Republican candidate Bob McDonnell secured an early lead in the polls last night, prompting The Associated Press to declare him the winner of the gubernatorial race against Creigh Deeds less than one hour after the polls officially closed. Photo by Bennett Sorbo.

RICHMOND, Va. — The Republican Party of Virginia made significant gains last night as voters elected Bob McDonnell as the commonwealth’s first Republican governor in eight years, selected University alumnus Ken Cuccinelli as attorney general and re-elected Lt. Governor Bill Bolling.

McDonnell secured an early lead in most regions of the state, prompting The Associated Press to declare him the victor at 7:55 p.m., within an hour of the polls closing.

“I’m humbled and honored by the honor you have given me tonight,” McDonnell said in his victory speech. “I am ready to go to work to serve you and help Virginia for the next four years.”

Several factors in the state’s political climate may have contributed to McDonnell’s win, said Isaac Wood, assistant communications director at the Center for Politics and a former Cavalier Daily columnist.

“In 2009, there were a lot of advantages for Republicans, who were much more energized,” Wood said. “McDonnell [had] a strong, unified campaign with a coherent message.”

While Virginia continued its recent trend of electing a governor from the party that lost the previous year’s presidential race, Wood said this does not mean that the election was simply a barometer of national politics.

Republican and University alumnus Ken Cuccinelli was elected attorney general. Photo by Bennett Sorbo.

“National Republicans will try to show that Obama’s shine has worn off and voters are willing to elect Republicans,” Wood said. “The truth is, though, that the two candidates played at least an equal role as the two parties.”

It is also true, Wood said, that Obama and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Creigh Deeds are not the same person, and they have differed on both policy issues and their decisions about how to run a campaign.

With the recession on voters’ minds throughout the state, the economy and jobs were “without question” the biggest issue in the election, Wood added. McDonnell’s attempts to portray himself as a “jobs governor” gave his campaign a focus that likely resonated with voters.

In fact, McDonnell seemed to have more success connecting with voters in general, especially the suburban voters who have become so important to Virginia elections, Wood said. This year’s overall lower voter turnout also seemed to favor McDonnell disproportionately.

“Creigh Deeds needed the Obama voters from 2008 to turn out at the polls and dedicate their time and energy for his campaign, and he wasn’t able to make that connection, and it cost him on election night,” Wood said.

Even the controversy about McDonnell’s graduate thesis — in which he negatively described women and seemed to disparage their potential contributions — may be seen as a missed opportunity for the Deeds campaign.

Lt. Governor Bill Bolling celebrated his reelection yesterday in Richmond. Photo by Bennett Sorbo.

“[Deeds] was never able to turn the negative against Bob McDonnell into a positive for himself and offer voters a compelling reason to cast a ballot for him,” Wood said.

In his concession speech, Deeds expressed gratitude for the opportunity he had been given to run for the commonwealth’s highest position.

“This journey through public service has been the adventure and highlight of my life,” he said, “and carrying the banner for governor has been the biggest honor I’ve ever had bestowed upon me.”

Virginia Democratic Party Chairman Dick Cranwell agreed that this election may be seen as a setback, but noted that it does not define any deep-seated political attitudes.

“Last year was one of the highest of the highs; this year is one of the lowest of the lows,” he said, “but to extrapolate long-term trends — it’s just not there.”

Democrats, moreover, hope to foster a spirit of bipartisanship as they work with the new administration, Cranwell said. Deeds himself emphasized this need to work together toward common goals, noting that the challenges of the past will not disappear simply because his party did not receive the outcome it wanted.

“Just because we didn’t get the right result tonight doesn’t mean we get to go home and whine,” Deeds said. “We’ve got to keep working and keep fighting, and I’m fighting.”

McDonnell, meanwhile, conveyed his enthusiasm for the two other Republican candidates who enjoyed success in last night’s statewide election. Both Cuccinelli and Bolling agreed that the results may signal what Bolling called “the dawn of a new day” in the commonwealth.

“We’re coming into office with a mandate from the people of Virginia to alter the course of change … and keep Virginia free from government control,” Cuccinelli said.

Former U.S. Senator and University alumnus George Allen expressed a similar sentiment, saying he expects Virginia to be a low-tax, business-friendly state and a source of creative transportation ideas.

Deeds emphasized, though, that Jody Wagner and Stephen Shannon — the Democratic candidates for lieutenant governor and attorney general, respectively — still have a role to play in the future, along with the greater Virginia Democratic Party.

“We lose an election but we don’t give up,” Deeds said. “We still have fight. We still have spirit. We still have things to say. There’s still people who need a voice; we’re going to give that voice.”

McDonnell, for his part, emphasized that there are issues that transcend party politics and said leading Virginia in the coming years will require innovation and cooperation.

“Creigh Deeds and I agreed we lived in a great state,” McDonnell said. “Deeds was a great public servant … I look forward to working with him for years to come as he serves in the Virginia Senate.”

—Bret Vollmer and Virginia Terwilliger contributed to this article.

Incumbents Robert Bell and David Toscano, who represent Charlottesville and Albermarle County in the Virginia House of Delegates for the Republican and Democratic Parties, respectively, maintained their seats in yesterday’s elections, defeating challengers by overwhelmingly large margins.

Bell won with 61.99 percent of the vote in the 58th district versus Democratic newcomer Cynthia Neff’s 37.95 percent. Toscano, meanwhile, beat out independent candidate Robert Brandon Smith with 72.78 percent of the vote in the 57th district.

Across the state, the Republican Party also defeated six Democratic incumbents to initiate a significant adjustment to the balance of power within the commonwealth. After yesterday’s elections, the House of Delegates is composed of 59 Republicans, 39 Democrats, 2 independents, and 2 vacant seats, giving the Republicans clear control of Virginia’s governing body opposite its Senate.

Issac Wood, assistant communications director for the University Center for Politics and a former Cavalier Daily columnist, attributed name recognition and constituent party loyalty to the local delegates’ landslide elections.

“Toscano’s [victory] was bound to be a landslide because Charlottesville is such a heavily Democratic area,” he said, adding that Smith spent little money on his bid for the delegate seat and was less recognizable in Charlottesville politics.

“Toscano [was a] former mayor and a popular public figure in Charlottesville and is also well known in the surrounding Albermarle area,” Wood said.

Bell, a member of the House of Delegates since 2002, celebrated his victory with fellow Albermarle County Republicans yesterday evening at their election party on Rio Road.

“We are sunburned. We are tired. Our fingers are all cramped up from stuffing envelopes, but we are victorious,” he said to the deafening cheers of his fellow party members.

Democrats, Wood said, previously thought they may have had a shot to unseat Bell, or at least to keep the election close despite Bell’s close community ties with constituents.

In this regard, Neff, was “fighting an uphill battle.” Although Neff’s campaign was well-funded, Wood noted that money alone cannot help a candidate compete with a household name.

“It takes a lot of money to even the playing field, and the clock ran out [for Neff] once the election came around,” he said.

Neff expressed disappointment at her loss but suggested that she would remain committed to Virginia politics in her concession speech.

“You don’t win by yourself and you don’t lose by yourself. We ran a fabulous campaign and we actually got people talking about some of the issues,” Neff said. “This is not the end.”

Wood noted that both local Democrats and Republicans think of Bell as a “nice guy,” despite differing opinions when it comes to policy. Toscano was not available for comment as of press time.

—Sarah Wooten contributed to this article.

The Republican Party had plenty to celebrate after the results for the Albemarle County elections came in last night, even though Democratic candidates won all City of Charlottesville races.

Republican Duane Snow won the Board of Supervisors position for the Samuel Miller District with 44.81 percent of the vote, according to the Virginia State Board of Elections.

“I know Snow. I think he is a very good businessman and we need a businessman to be in charge,” Albemarle County resident Ruth Pineo said. In the same race, Democrat R. Madison Cummings, Jr. received 39.61 percent of the vote, and independent John Lowry received 15.45 percent.

Republican Rodney Thomas of Albemarle County’s Rio District beat out incumbent David Slutzky for the Board of Supervisors position with 52.92 percent of the vote. Thomas attributed his win to those he worked with on his campaign.

“Now,” he said, “we can give Albemarle County back to Albemarle County citizens.”

Independent Dennis Rooker won in an unopposed race for the Board of Supervisors position for the Jack Jouett District. Independents Diantha McKeel and Eric Strucko ran unopposed for the school board positions in the Jack Jouett District and Samuel Miller District, respectively, while independent incumbent Pamela Moynihan won the Rio District school board position with 56.09 percent of the vote against independent Ned Gallaway.

Although Democrats found little to cheer about when the County-related elections were announced last night, they found the confines of Charlottesville much more to their liking. City Mayor Dave Norris of the Democratic Party was reelected to his seat on City Council in a race against independent Paul Long. After his reelection was announced, Norris immediately began highlighting his agenda for the coming term.

“The biggest item on our plate for the new Council starting in January will be to approve a new city budget,” he said.

In the race for the second available Council seat, Democrat Kristin Szakos beat out another independent candidate, Bob Fenwick.

“I’m, of course, really delighted about the victory,” she said. “I feel the decisive margin in my victory shows that people are really ready to hear the sort of things [the Democratic party is] talking about.”

Other Charlottesville elections also favored “Blue” candidates. Democrat James Brown won the City Sheriff position in a race against independent Paul Best. Brown, who garnered 61.49 percent of the vote, said he was very happy with the results of the election, adding that he will soon begin to prepare for his transition to his new role.

Democrat Jennifer Brown won the position of City Treasurer in an unopposed election. Independent Edmund Michie was elected to the Charlottesville School Board with 34.89 percent of the vote. He competed against fellow independent candidates Leah Puryear and Juandiego Wade.

Democrat Raymond Richards won the position of City Commissioner of Revenue in an unopposed election, while Democrat Warner Chapman also ran unopposed for the City’s Commonwealth’s Attorney position.

Albemarle County resident Betty Sevachko, who attended a local election celebration for the Republican party, said overall, she thought the Republican Party “ran a really good positive campaign,” which led to the party’s sweeping victory throughout the greater area. As a supporter of the opposite party, though, Norris said “the results in the county were not what I hoped for,” but noted that he was enthused to see Charlottesville itself remain almost entirely Democratic.

—Emily Poe contributed to this article.

University Democrats President Megan Durkee cast her vote yesterday. Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob McDonnell, however, ran away with the election, triumphing against Durkee’s favored party. Photo by Albin Oh.

The Republican Party’s gubernatorial victory in yesterday’s election came as little surprise to many University students, with some community members even expressing apathy or general lack of interest about the commonwealth’s latest political events.

University Democrats President Megan Durkee and College Republicans President Josh Lambert both said they expected yesterday’s results. “What surprised me the most,” Durkee said, “was that it was a sweep.” She attributed much of the Republicans’ success to “an overall sense of dissatisfaction” with current national Democratic leadership. “A lot of people thought things would magically change,” she said.

Lambert agreed with Durkee’s analysis. “There’s a lot going on in the national scene that Republicans aren’t that enthused about,” he said. He also attributed much of the Republican success to Virginia Democrats being “burnt out” from last year’s election. He also added plainly, “People weren’t that excited about Deeds.”

Durkee, however, said she expects the loss of such key positions at the top of the commonwealth’s government to motivate Virginia Democrats to move forward in and strengthen their efforts. “It will provide that fire for next year,” she said.

Lambert said the Republicans were filled with the passion Democrats were lacking at this year’s election. “We put our heart and soul into the race,” he said, adding that this helped push McDonnell and others to victory.

Regardless of whether their respective parties viewed yesterday’s results as positive or negative, both Durkee and Lambert agreed that overall increased voter apathy was a problem in this election, especially on Grounds. Several University students, for instance, declined to be interviewed about the election, citing a lack of knowledge about the candidates. One second-year student, who asked to remain anonymous, summarized many student’s sentiments about the race: “I just haven’t been paying attention to it.”

Other students may have been discouraged from voting by what they perceived to be a lack of relevance to their daily lives in Charlottesville.

“It didn’t seem so important to me on a personal level,” fourth-year College student David Galbraith said. Galbraith also noted that to vote in the election, he would have had to go through the hassle of re-registering, which he said would not have been worth the effort.

Not all students, though, were so apathetic about yesterday’s events. Fourth-year College Student Mary Carter, who cast her ballot for Deeds, took full advantage of her right to vote. She participated, she said, to be part of the “overall idea” of the election process and also because she could see “no good reason not to [vote].”

Despite the atypically high voter turnout in the 2008 presidential election, a much lower percentage of voters came out for election day yesterday. As of press time with 99.68 precincts reporting, only 39.82 percent of Virginia voters cast their ballots in the gubernatorial election, according to the Virginia State Board of Elections.

Only 1,973,868 of a total 4,955,755 voters participated in the gubernatorial race — “a miniscule number when you consider there were 3.7 million voters in the 2008 election,” said Isaac Wood, assistant communications director at the University Center for Politics and a former Cavalier Daily columnist. He added that generally one-third of Virginia voters in presidential elections choose not to participate in gubernatorial elections, and that, as such, yesterday’s voter turnout was even lower than usual.

Wood said this was likely because so many voters in 2008 were first-time voters, young voters or minority voters. Often, he explained, these groups are prone not to vote in off-year elections.

Still, Wood found it “surprising” that turnout was so low in this election, asserting that pre-election day poll results may have contributed to the decreased number of voters across the commonwealth. Because almost every poll placed Bob McDonnell in the lead by a double-digit margin, his supporters may not have felt the need to go out and vote, Wood said. Many Creigh Deeds supporters, meanwhile, may have seen the election as an inevitable loss and thus felt apathetic about casting their votes.

—compiled by Samantha Koon