lieutenant-governor-race-2021/2020/10/05/f0b5c682-033e-11eb-a2db-417cddf4816a_story.html . live .
19. Web site: 2021 Nomination. 2021-03-26. Republican Party of Virginia. en-US. 2021-03-25. https://web.archive.org/web/20210325070459/https://virginia.gop/2021-nomination/. live.
20. Web site: Virginia GOP Convention, Lieutenant Governor Nominee Ranked Choice Voting Election Results Visualization . rcvis.com . RCVis . May 12, 2021 . May 12, 2021 . May 12, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210512002455/https://rcvis.com/v/va-gop-lt#tabular-candidate-by-round . live .
21. https://www.thetrafalgargroup.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/VA-LG-AG-Nov-Poll-Report.pdf The Trafalgar Group (R)
22. https://60p3co1nax34ovc830mr2sak-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/October-2021-VA-Gov.pdf Echelon Insights (R)
23. https://www.roanoke.edu/documents/rcpoll/RCPoll%20Oct%202021%20Political%20topline.pdf Roanoke College
24. https://context-cdn.washingtonpost.com/notes/prod/default/documents/cb029d2c-c96f-46c1-b933-aa1194961e21/note/8727bdb0-a42b-4e93-a3dd-54667c82c4ce. Washington Post/Schar School
25. https://cnu.edu/wasoncenter/surveys/archive/2021-10-27.html Christopher Newport University
26. https://www.suffolk.edu/-/media/suffolk/documents/academics/research-at-suffolk/suprc/polls/other-states/2021/10_26_2021_marginals.pdf Suffolk University
27. https://www.virginiascope.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/210344-VA-LG-Statewide-10.21.pdf co/efficient (R)
28. https://www.scribd.com/document/534840639/Cygnal-VA-Statewide-Toplines Cygnal (R)
29. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wsxvc49X3M_1TpncW32DURtCgpx0ef6Y/view Virginia Commonwealth University
30. https://www.filesforprogress.org/datasets/2021/10/dfp-va-gov-oct15-crosstabs.pdf Data for Progress (D)
31. https://cnu.edu/wasoncenter/surveys/archive/2021-10-08.html Christopher Newport University
32. https://www.roanoke.edu/about/news/rc_poll_politics_sept_2021 Roanoke College
33. https://www.politico.com/f/?id=0000017c-094e-db91-affd-f95e91ed0000 KAConsulting LLC (R)
34. https://rampages.us/wilderresearch/wp-content/uploads/sites/37363/2021/09/Release-Sept-2021-Election.pdf Virginia Commonwealth University
35. https://www.umw.edu/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2021/09/2021-Survey-Topline-Release-1.pdf University of Mary Washington
36. https://www.monmouth.edu/polling-institute/documents/monmouthpoll_va_083121.pdf Monmouth University
37. https://cnu.edu/wasoncenter/surveys/archive/2021-08-26.html Christopher Newport University
38. https://www.roanoke.edu/about/news/rc_poll_politics_aug_2021 Roanoke College
39. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vkX23KoQD9fGI1vt7P5hheof4BmJaWSG/view Virginia Commonwealth University
40. https://winwithjmc.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Virginia-Statewide-Executive-Summary.pdf JMC Analytics and Polling (R)
41. Web site: Dra 2020 .