1985 Virginia gubernatorial election

Background

During the 1970s the formerly dominant Virginia Democratic Party became severely divided into conservative, moderate and liberal factions. Consequently, the Republican Party, aided by large-scale in-migration from the Northeast to Washington D.C and Richmond suburbs, was, aided by alliances with Democratic conservatives, able to claim the governorship three consecutive times between 1969 and 1977. Indeed, the division in the state Democrats was so bad that they did not nominate a candidate for governor in 1973 — most of the party supported populist Henry Howell, who was mortally feared by the major industries and utilities. The failure of Howell in 1973 and more decisively in 1977 helped mortally weaken the radicalism he stood for, and pushed the state Democratic Party to a centrist path subsequently referred to by the moniker "New Democrats".

Chuck Robb, a son-in-law of former President Lyndon B. Johnson, would win the lieutenant governorship in 1977 with a candid but positive campaign, and regain the governorship in 1981 by placing the party solidly back in the state's mainstream, aided by bitter division inside the state GOP. By 1984, amidst a Democratic presidential election debacle, Robb had become head of the Democratic Governors Association, and had high approval ratings as he prepared to leave office – one poll had his approval rating at 80 percent.

Democratic nomination

Candidates

• Jerry Baliles, Attorney General of Virginia
• Dick Davis, Lieutenant Governor of Virginia Davis, who had apparently been endorsed by the AFL-CIO, would withdraw in June before the primary to unify the party behind Baliles.

Republican nomination

1981 Attorney General nominee Wyatt Durrette was always regarded as the party's front-runner, with his chief rival being Eighth District Congressman Stanford Parris. Although a decision was planned for the last week of May, Parris withdrew at the beginning of that month.

General election

Candidates

• Jerry Baliles, Attorney General of Virginia (Democratic)
• Wyatt Durrette, former State Delegate from Fairfax and 1981 Republican nominee for Attorney General of Virginia (Republican)

Predictions

Results

Results by county or independent city

Analysis

This was the most recent time the Democratic candidate won a gubernatorial race in Virginia with a double-digit margin of victory, until 2025, when Abigail Spanberger won by a double digit margin. It is also the last time, and only time since 1961, that a gubernatorial candidate swept every congressional district in the state, and the last time Amelia County, Bland County, Botetourt County, Clarke County, Fauquier County, Frederick County, Gloucester County, Goochland County, Grayson County, Highland County, King George County, King William County, Madison County, Middlesex County, Orange County, Page County, Patrick County, Rappahannock County, Roanoke County, Russell County, Scott County, Warren County, Washington County, Wythe County, or the independent cities of Bristol and Galax backed a Democrat for Governor. Spotsylvania County, Stafford County, and the independent city of Waynesboro would not back a Democrat for governor again until 2025.

The election attracted press attention for the poor turnout, which was overall the lowest for a gubernatorial election since 1969, and sufficiently low that winning Democrat Baliles polled fewer votes in the state than Walter Mondale had when decisively beaten in the previous years's presidential election. It was the first election since 1961 when the state's electorate was still severely restricted by the poll tax that turnout had fallen from the preceding gubernatorial election. This was widely seen as being substantially due to the Election Day floods, but as the Danville Register and Bee noted, turnout declines were worst in Northern Virginia which was not affected by flooding.

References

References

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5. Peirce, Neal R.. (1975). "The Border South States; people, politics, and power in the five Border South States". Norton.
6. Sweeney, James R.. (2022). "Armageddon Revisited: The 1973 Gubernatorial Election in Virginia". [[Virginia Historical Society]].
7. Fleming, Stephen R.. (January 1978). "Lieutenant Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia".
8. Rozell, Mark J.. (1996). "Second Coming: The New Christian Right in Virginia Politics". [[Johns Hopkins University Press]].
9. From, Al. (2013). "The New Democrats and the Return to Power". [[Palgrave Macmillan]].
10. Rozell. (1996). "Second Coming".
11. Farmer, John J.. (October 31, 1985). "Democrats May Win Top Offices in Virginia Races: One Candidate Black, One Female". [[The Saginaw News]].
12. (June 9, 1985). "Party leaders Praise Democratic Nominees". [[The Roanoke Times]].
13. Bowles, George. (April 19, 1985). "Five Going for the GOP's Gold Ring". [[Suffolk News-Herald]].
14. (May 3, 1985). "Last Week Davis, This Week Parris". [[The Roanoke Times]].
15. Jackman, Frank. (July 19, 1985). "Polls Show State Races Are Close". Danville Register and Bee.
16. Farmer, John J.. (October 27, 1985). "'Liberal' Democratic Gubernatorial Sweep Likely in Conservative Virginia". The Star-Ledger.
17. Clendinen, Dudley. (November 5, 1985). "In Virginia, A Republican Sees Signs of Hope But Polls Do Not". New York Times.
18. Leip, Dave. "1985 Gubernatorial General Election Results – Virginia".
19. "VA Governor – November 05, 1985".
20. Sabato, Larry. (January 1986). "The 1985 Statewide Election in Virginia: History Quietly Writ Large".
21. (November 17, 1985). "Voter Turnout for Election Lowest Since 1969". Danville Register and Bee.