Democrats unite while GOP remains divided following Virginia primaries

Virginia voters from both parties nominated establishment candidates in the state’s gubernatorial primaries Tuesday, resisting the urge to pull either to the far left or right. Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam, who had the support of current Gov. Terry McAuliffe, won handily (56 to 44 percent) over the more progressive Tom Perriello, endorsed by self-proclaimed socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. On the Republican side, Ed Gillespie narrowly defeated Corey Stewart, who aligns himself with President Donald Trump, by a little more than a percentage point (44 to 43 percent). State Sen. Frank Wagner finished a distant third with 14 percent of the vote. Stewart refused to concede defeat Tuesday night and said he would not support Gillespie in the general election. “There is one word you will never hear from me, and that’s ‘unity,’” Stewart told supporters at a post election gathering in Woodbridge, Va. He and his campaign staff were considering calling for a recount. Democrats, however, plan to hold a unity rally today in Northern Virginia. Northam told supporters last night in Arlington, Va., he had talked to Perriello and that “we agreed that we’re going to bring all Democrats under the tent starting tonight. This is too important an election. This is the bellwether of the country.” Joining Northam on the Democratic ticket is Justin Fairfax, who will run against Republican nominee and current state Sen. Jill Holtzman Vogel for lieutenant governor. In the attorney general’s race, incumbent Democrat Mark Herring will face Republican John Adams.

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