Vice President Kamala Harris has won Virginia, according to multiple networks and the Associated Press, giving the Democratic candidate 13electoral votes in the race to 270.
Harris’ victory is unsurprising, given that most polls leading up to November 5 showed Harris favored in the state. This also aligns with the state’s recent electoral history, with Democratic candidates consistently winning there since President Barack Obama’s 2008 victory.
The state carries 13 Electoral College votes and is key to the Democratic road to 270.
Harris was declared the winner with 51.2percent of the vote. 83 percent had been counted when AP called the election.
Which Presidential Candidate Did Virginia Voters Pick in 2016 and 2020?
Although Republican candidates carried Virginia for decades in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, no GOP presidential candidate has won the state since President George W. Bush in 2004. Since then, Democratic candidates—including former President Barack Obama, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and President Joe Biden—have all secured Virginia.
Biden won by a 10-point margin in 2020, taking 54 percent of the vote to Trump’s 44 percent.
As of October 1, there were 6,324,776 registered voters in the state, according to the state’s Department of Elections. In 2020, there were 5,975,696 registered voters, 4,486,821 of whom voted in the election. In 2016, there were 5,529,742 registered voters in the state, with 3,984,631 having voted in the election.
What Were the Polling Averages in Virginia?
Ahead of the election, polls found Harris in the lead. A Washington Post/George Mason University’s Schar School poll conducted from October 19 to 23 found Harris leading Trump by 6 percentage points, 49 percent to 43 percent. The poll surveyed 1,004 likely voters in the state, with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.
A Rasmussen Reports and American Thinker survey of 1,014 Virginia likely voters conducted between October 24 and October 25 found Harris with a 2-point lead, 48 percent to Trump’s 46 percent. The poll had a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.
A Christopher Newport University poll of 800 registered Virginia voters between September 28 and October 4 found a notable 11-point lead for Harris, 52 percent to Trump’s 41 percent. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.4 percentage points.
The New York Times aggregate state poll showed a larger margin, with Harris leading with 51 percent of the vote to Trump’s 43 percent as of November 1. Nate Silver’s Silver Bulletin reported Harris just one point lower, at 50 percent. The Hill aggregate found a tighter race, with Harris still up by 5 points, 50 percent to Trump’s 45 percent.
Economy, Crime, and Abortion Among Biggest Issues in Virginia
The Washington Post/George Mason University’s Schar School poll found that 55 percent of respondents believe the economy is “extremely important” to their presidential vote, with more believing Trump would do a better job handling it than Harris, 48 percent to 43 percent.
The poll found crime and safety as the second leading issue, with the candidates deadlocked at 44 percent. The third and fourth top issues, health care and abortion showed Harris ahead of Trump, 52 percent to Trump’s 36 and 33 percent, respectively.
Trump Made More Campaign Stops in Virginia Than Harris
Trump outpaced the Democratic nominee in the state. While Harris never campaigned there after becoming the Democratic nominee in late July, Trump has made five visits in the past nine months, most recently on November 2.
The candidates primarily focused on key battleground states in the election, mainly Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Georgia, North Carolina, Arizona, and Nevada.
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