The Democratic primary and the Republican nominating convention have ended, and the stage has been set for November. What do you need to know about the general election?

Gubernatorial 

With Governor Ralph Northam unable to run for consecutive terms due to the Constitution of Virginia, the gubernatorial race is between former Democratic Governor Terry McAuliffe, who served from 2014 to 2018, Republican businessman Glenn Youngkin, and teacher Princess Blanding, who running under the newly formed Liberation Party.

Former Governor Terry McAuliffe

McAuliffe served as Governor of Virginia from 2014 to 2018, a close ally of the Clintons, he served as Hillary Clinton’s campaign chair in her 2008 bid for president. During his time as governor, he also served as Chair of the National Governors Association. He also served as Chair of the Democratic National Committee from 2001 to 2005. McAuliffe is a polarizing figure in Virginia politics; he was the first Virginia Governor to support same-sex marriage, but people have called his judgment on other issues into question. While some have praised his decision to restore voting rights to 173,000 released felons, others have cited that the decision did not present any effort for real change and was just a one-time fix for a limited number of people. During McAuliffe’s term, in 2017, hundreds of white supremacists, neo-Nazis, and far-right conspiracy theorists gathered in Charlottesville for the “Unite the Right” rally. Many of McAuliffe’s critics have said that he failed to prevent the event.

Glenn Youngkin

Youngkin, a businessman who served as CEO of the Carlyle Group. has framed himself as a conservative political outsider. A lifelong Virginian, Youngkin went to Rice University on a basketball scholarship. While Youngkin’s website does not list any issues or any platforms, he has been endorsed by Former President Donald Trump. Prior to winning his party’s nomination, Youngkin had avoided taking a firm stance on the outcome of the 2020 Presidential Election; he has said that President Joe Biden is the President but he has not acknowledged whether or not he believes the election was legitimate. Since becoming the nominee, Youngkin has acknowledged Biden was elected legitimately. Though Youngkin has not taken any firm policy stances, he has said that he will oppose Democratic plans.

Princess Blanding

An activist and teacher, Blanding is a single mother and a member of the LGBTQ+ community who has lived in Virginia since 2004. Blanding is the nominee of the Liberation Party, a newly formed party with the purpose of rebuilding and establishing communities. Blanding was called to action and public service after her brother, Marcus David Peters, was murdered by a Richmond Police officer while Peters was having a mental health crisis in 2018. After his death, Blanding worked with members of the Virginia General Assembly in order to enact the MARCUS Alert law, but after the legislative process, she was left disappointed with the watered-down version of the bill that became law. Blanding is also the founder of Justice and Reformation, an advocacy group that fights for mental health care, public safety, and protection for marginalized communities against police violence. If elected, Blanding would be the first Black woman to serve as governor of any state in the United States.

Lieutenant Gubernatorial

The Lt. Gubernatorial election marks the first time in Virginia history that a statewide race has been between two Black candidates. The end of the race will also mark the first time a Black woman has been elected to statewide office in Virginia. Democrat Delegate Hala Ayala and Republican Former Delegate Winsome Sears will face off in the November general election, and one of them will become the first Black woman to serve in statewide office in the Commonwealth.

Delegate Hala Ayala

Ayala is a lifelong Virginian and resident of Prince William County for over 35 years, and since first being elected in 2017, she has represented Virginia’s 51st House District in the General Assembly. As a Cyber Security Specialist, Ayala has dedicated her life to the safety and security of her community and country. As a women’s rights advocate, Ayala has served as the Vice President of the Virginia Chapter of the National Organization of Women (NOW) and is the founder of NOW’s local chapter serving the Prince William County area. In addition, Ayala has previously served on Governor McAuliffe’s Council of Women and as the PTA President of her son’s public school. PW Perspective proudly endorsed Ayala in the Democratic primary for Lt. Governor. If elected, Ayala would not only be the first Black woman elected to statewide office but would also be the first Latina and first person of Lebanese descent.

Former Delegate Winsome Sears

On May 11, 2020, Winsome Sears secured the Republican nomination for Lieutenant Governor of Virginia, making history by becoming the first Black woman from any major party to do so. From 2002 to 2004, Sears served as Delegate of the 90th District in the Virginia House of Delegates; to date, she is the only Republican to win a majority Black district in the Commonwealth’s history. Sears is a Marine veteran who has served as an appointee to the US Census Bureau and the Advisory Committee on the Women Veterans to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. She was the national chair of Black Americans to Re-elect the President, a group aiming to gain support to re-elect Trump.

Attorney General

The race for Virginia Attorney General will see incumbent Attorney General Mark Herring facing off against Republican challenger Delegate Jason Miyares. 

Attorney General Mark Herring

Herring has served as Attorney General for the Commonwealth of Virginia since 2013, and he has served alongside Governors McAuliffe and Northam. Seeking his third term, Herring faced off against Delegate Jay Jones in the Democratic primary, winning with 56.6%. Herring is seen as the Commonwealth’s most progressive Attorney General in history, having fought for marriage equality and defended Obamacare to the United States Supreme Court. However, his tenure has not been without controversy. In 2019, when it was discovered that Governor Northam did blackface during his time in medical school, Herring admitted to having also done blackface in the past. 

Delegate Jason Miyares

Miyares has represented the 82nd district in the House of Delegates since 2016. During that time, he has fought for increased teacher pay and he carried legislation to establish  the Commission on Economic Opportunity for Virginians in Aspiring and Diverse Communities. During his time in the House of Delegates, he voted against expanding Medicaid. Miyares narrowly defeated Chuck Smith in the Republican nominating convention in May. His platform includes re-implementing voter suppression laws, cracking down on undocumented immigration, and standing with police. If elected, he would be the first Cuban American elected to statewide office in Virginia.