1985 Virginia gubernatorial election

none related races 1985 United States gubernatorial elections January 2025 September 2023 1985 Virginia gubernatorial election Virginia presidential no 1981 Virginia gubernatorial election 1981 53.0% (voting eligible) http://elections.virginia.gov/resultsreports/registration-statistics/registrationturnout-statistics/ Registration/Turnout Statistics The Commonwealth of Virginia Virginia Department of Elections 2016 July 25, 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20160816110827/http://elections.virginia.gov/resultsreports/registration-statistics/registrationturnout-statistics/ August 16, 2016 dead 1989 Virginia gubernatorial election 1989 November 5, 1985 File:Gerald Baliles 1986.jpg 150x150px Gerald Baliles Democratic Party (United States) 741,438 55.2% File:Wyatt Durrette 1976.jpg Wyatt Durrette Republican Party (United States) 601,652 44.8% 300px County and independent city results 300px Congressional district results Baliles: #7996e2 50–60% #6674de 60–70% #584cde 70–80%Durrette: #e27f7f 50–60% #d75d5d 60–70% Governor Charles Robb Democratic Party (United States) Gerald Baliles Democratic Party (United States) In the 1985 Virginia gubernatorial election, incumbent Governor Chuck Robb, a Democrat, was unable to seek re-election due to term limits. Jerry Baliles, the Attorney General of Virginia, was nominated by the Democratic Party to run against Republican, Wyatt B. Durrette in a re-match of the 1981 Attorney General election. Background During the 1970s the formerly dominant Virginia Democratic Party became severely divided into conservative, moderate and liberal factions.Bass Jack De Vries Walter The Transformation of Southern Politics: Social Change and Political Consequence Since 1945 1995 347–353 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.Edds Margaret Claiming the dream: the victorious campaign of Douglas Wilder of Virginia 14 1990 0912697857 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,1995 Bass De Vries The Transformation of Southern Politics 360 who was mortally feared by the major industries and utilities.Peirce Neal R. The Border South States; people, politics, and power in the five Border South States 1975 Norton New York City 9780393055313 64-65 The failure of Howell in 1973 and more decisively in 1977 helped mortally weaken the radicalism he stood for,Sweeney James R. 2022 Armageddon Revisited: The 1973 Gubernatorial Election in Virginia The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography 130 4 Virginia Historical Society 290–347 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,Lieutenant Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia Stephen R. Fleming January 1978 Virginia Record 30-31, 89 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.1996 Rozell Mark J. Second Coming: The New Christian Right in Virginia Politics 43-46 0801852978 Baltimore Johns Hopkins University Press By 1984, amidst a Democratic presidential election debacle, Robb had become head of the Democratic Governors Association,The New Democrats and the Return to Power From Al 49 9781137278647 2013 New York City Palgrave Macmillan and had high approval ratings as he prepared to leave officeRozell Second Coming 1996 31 – one poll had his approval rating at 80 percent.Farmer John J. Democrats May Win Top Offices in Virginia Races: One Candidate Black, One Female The Saginaw News Newhouse News Service October 31, 1985 D8 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.Fisher Margie Party leaders Praise Democratic Nominees The Roanoke Times June 9, 1985 A1, A10 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.Bowles George Five Going for the GOP's Gold Ring Suffolk News-Herald April 19, 1985 4 Although a decision was planned for the last week of May, Parris withdrew at the beginning of that month.Last Week Davis, This Week Parris The Roanoke Times May 3, 1985 A8 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 SourceRankingAs ofDanville Register and BeeJackman Frank July 19, 1985 Polls Show State Races Are Close Danville Register and Bee 3ATossupJuly 19, 1985The Star-LedgerFarmer John J. October 27, 1985 'Liberal' Democratic Gubernatorial Sweep Likely in Conservative Virginia 3A The Star-Ledger Newark, New JerseyLikely DOctober 27, 1985The Saginaw NewsLikely DOctober 31, 1985New York TimesClendinen Dudley November 5, 1985 In Virginia, A Republican Sees Signs of Hope But Polls Do Not 3A New York TimesLikely DNovember 5, 1985 Results 1985 Virginia gubernatorial electionhttp://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/state.php?fips=51&year=1985&f=0&off=5 1985 Gubernatorial General Election Results – Virginia US Election Atlas Leip Dave Democratic Party (United States) Gerald L. Baliles 741,438 55.20% +1.67% Republican Party (United States) Wyatt B. Durrette Jr. 601,652 44.79% -1.63% Write-ins 153 0.01% 139,786 10.41% +3.30% 1,343,243 32.2% -5.1% Democratic Party (United States) Republican Party (United States) Results by county or independent city +1985 Virginia gubernatorial election by county or independent cityhttps://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=26399 Our Campaigns VA Governor – November 05, 1985 Gerald Lee Baliles Democratic Wyatt Beazley Durrette Jr.Republican Various candidatesWrite-ins Margin Total votes cast # % # % # % # % Accomack County 4,476 49.34% 4,596 50.66% -120 -1.32% 9,072 Albemarle County 7,528 55.25% 6,096 44.74% 1 0.01% 1,432 10.51% 13,625 Alleghany County 1,791 61.72% 1,111 38.28% 680 23.43% 2,902 Amelia County 1,522 50.53% 1,490 49.47% 32 1.06% 3,012 Amherst County 4,001 53.78% 3,438 46.22% 563 7.57% 7,439 Appomattox County 2,623 58.35% 1,872 41.65% 751 16.71% 4,495 Arlington County 26,436 65.17% 14,124 34.82% 7 0.02% 12,312 30.35% 40,567 Augusta County 4,936 42.16% 6,771 57.84% -1,835 -15.67% 11,707 Bath County 685 57.71% 502 42.29% 183 15.42% 1,187 Bedford County 5,070 51.94% 4,692 48.06% 378 3.87% 9,762 Bland County 874 51.72% 816 48.28% 58 3.43% 1,690 Botetourt County 2,528 55.20% 2,051 44.78% 1 0.02% 477 10.41% 4,580 Brunswick County 2,760 62.74% 1,639 37.26% 1,121 25.48% 4,399 Buchanan County 4,390 65.85% 2,277 34.15% 2,113 31.69% 6,667 Buckingham County 2,075 57.37% 1,542 42.63% 533 14.74% 3,617 Campbell County 4,932 45.92% 5,808 54.08% -876 -8.16% 10,740 Caroline County 2,836 64.18% 1,583 35.82% 1,253 28.35% 4,419 Carroll County 2,687 45.06% 3,276 54.94% -589 -9.88% 5,963 Charles City County 1,487 77.49% 432 22.51% 1,055 54.98% 1,919 Charlotte County 1,923 54.17% 1,627 45.83% 296 8.34% 3,550 Chesterfield County 18,850 38.94% 29,540 61.03% 16 0.03% -10,690 -22.08% 48,406 Clarke County 1,166 55.16% 948 44.84% 218 10.31% 2,114 Craig County 909 55.22% 737 44.78% 172 10.45% 1,646 Culpeper County 2,455 48.38% 2,619 51.62% -164 -3.23% 5,074 Cumberland County 1,355 49.54% 1,380 50.46% -25 -0.91% 2,735 Dickenson County 3,325 61.81% 2,054 38.19% 1,271 23.63% 5,379 Dinwiddie County 3,310 58.24% 2,372 41.74% 1 0.02% 938 16.51% 5,683 Essex County 1,224 49.08% 1,270 50.92% -46 -1.84% 2,494 Fairfax County 87,542 55.33% 70,656 44.66% 8 0.01% 16,886 10.67% 158,206 Fauquier County 4,175 50.03% 4,168 49.95% 2 0.02% 7 0.08% 8,345 Floyd County 1,522 49.29% 1,566 50.71% -44 -1.42% 3,088 Fluvanna County 1,260 53.19% 1,109 46.81% 151 6.37% 2,369 Franklin County 4,826 62.05% 2,950 37.93% 1 0.01% 1,876 24.12% 7,777 Frederick County 3,475 50.14% 3,455 49.86% 20 0.29% 6,930 Giles County 2,650 57.68% 1,944 42.32% 706 15.37% 4,594 Gloucester County 3,418 50.18% 3,394 49.82% 24 0.35% 6,812 Goochland County 2,224 51.77% 2,072 48.23% 152 3.54% 4,296 Grayson County 2,448 53.58% 2,121 46.42% 327 7.16% 4,569 Greene County 700 41.15% 1,000 58.79% 1 0.06% -300 -17.64% 1,701 Greensville County 1,997 63.04% 1,171 36.96% 826 26.07% 3,168 Halifax County 3,778 50.73% 3,670 49.27% 108 1.45% 7,448 Hanover County 6,535 37.85% 10,726 62.12% 5 0.03% -4,191 -24.27% 17,266 Henrico County 27,424 45.20% 33,218 54.75% 32 0.05% -5,794 -9.55% 60,674 Henry County 9,184 62.81% 5,437 37.19% 3,747 25.63% 14,621 Highland County 437 50.70% 425 49.30% 12 1.39% 862 Isle of Wight County 3,761 57.18% 2,817 42.82% 944 14.35% 6,578 James City County 3,621 53.14% 3,193 46.86% 428 6.28% 6,814 King and Queen County 1,138 60.92% 730 39.08% 408 21.84% 1,868 King George County 1,271 56.36% 984 43.64% 287 12.73% 2,255 King William County 1,532 50.63% 1,494 49.37% 38 1.26% 3,026 Lancaster County 1,708 44.17% 2,159 55.83% -451 -11.66% 3,867 Lee County 3,984 62.43% 2,398 37.57% 1,586 24.85% 6,382 Loudoun County 7,925 53.81% 6,802 46.18% 1 0.01% 1,123 7.62% 14,728 Louisa County 2,856 57.56% 2,104 42.40% 2 0.04% 752 15.16% 4,962 Lunenburg County 1,804 56.85% 1,369 43.15% 435 13.71% 3,173 Madison County 1,538 52.62% 1,385 47.38% 153 5.23% 2,923 Mathews County 1,298 47.06% 1,460 52.94% -162 -5.87% 2,758 Mecklenburg County 3,195 48.70% 3,365 51.30% -170 -2.59% 6,560 Middlesex County 1,500 51.35% 1,421 48.65% 79 2.70% 2,921 Montgomery County 7,702 57.03% 5,801 42.96% 1 0.01% 1,901 14.08% 13,504 Nelson County 2,043 66.20% 1,043 33.80% 1,000 32.40% 3,086 New Kent County 1,436 49.81% 1,447 50.19% -11 -0.38% 2,883 Northampton County 2,375 60.68% 1,539 39.32% 836 21.36% 3,914 Northumberland County 1,657 45.13% 2,015 54.87% -358 -9.75% 3,672 Nottoway County 2,269 53.24% 1,993 46.76% 276 6.48% 4,262 Orange County 2,243 51.44% 2,117 48.56% 126 2.89% 4,360 Page County 2,330 53.35% 2,037 46.65% 293 6.71% 4,367 Patrick County 3,249 70.43% 1,364 29.57% 1,885 40.86% 4,613 Pittsylvania County 6,886 46.21% 8,014 53.79% -1,128 -7.57% 14,900 Powhatan County 1,498 39.72% 2,273 60.28% -775 -20.55% 3,771 Prince Edward County 2,736 56.09% 2,140 43.87% 2 0.04% 596 12.22% 4,878 Prince George County 2,400 48.31% 2,568 51.69% -168 -3.38% 4,968 Prince William County 13,499 55.30% 10,909 44.69% 4 0.02% 2,590 10.61% 24,412 Pulaski County 5,380 59.74% 3,626 40.26% 1,754 19.48% 9,006 Rappahannock County 930 55.59% 743 44.41% 187 11.18% 1,673 Richmond County 929 46.15% 1,084 53.85% -155 -7.70% 2,013 Roanoke County 10,710 53.44% 9,332 46.56% 1 0.00% 1,378 6.88% 20,043 Rockbridge County 1,878 52.87% 1,672 47.07% 2 0.06% 206 5.80% 3,552 Rockingham County 4,229 41.73% 5,904 58.27% -1,675 -16.53% 10,133 Russell County 4,622 64.53% 2,541 35.47% 2,081 29.05% 7,163 Scott County 3,453 54.28% 2,909 45.72% 544 8.55% 6,362 Shenandoah County 3,138 42.16% 4,305 57.84% -1,167 -15.68% 7,443 Smyth County 4,426 52.55% 3,996 47.45% 430 5.11% 8,422 Southampton County 2,721 51.55% 2,557 48.45% 164 3.11% 5,278 Spotsylvania County 4,146 54.61% 3,446 45.39% 700 9.22% 7,592 Stafford County 5,078 50.48% 4,980 49.50% 2 0.02% 98 0.97% 10,060 Surry County 1,405 65.44% 742 34.56% 663 30.88% 2,147 Sussex County 2,066 61.18% 1,311 38.82% 755 22.36% 3,377 Tazewell County 4,722 58.97% 3,285 41.03% 1,437 17.95% 8,007 Warren County 2,327 56.23% 1,811 43.77% 516 12.47% 4,138 Washington County 5,691 53.55% 4,936 46.45% 755 7.10% 10,627 Westmoreland County 1,972 57.06% 1,484 42.94% 488 14.12% 3,456 Wise County 6,445 65.57% 3,384 34.43% 3,061 31.14% 9,829 Wythe County 3,597 53.03% 3,186 46.97% 411 6.06% 6,783 York County 4,536 48.60% 4,795 51.38% 2 0.02% -259 -2.78% 9,333 Alexandria City 15,506 65.12% 8,304 34.87% 3 0.01% 7,202 30.24% 23,813 Bedford City 1,171 59.50% 797 40.50% 374 19.00% 1,968 Bristol City 2,734 56.77% 2,082 43.23% 652 13.54% 4,816 Buena Vista City 1,041 59.52% 708 40.48% 333 19.04% 1,749 Charlottesville City 5,715 66.02% 2,941 33.97% 1 0.01% 2,774 32.04% 8,657 Chesapeake City 16,495 59.21% 11,364 40.79% 1 0.00% 5,131 18.42% 27,860 Clifton Forge City 815 67.13% 399 32.87% 416 34.27% 1,214 Colonial Heights City 1,950 36.19% 3,437 63.79% 1 0.02% -1,487 -27.60% 5,388 Covington City 1,625 67.23% 792 32.77% 833 34.46% 2,417 Danville City 4,718 41.87% 6,548 58.12% 1 0.01% -1,830 -16.24% 11,267 Emporia City 779 51.02% 748 48.98% 31 2.03% 1,527 Fairfax City 2,577 50.38% 2,538 49.62% 39 0.76% 5,115 Falls Church City 1,816 60.07% 1,206 39.89% 1 0.03% 610 20.18% 3,023 Franklin City 1,307 59.41% 893 40.59% 414 18.82% 2,200 Fredericksburg City 2,186 54.46% 1,827 45.52% 1 0.02% 359 8.94% 4,014 Galax City 1,087 56.00% 854 44.00% 233 12.00% 1,941 Hampton City 16,634 60.92% 10,671 39.08% 1 0.00% 5,963 21.84% 27,306 Harrisonburg City 2,298 47.36% 2,553 52.62% 1 0.02% -255 -5.26% 4,852 Hopewell City 2,999 48.58% 3,173 51.40% 1 0.02% -174 -2.82% 6,173 Lexington City 883 54.88% 726 45.12% 157 9.76% 1,609 Lynchburg City 8,389 48.85% 8,784 51.15% -395 -2.30% 17,173 Manassas City 1,534 48.54% 1,626 51.46% -92 -2.91% 3,160 Manassas Park City 457 54.67% 379 45.33% 78 9.33% 836 Martinsville City 3,220 60.89% 2,068 39.11% 1,152 21.79% 5,288 Newport News City 19,429 57.37% 14,433 42.61% 7 0.02% 4,996 14.75% 33,869 Norfolk City 30,857 67.79% 14,652 32.19% 8 0.02% 16,205 35.60% 45,517 Norton City 945 70.21% 401 29.79% 544 40.42% 1,346 Petersburg City 7,556 67.71% 3,604 32.29% 3,952 35.41% 11,160 Poquoson City 1,154 39.74% 1,750 60.26% -596 -20.52% 2,904 Portsmouth City 19,098 67.82% 9,059 32.17% 3 0.01% 10,039 35.65% 28,160 Radford City 1,977 59.19% 1,363 40.81% 614 18.38% 3,340 Richmond City 42,953 67.24% 20,904 32.72% 22 0.03% 22,049 34.52% 63,879 Roanoke City 13,380 64.78% 7,272 35.21% 2 0.01% 6,108 29.57% 20,654 Salem City 3,082 55.27% 2,493 44.71% 1 0.02% 589 10.56% 5,576 South Boston City 890 44.26% 1,121 55.74% -231 -11.49% 2,011 Staunton City 2,729 45.27% 3,299 54.73% -570 -9.46% 6,028 Suffolk City 7,937 61.18% 5,037 38.82% 2,900 22.35% 12,974 Virginia Beach City 29,967 49.03% 31,144 50.96% 5 0.01% -1,177 -1.93% 61,116 Waynesboro City 2,217 53.27% 1,945 46.73% 272 6.54% 4,162 Williamsburg City 1,284 58.66% 905 41.34% 379 17.31% 2,189 Winchester City 2,443 53.34% 2,137 46.66% 306 6.68% 4,580Totals741,43855.20%601,65244.79%1530.01%139,78610.41%1,343,243 Counties and independent cities that flipped from Democratic to Republican Accomack Cumberland Matthews Mecklenburg Virginia Beach (independent city) Counties and independent cities that flipped from Republican to Democratic Ablemarle Clarke Frederick Fauquier Halifax Highland King George Loudoun Page Roanoke Scott Stafford Washington Emporia (independent city) Winchester (independent city) Waynesboro (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,https://web.archive.org/web/20160322080023/http://www.coopercenter.org/sites/default/files/autoVANLPubs/Virginia%20News%20Letter%201986%20Vol.%2062%20No.%205.pdf March 22, 2016 http://www.coopercenter.org/sites/default/files/autoVANLPubs/Virginia%20News%20Letter%201986%20Vol.%2062%20No.%205.pdf The 1985 Statewide Election in Virginia: History Quietly Writ Large Sabato Larry Larry Sabato University of Virginia Newsletter January 1986 62 5 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 presidential election the year prior. 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 VirginiaVoter Turnout for Election Lowest Since 1969 Danville Register and Bee November 17, 1985 4B which was not affected by flooding. References Gubernatorial 1985 Virginia Category:November 1985 in the United States