2001 Virginia gubernatorial election

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2001 Virginia gubernatorial election
Flag of Virginia.svg
←  1997
November 6, 2001
2005  →
Turnout46.4% Decrease2.svg 3.1 [1]
  Governor Warner (cropped).jpg 3x4.svg
Nominee Mark Warner Mark Earley
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote984,177887,234
Percentage52.16%47.03%
2001 Virginia gubernatorial election results map by county.svg
2001 Virginia gubernatorial election results map by congressional district.svg
Warner:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%
Earley:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%
Governor before election

Jim Gilmore
Republican

Elected Governor

Mark Warner
Democratic

The 2001 Virginia gubernatorial election was held on November 6, 2001, to elect the next governor of Virginia. The election was concurrent with other elections for Virginia's statewide offices, the House of Delegates, and other various political offices. Incumbent Republican governor Jim Gilmore was ineligible to run for re-election, as the Constitution of Virginia prohibits its governors from serving consecutive terms. Former chair of the Virginia Democratic Party, Mark Warner defeated RepublicanAttorney General Mark Earley by 5.13%.

Contents

As of 2026, this is the most recent election where the Democratic candidate won the majority of counties and independent cities.

General election

Campaign

Warner made a conscious effort to appeal to voters in rural Virginia, personified by his official campaign song, written by the Bluegrass Brothers. [2] The song was considered an essential part of Warner's outreach to rural Virginia, with the lyrics emphasizing Warner's understanding of the culture of that part of the state. [3] [4]

Polling

Poll sourceDate(s)
administered		Sample
size [a] 		Margin
of error		Mark Earley (R)Mark Warner (D)OtherUndecided
Mason-Dixon Polling & Strategy/Research Inc. [5] November 1, 2001 [b] 625 (LV)± 4.0%42%48%1% [c] 9%
Roanoke College [6] October 21–30, 2001423 (LV)± 4.8%36%45%1%18%
Mason-Dixon Polling & Strategy/Research Inc. [7] [8] October 18, 2001 [d] 625 (LV)± 4.0%42%45%1% [e] 12%
McLaughlin & Associates [9] September 27, 2001 [f] ––38%47%––
Mason-Dixon Polling & Strategy [10] September 10–15, 2001625 (LV)± 4.0%40%46%1% [g] 13%
The Washington Post [11] August 21, 20011,312 (RV)± 3.0%37%51%–12%
August 21, 2001 [h] 695 (LV)± 4.0%––––

Results

Virginia gubernatorial election, 2001 [12]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Democratic Mark Warner 984,177 52.16% +9.60%
Republican Mark Earley 887,23447.03%−8.79%
Libertarian William Redpath14,4970.77%+0.77%
Write-in 8130.04%
Majority 96,9435.14%−8.11%
Turnout 1,886,721
Democratic gain from Republican Swing

Results by county and city

County [13] WarnerVotesEarleyVotesRedpathVotesOthersVotes
Accomack 50.3%3,71048.5%3,5751.2%890.0%0
Albemarle 56.3%14,89142.2%11,1431.4%3730.1%21
Alexandria 68.2%23,73931.1%10,8100.6%2260.1%27
Alleghany 59.0%3,01839.9%2,0441.1%560.0%0
Amelia 46.7%1,66552.7%1,8800.6%200.0%0
Amherst 50.8%4,19848.8%4,0310.4%370.0%0
Appomattox 51.3%2,26847.3%2,0901.4%610.0%1
Arlington 68.3%35,99030.8%16,2140.9%4870.1%28
Augusta 37.1%6,67361.9%11,1330.9%1640.0%4
Bath 51.8%80446.4%7211.8%280.0%0
Bedford County 41.1%8,03557.8%11,2981.1%2110.0%3
Bedford 56.9%1,03141.2%7471.9%350.0%0
Bland 48.2%83551.2%8880.6%110.0%0
Botetourt 43.7%4,62955.4%5,8720.9%1000.0%1
Bristol 48.6%2,16650.9%2,2680.5%210.1%3
Brunswick 65.3%2,84034.3%1,4910.4%160.1%3
Buchanan 65.7%3,74633.7%1,9210.7%390.0%0
Buckingham 59.1%2,36440.1%1,6010.8%320.0%0
Buena Vista 58.6%85339.3%5722.1%300.0%0
Campbell 45.7%7,18753.1%8,3661.2%1870.0%3
Caroline 60.8%3,59038.5%2,2740.6%340.1%4
Carroll 42.3%3,30957.2%4,4810.5%400.0%0
Charles City 73.1%1,74726.4%6310.5%130.0%0
Charlotte 51.4%2,20246.9%2,0121.7%730.0%0
Charlottesville 72.9%6,78124.9%2,3162.1%1930.2%16
Chesapeake 45.8%24,08753.8%28,3280.4%2010.0%17
Chesterfield 41.9%33,81057.3%46,1600.7%5340.1%94
Clarke 49.3%1,83949.7%1,8510.9%340.1%3
Colonial Heights 32.1%1,75866.9%3,6600.7%410.3%14
Covington 62.7%1,07134.9%5972.4%410.0%0
Craig 50.3%91848.6%8871.0%190.1%1
Culpeper 42.0%3,72157.1%5,0540.8%740.0%0
Cumberland 50.0%1,31547.7%1,2552.4%620.0%0
Danville 53.5%7,34644.8%6,1501.7%2310.0%3
Dickenson 61.0%2,90738.6%1,8370.4%190.0%0
Dinwiddie 52.3%3,57846.8%3,2020.8%550.0%1
Emporia 59.4%91240.1%6160.5%70.0%0
Essex 54.2%1,43645.4%1,2030.4%100.1%2
Fairfax County 54.5%146,53744.9%120,7990.6%1,5860.0%92
Fairfax 51.7%3,47847.6%3,2030.6%430.0%0
Falls Church 65.8%2,62333.3%1,3260.9%350.0%1
Fauquier 42.2%6,95257.2%9,4200.6%910.1%9
Floyd 46.6%2,09351.9%2,3311.5%690.0%0
Fluvanna 47.0%3,11851.7%3,4251.3%860.0%1
Franklin County 51.3%7,18247.9%6,7030.8%1110.0%0
Franklin 64.5%1,43435.1%7810.3%60.0%1
Frederick 39.0%6,43360.3%9,9470.7%1130.0%6
Fredericksburg 61.0%2,71737.7%1,6791.2%550.1%5
Galax 54.0%86645.7%7330.4%60.0%0
Giles 56.5%3,07141.9%2,2761.6%850.0%0
Gloucester 44.8%4,11654.5%5,0100.7%680.0%2
Goochland 47.3%3,09151.9%3,3940.7%460.1%6
Grayson 46.7%2,50752.6%2,8240.7%400.0%0
Greene 41.7%1,64456.9%2,2441.4%560.0%0
Greensville 68.6%1,85931.0%8410.3%80.0%1
Halifax 54.8%5,50643.4%4,3661.8%1780.0%1
Hampton 63.7%20,62735.8%11,5920.5%1570.0%16
Hanover 38.2%11,71361.1%18,7570.7%2010.1%20
Harrisonburg 47.7%3,08351.5%3,3340.8%490.0%2
Henrico 51.4%42,08947.9%39,2150.6%5140.1%85
Henry 61.4%9,87236.9%5,9421.7%2700.0%1
Highland 48.0%53351.2%5680.8%90.0%0
Hopewell 49.4%2,46748.8%2,4351.8%880.1%4
Isle of Wight 49.9%4,72749.7%4,7080.3%320.0%4
James City 49.3%8,50550.2%8,6540.5%860.0%6
King and Queen 57.3%1,18842.0%8720.7%140.0%0
King George 49.2%2,11050.1%2,1510.7%290.0%1
King William 49.4%1,94249.9%1,9600.6%250.1%2
Lancaster 45.7%2,02553.5%2,3730.7%290.1%5
Lee 53.3%2,92346.2%2,5360.5%250.0%0
Lexington 64.6%1,05333.9%5521.5%240.0%0
Loudoun 45.8%20,90753.4%24,3720.7%3100.0%20
Louisa 53.7%4,24445.2%3,5681.1%890.0%1
Lunenburg 54.7%1,99644.7%1,6340.6%210.0%1
Lynchburg 53.0%9,31446.3%8,1320.6%1120.1%10
Madison 44.9%1,79453.1%2,1211.9%760.0%1
Manassas 45.7%2,99253.8%3,5200.5%310.0%0
Manassas Park 46.3%69152.9%7900.7%110.1%2
Martinsville 67.0%2,76932.6%1,3460.4%160.0%1
Mathews 46.4%1,51652.4%1,7121.1%370.0%0
Mecklenburg 46.7%3,51951.7%3,8981.6%1240.0%0
Middlesex 47.6%1,75750.4%1,8612.0%740.0%0
Montgomery 55.7%11,15443.1%8,6391.1%2280.1%13
Nelson 59.4%2,68139.1%1,7631.5%680.0%1
New Kent 45.6%2,16153.5%2,5320.8%370.1%7
Newport News 57.0%21,31842.5%15,9200.4%1680.0%16
Norfolk 65.2%28,24434.0%14,7410.7%2940.0%14
Northampton 64.2%2,31634.2%1,2361.6%580.0%0
Northumberland 49.7%2,16649.6%2,1590.6%260.1%4
Norton 67.6%77332.0%3660.4%50.0%0
Nottoway 57.4%2,51341.6%1,8241.0%430.0%1
Orange 47.5%3,61751.3%3,9021.2%940.0%0
Page 42.4%2,44357.2%3,2920.4%210.0%1
Patrick 48.3%2,65150.6%2,7751.0%560.0%1
Petersburg 82.0%7,01817.6%1,5090.4%320.0%0
Pittsylvania 42.5%7,46256.0%9,8311.5%2700.0%5
Poquoson 35.7%1,48963.7%2,6560.6%250.0%1
Portsmouth 65.7%17,33633.8%8,9220.4%1030.0%13
Powhatan 36.8%2,55862.4%4,3380.8%580.0%3
Prince Edward 58.6%2,87440.1%1,9671.3%640.0%0
Prince George 45.1%3,41454.2%4,1040.6%430.1%9
Prince William 46.8%27,29752.4%30,5430.9%4970.0%5
Pulaski 53.0%5,10945.8%4,4111.2%1150.0%4
Radford 58.9%1,87640.2%1,2800.8%260.0%1
Rappahannock 48.0%1,28451.2%1,3690.7%200.1%2
Richmond County 49.1%1,10150.1%1,1240.8%170.0%0
Richmond 73.3%35,55825.6%12,4321.1%5140.1%33
Roanoke County 47.0%14,99352.4%16,7130.6%2040.0%7
Roanoke 62.1%15,34837.0%9,1470.8%2040.0%0
Rockbridge 50.3%2,97248.9%2,8850.7%440.0%2
Rockingham 36.0%6,64263.5%11,7230.5%970.1%10
Russell 60.4%4,50738.9%2,9070.7%530.0%0
Salem 49.7%4,06749.4%4,0420.8%660.0%0
Scott 42.8%2,87756.1%3,7721.2%780.0%0
Shenandoah 40.2%4,53159.1%6,6530.6%720.1%7
Smyth 51.4%4,69147.7%4,3540.9%850.0%0
Southampton 60.2%2,79039.4%1,8270.3%150.0%0
Spotsylvania 45.8%9,74253.8%11,4470.4%890.0%5
Stafford 43.2%9,24856.1%12,0190.6%1320.1%23
Staunton 48.8%3,14150.6%3,2560.6%380.0%2
Suffolk 53.1%9,12446.5%7,9960.3%590.0%2
Surry 65.5%1,55033.9%8010.6%140.0%0
Sussex 61.6%1,92436.3%1,1342.1%660.0%0
Tazewell 54.3%5,25044.9%4,3350.8%760.0%0
Virginia Beach 46.3%43,49553.0%49,8000.6%5600.0%35
Warren 44.6%3,54654.2%4,3111.2%970.1%5
Washington 45.3%6,70353.8%7,9720.9%1300.0%3
Waynesboro 42.9%2,10956.5%2,7770.4%210.1%4
Westmoreland 57.6%2,47141.0%1,7591.5%630.0%0
Williamsburg 57.5%1,47541.6%1,0670.9%240.0%0
Winchester 51.4%3,15547.7%2,9280.8%500.0%0
Wise 58.5%5,50940.5%3,8161.0%920.0%4
Wythe 48.6%3,82250.7%3,9910.6%470.1%9
York 45.0%7,53054.3%9,0830.6%1000.0%5

Counties and independent cities that flipped from Republican to Democratic

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Key:
    A – all adults
    RV – registered voters
    LV – likely voters
    V – unclear
  2. ↑ No official poll shows at what time period it was specifically conducted.
  3. ↑ William Redpath with 1%
  4. ↑ No official poll shows at what time period it was specifically conducted.
  5. ↑ William Redpath with 1%
  6. ↑ No official poll shows at what time period it was specifically conducted.
  7. ↑ William Redpath with 1%
  8. ↑ Warner+11

References

  1. ↑ Virginia Department of Elections (2016). "Registration/Turnout Statistics". The Commonwealth of Virginia. Archived from the original on August 16, 2016. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
  2. ↑ Glass, Andrew; Phillip, Abby (July 30, 2009). "Curious case of catchy political tunes". Politico. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
  3. ↑ Howell, Isak (November 9, 2001). "Good Ol' Boys Meet High Society When Band Hits Campaign Trail". Daily Press. Retrieved May 19, 2001– via The Roanoke Times.
  4. ↑ Graff, Garrett M. (February 1, 2006). "Is Mark Warner the Next Bill Clinton?". The Washingtonian. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
  5. ↑ "LATEST POLL SHOWS WARNER'S LEAD GROWING". The Virginia Pilot . November 1, 2001. Archived from the original on February 13, 2026. Retrieved February 12, 2026.
  6. ↑ "RC Poll: Warner holds comfortable lead over Early in Race for Governor; Lt. Governor contest tight; McEachin trails Kilgore". Roanoke College . October 30, 2001. Archived from the original on June 20, 2025. Retrieved February 12, 2026.
  7. ↑ "GOVERNOR'S RACE NARROWS". The Virginian Pilot . October 19, 2001. Archived from the original on February 12, 2026. Retrieved February 12, 2026.
  8. ↑ "The News and Advance from Lynchburg, Virginia • 7". Newspaper Ancestry. October 20, 2001. Archived from the original on February 13, 2026. Retrieved February 12, 2026.
  9. ↑ Melton, R.H. (September 27, 2001). "GOP Survey Shows Earley Trailing Warner in Va". The Washington Post . Retrieved February 12, 2026.
  10. ↑ The Associated Press (September 20, 2001). "Poll: Warner leads Earley by 6 points". The Free Lance–Star . Archived from the original on June 4, 2011. Retrieved January 17, 2026.
  11. ↑ Melton, R.H.; Deane, Claudia (August 25, 2001). "Warner Has Wide Lead, Poll Shows". The Washington Post . Retrieved February 12, 2026.
  12. ↑ "OFFICIAL ELECTION RESULTS". elections.virginia.gov. Virginia Department of Elections. Archived from the original on October 1, 2016. Retrieved February 23, 2016.
  13. ↑ "Virginia Elections Database – 2001 Governor General Election". Virginia Department of Elections. Retrieved October 31, 2019.

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