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1989 Virginia gubernatorial election
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| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| election_name | 1989 Virginia gubernatorial election |
| country | Virginia |
| type | Presidential |
| ongoing | no |
| previous_election | 1985 Virginia gubernatorial election |
| previous_year | 1985 |
| turnout | 66.5% (voting eligible) |
| next_election | 1993 Virginia gubernatorial election |
| next_year | 1993 |
| election_date | November 7, 1989 |
| image1 | File:D.Wilder S.Senate poster (cropped).jpg |
| image_size | 150x150px |
| nominee1 | Douglas Wilder |
| party1 | Democratic Party (United States) |
| popular_vote1 | 896,936 |
| percentage1 | 50.13% |
| image2 | File:Marshall Coleman 1976.jpg |
| nominee2 | Marshall Coleman |
| party2 | Republican Party (United States) |
| popular_vote2 | 890,195 |
| percentage2 | 49.76% |
| map_image | |
| map_caption | Wilder: |
| Coleman: | |
| title | Governor |
| before_election | Jerry Baliles |
| before_party | Democratic Party (United States) |
| after_election | Douglas Wilder |
| after_party | Democratic Party (United States) |
Coleman:
The 1989 Virginia gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1989. Incumbent Democratic governor Jerry Baliles was unable to seek a second term due to term limits. Democratic nominee and Lieutenant Governor L. Douglas Wilder went against former attorney general of Virginia J. Marshall Coleman in one of the closest elections in Virginia history. Upon taking the oath of office in January 1990, Governor Wilder became the first African-American governor of Virginia, the first African-American governor of any state since Reconstruction more than one hundred years earlier, and the first African-American elected as the governor of a U.S. state in a fully open election, as opposed to the unusual circumstances under which the Reconstruction governors were chosen.
This remains the last election in which a party won the governorship for a third consecutive term, and the last when Giles County backed a Democrat for Governor.
Coleman's perception as being far-right on the issue of abortion was a major deciding factor in swinging independents to Wilder in the election, which otherwise found little ideological separation between two candidates from the respective centrist wings of their parties.
Republican primary
Candidates
- J. Marshall Coleman, former attorney general of Virginia and 1981 nominee for governor
- Stanford Parris, U.S. representative from Fairfax Station
- Paul S. Trible, Jr., former U.S. senator
General election
Candidates
- J. Marshall Coleman, former attorney general of Virginia and 1981 nominee for governor (Republican)
- L. Douglas Wilder, Lieutenant Governor of Virginia and former state senator from Richmond (Democratic)
Results
Results by county and city
| County | Wilder | Votes | Coleman | Votes | Others | Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accomack | 44.9% | 4,767 | 55.0% | 5,838 | 0.0% | 3 |
| Albemarle | 51.7% | 10,743 | 48.1% | 9,998 | 0.2% | 35 |
| Alexandria | 68.0% | 22,451 | 31.8% | 10,493 | 0.2% | 77 |
| Alleghany | 49.7% | 2,313 | 50.3% | 2,342 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Amelia | 43.8% | 1,509 | 56.2% | 1,937 | 0.1% | 2 |
| Amherst | 44.6% | 4,000 | 55.4% | 4,965 | 0.0% | 4 |
| Appomattox | 47.9% | 2,321 | 52.1% | 2,528 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Arlington | 67.1% | 35,716 | 32.8% | 17,452 | 0.1% | 44 |
| Augusta | 30.7% | 4,502 | 69.2% | 10,146 | 0.1% | 16 |
| Bath | 46.1% | 770 | 53.8% | 900 | 0.1% | 2 |
| Bedford | 42.0% | 5,871 | 57.9% | 8,094 | 0.1% | 7 |
| Bedford County | 48.1% | 961 | 51.8% | 1,035 | 0.1% | 2 |
| Bland | 33.9% | 661 | 66.1% | 1,287 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Botetourt | 46.8% | 3,998 | 53.1% | 4,539 | 0.1% | 5 |
| Bristol | 41.9% | 2,109 | 58.0% | 2,920 | 0.1% | 4 |
| Brunswick | 56.1% | 3,181 | 43.9% | 2,493 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Buchanan | 59.4% | 5,678 | 40.6% | 3,875 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Buckingham | 44.4% | 2,014 | 55.5% | 2,515 | 0.0% | 2 |
| Buena Vista | 51.2% | 869 | 48.5% | 823 | 0.4% | 6 |
| Campbell | 38.6% | 6,043 | 61.4% | 9,611 | 0.0% | 4 |
| Caroline | 54.9% | 3,232 | 45.1% | 2,658 | 0.0% | 1 |
| Carroll | 32.5% | 2,375 | 67.5% | 4,926 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Charles City | 78.7% | 2,050 | 21.3% | 554 | 0.0% | 1 |
| Charlotte | 44.8% | 2,072 | 55.2% | 2,552 | 0.0% | 2 |
| Charlottesville | 63.7% | 6,892 | 36.1% | 3,902 | 0.2% | 24 |
| Chesapeake | 50.3% | 21,384 | 49.6% | 21,076 | 0.1% | 24 |
| Chesterfield | 35.2% | 23,799 | 64.6% | 43,656 | 0.2% | 151 |
| Clarke | 47.4% | 1,394 | 52.6% | 1,546 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Clifton Forge | 57.4% | 912 | 42.6% | 676 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Colonial Heights | 24.0% | 1,568 | 75.9% | 4,954 | 0.0% | 1 |
| Covington | 57.3% | 1,570 | 42.7% | 1,169 | 0.0% | 1 |
| Craig | 45.8% | 766 | 53.9% | 902 | 0.4% | 6 |
| Culpeper | 38.7% | 2,670 | 61.3% | 4,230 | 0.0% | 2 |
| Cumberland | 46.7% | 1,418 | 53.3% | 1,617 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Danville | 40.4% | 6,944 | 59.5% | 10,223 | 0.0% | 2 |
| Dickenson | 62.3% | 3,536 | 37.6% | 2,131 | 0.1% | 6 |
| Dinwiddie | 47.5% | 3,321 | 52.5% | 3,676 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Emporia | 46.7% | 1,094 | 53.3% | 1,249 | 0.0% | 1 |
| Essex | 44.7% | 1,373 | 55.2% | 1,694 | 0.1% | 2 |
| Fairfax County | 55.9% | 127,236 | 43.9% | 99,957 | 0.2% | 518 |
| Fairfax | 52.8% | 3,398 | 47.1% | 3,027 | 0.1% | 6 |
| Falls Church | 63.1% | 2,617 | 36.9% | 1,530 | 0.0% | 2 |
| Fauquier | 45.3% | 5,545 | 54.7% | 6,700 | 0.0% | 4 |
| Floyd | 39.6% | 1,566 | 60.4% | 2,387 | 0.0% | 1 |
| Fluvanna | 42.9% | 1,554 | 57.0% | 2,063 | 0.1% | 4 |
| Franklin | 46.0% | 5,158 | 53.9% | 6,037 | 0.1% | 6 |
| Franklin County | 61.9% | 1,865 | 38.1% | 1,146 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Frederick | 36.3% | 3,746 | 63.7% | 6,581 | 0.0% | 3 |
| Fredericksburg | 52.0% | 2,515 | 48.0% | 2,321 | 0.1% | 3 |
| Galax | 36.7% | 625 | 63.3% | 1,077 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Giles | 51.0% | 2,568 | 49.0% | 2,468 | 0.0% | 2 |
| Gloucester | 42.4% | 4,258 | 57.4% | 5,765 | 0.1% | 13 |
| Goochland | 44.4% | 2,473 | 55.5% | 3,092 | 0.0% | 2 |
| Grayson | 34.5% | 1,761 | 65.5% | 3,337 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Greene | 33.3% | 863 | 66.7% | 1,726 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Greensville | 57.6% | 1,952 | 42.4% | 1,435 | 0.0% | 1 |
| Halifax | 46.7% | 4,562 | 53.3% | 5,205 | 0.0% | 2 |
| Hampton | 59.8% | 23,097 | 40.1% | 15,489 | 0.1% | 22 |
| Hanover | 30.8% | 7,391 | 69.0% | 16,552 | 0.1% | 32 |
| Harrisonburg | 42.5% | 2,647 | 57.3% | 3,562 | 0.2% | 12 |
| Henrico | 41.2% | 32,939 | 58.7% | 46,947 | 0.2% | 156 |
| Henry | 41.5% | 6,674 | 58.5% | 9,414 | 0.0% | 1 |
| Highland | 41.0% | 437 | 58.8% | 626 | 0.2% | 2 |
| Hopewell | 40.3% | 2,781 | 59.7% | 4,119 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Isle of Wight | 49.5% | 4,353 | 50.5% | 4,442 | 0.0% | 4 |
| James City | 49.8% | 5,827 | 50.0% | 5,850 | 0.1% | 15 |
| King and Queen | 53.3% | 1,278 | 46.6% | 1,119 | 0.1% | 3 |
| King George | 46.2% | 1,563 | 53.8% | 1,819 | 0.0% | 1 |
| King William | 44.2% | 1,794 | 55.8% | 2,265 | 0.0% | 2 |
| Lancaster | 39.3% | 1,834 | 60.7% | 2,838 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Lee | 54.8% | 3,431 | 45.2% | 2,830 | 0.0% | 1 |
| Lexington | 58.5% | 1,043 | 41.5% | 740 | 0.1% | 1 |
| Loudoun | 51.1% | 11,065 | 48.8% | 10,555 | 0.1% | 25 |
| Louisa | 46.2% | 2,931 | 53.8% | 3,416 | 0.0% | 3 |
| Lunenburg | 45.8% | 1,896 | 54.2% | 2,248 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Lynchburg | 47.9% | 10,060 | 52.1% | 10,927 | 0.0% | 4 |
| Madison | 40.5% | 1,448 | 59.4% | 2,121 | 0.1% | 4 |
| Manassas | 47.4% | 2,663 | 52.5% | 2,947 | 0.1% | 6 |
| Manassas Park | 45.5% | 385 | 54.4% | 460 | 0.1% | 1 |
| Martinsville | 49.9% | 2,763 | 50.1% | 2,777 | 0.0% | 1 |
| Mathews | 41.1% | 1,534 | 58.8% | 2,193 | 0.0% | 1 |
| Mecklenburg | 38.0% | 3,287 | 62.0% | 5,373 | 0.0% | 1 |
| Middlesex | 41.5% | 1,520 | 58.4% | 2,142 | 0.1% | 3 |
| Montgomery | 51.7% | 9,121 | 48.3% | 8,513 | 0.0% | 5 |
| Nelson | 54.4% | 2,341 | 45.6% | 1,961 | 0.0% | 0 |
| New Kent | 42.6% | 1,797 | 57.2% | 2,416 | 0.2% | 9 |
| Newport News | 54.3% | 25,284 | 45.6% | 21,261 | 0.1% | 36 |
| Norfolk | 66.1% | 37,844 | 33.8% | 19,385 | 0.1% | 62 |
| Northampton | 55.4% | 2,482 | 44.4% | 1,989 | 0.2% | 9 |
| Northumberland | 40.0% | 1,669 | 60.0% | 2,506 | 0.0% | 2 |
| Norton | 65.5% | 808 | 34.3% | 423 | 0.2% | 3 |
| Nottoway | 45.7% | 2,331 | 54.3% | 2,768 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Orange | 41.5% | 2,465 | 58.4% | 3,468 | 0.0% | 1 |
| Page | 33.8% | 1,925 | 66.1% | 3,760 | 0.0% | 2 |
| Patrick | 35.2% | 1,761 | 64.8% | 3,246 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Petersburg | 70.8% | 8,394 | 29.1% | 3,454 | 0.0% | 2 |
| Pittsylvania | 37.4% | 6,349 | 62.6% | 10,616 | 0.0% | 3 |
| Poquoson | 34.0% | 1,353 | 66.0% | 2,626 | 0.1% | 2 |
| Portsmouth | 61.9% | 19,998 | 38.0% | 12,281 | 0.0% | 5 |
| Powhatan | 34.5% | 1,741 | 65.4% | 3,298 | 0.0% | 2 |
| Prince Edward | 50.8% | 2,822 | 49.2% | 2,732 | 0.0% | 2 |
| Prince George | 39.0% | 2,693 | 61.0% | 4,219 | 0.0% | 1 |
| Prince William | 49.0% | 20,329 | 50.9% | 21,104 | 0.1% | 34 |
| Pulaski | 44.1% | 4,550 | 55.9% | 5,771 | 0.0% | 4 |
| Radford | 51.3% | 2,092 | 48.6% | 1,980 | 0.1% | 3 |
| Rappahannock | 45.0% | 971 | 55.0% | 1,188 | 0.0% | 1 |
| Richmond County | 36.3% | 887 | 63.7% | 1,558 | 0.0% | 1 |
| Richmond | 68.0% | 49,513 | 31.9% | 23,239 | 0.1% | 67 |
| Roanoke | 59.0% | 16,590 | 40.9% | 11,483 | 0.1% | 22 |
| Roanoke County | 47.1% | 14,074 | 52.9% | 15,807 | 0.0% | 8 |
| Rockbridge | 46.0% | 2,314 | 54.0% | 2,713 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Rockingham | 30.7% | 4,452 | 69.1% | 10,019 | 0.2% | 24 |
| Russell | 56.9% | 4,955 | 43.1% | 3,750 | 0.0% | 2 |
| South Boston | 48.1% | 3,854 | 51.8% | 4,143 | 0.1% | 8 |
| Salem | 43.3% | 2,825 | 56.7% | 3,704 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Scott | 35.4% | 3,390 | 64.6% | 6,186 | 0.0% | 3 |
| Shenandoah | 39.5% | 3,557 | 60.4% | 5,438 | 0.0% | 4 |
| Smyth | 40.6% | 987 | 59.3% | 1,441 | 0.1% | 2 |
| Southampton | 52.0% | 3,074 | 48.0% | 2,836 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Spotsylvania | 41.9% | 5,524 | 58.0% | 7,646 | 0.0% | 5 |
| Stafford | 40.3% | 5,775 | 59.7% | 8,565 | 0.0% | 7 |
| Staunton | 37.8% | 2,748 | 62.1% | 4,512 | 0.0% | 3 |
| Suffolk | 52.5% | 8,743 | 47.4% | 7,893 | 0.0% | 3 |
| Surry | 63.1% | 1,740 | 36.9% | 1,018 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Sussex | 59.1% | 2,251 | 40.9% | 1,561 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Tazewell | 47.8% | 5,338 | 52.2% | 5,831 | 0.0% | 3 |
| Virginia Beach | 48.2% | 41,570 | 51.4% | 44,332 | 0.3% | 265 |
| Warren | 42.9% | 2,681 | 57.1% | 3,564 | 0.0% | 1 |
| Washington | 40.4% | 5,572 | 59.6% | 8,219 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Waynesboro | 36.6% | 2,102 | 63.3% | 3,637 | 0.1% | 5 |
| Westmoreland | 48.6% | 2,197 | 51.3% | 2,322 | 0.1% | 3 |
| Williamsburg | 61.5% | 1,641 | 38.5% | 1,026 | 0.0% | 0 |
| Winchester | 41.1% | 2,253 | 58.9% | 3,232 | 0.0% | 2 |
| Wise | 59.6% | 6,641 | 40.4% | 4,495 | 0.0% | 3 |
| Wythe | 36.2% | 2,817 | 63.8% | 4,970 | 0.0% | 0 |
| York | 45.1% | 6,001 | 54.8% | 7,283 | 0.1% | 13 |
References
References
- Virginia Department of Elections. (2016). "Registration/Turnout Statistics". The Commonwealth of Virginia.
- (8 November 1989). "Abortion plays major role in election results".
- "Virginia Elections Database - 1989 Governor General Election". Virginia Department of Elections.
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