McDonnell, Bolling, Cuccinelli all win their races

GOP sweeps all 3 statewide races.

The Associated Press
WFLS News

Date published: 11/3/2009

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Republican Bob McDonnell has easily won the Virginia governor's race just a year after the state went overwhelmingly for President Barack Obama and the Democrats.

Unofficial results show the former attorney general defeating Creigh Deeds and returning a Republican to the governor's office for the first time in eight years.

A year ago, Obama became the first Democrat in 44 years to carry Virginia in a presidential race.

This time voters expressed angst about major Obama initiatives such as health care, energy and stimulus spending. But McDonnell dominated the campaign's central issues: jobs and the economy.

Republican Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling has been elected to a second term, defeating former state finance secretary Jody Wagner.

Unofficial returns from Tuesday's election show Bolling easily turned back Wagner, who worked for the last two Democratic governors.

Bolling is the first lieutenant governor to run for re-election since Don Beyer in 1993. He is a former state senator from Hanover County and an insurance executive.

Wagner served as secretary of finance under Gov. Tim Kaine and state treasurer under former Gov. Mark Warner. She owns a gourmet popcorn shop in Virginia Beach.

The lieutenant governor is a part-time, $36,000-a-year job with two duties: presiding over the Senate and succeeding the governor.

Republican state Sen. Ken Cuccinelli wins Virginia attorney general's race.

Listen to Bill Dubensky's story.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Date published: 11/3/2009