Ed Gillespie won Virginia’s Republican primary election Tuesday night. Gillespie won 43.7 percent of the vote with 99 percent of precincts reporting, while opponents Corey Stewart and Frank Wagner won 42.5 percent and 13.7 percent, respectively. Gillespie won Charlottesville with 48.1 percent of the vote. He did not win Albemarle, however, which was won by Stewart who had 45.7 percent of the vote with all precincts reporting.
Adam Kimelman, a rising third-year College student and chair of the College Republicans, said the close race between Gillespie and Steward was unanticipated by some.
“There’s definitely a surprising result in the sense that a lot of people thought that there would be a higher margin,” Kimelman said. “There’s a really low [voter] turnout [for primaries] so sometimes it’s really hard to predict these things.”
Gillespie has a long history working in politics. He was chair of the Republican National Committee from 2003 to 2005 and was later counselor to President George W. Bush. Gillespie served as the general chairman of Bob McDonnell’s campaign for governor.
“I appreciate all the hard work of the thousands of Virginians across our Commonwealth who helped us win this primary, and I accept the Republican Party of Virginia’s nomination for governor of the great Commonwealth of Virginia,” Gillespie said in a statement. “I can’t wait to lead a unified ticket to victory in November and wage a campaign that makes us all proud!”
Gillespie was the Republican favorite to win the nomination. He was endorsed by former Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, Arizona Governor Doug Ducey, and Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), among others.
Gillespie came to the University to speak in January.
Jill Vogel won the Republican nomination for lieutenant governor. She had 42.7 percent of the vote with 99 percent of precincts reporting, which beat her opponents Bryce Reeves, who had 40 percent, and Glenn Davis, who had 17.3 percent.
“[Vogel] is one of the most determined people I’ve ever met,” Kimelman said. “When you’re face-to-face, you know that she means business.”
Vogel is a current state senator representing the 27th District.
There were no Republican primaries for the 57th District for the House of Delegates or for Charlottesville City Council.
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