FALLS CHURCH, VA – <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Glenn Youngkin, a political newcomer who campaigned as a conservative, Christian outsider,<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n bested a field of seven candidates to emerge as Virginia Republicans\u2019 nominee for governor, in a year when the GOP hopes to end a 12-year losing streak in statewide races.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mr. Youngkin defeated a hard-right contender in state Sen. Amanda Chase, who closely aligned herself with former President Trump, as well as an establishment candidate, former House Speaker Kirk Cox, who had more than 30 years of experience in government as well as the endorsements of former Govs. George Allen and Bob McDonnell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While Mr. Youngkin did not embrace former President Trump to the same extent as Sen. Chase, he spoke favorably of the former president during the campaign. He also made \u201celection integrity\u201d a top issue in his campaign, allowing him to appeal to Trump voters who still believe the 2020 election was stolen from him without having to invoke the former president\u2019s name directly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Republicans also chose former Delegate Winsome Sears as their candidate for lieuten- ant governor and Delegate Jason Miyares of Virginia Beach as their candidate for attorney general.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Twenty years ago, Ms. Sears became the first Black Republican woman elected to the Virginia General Assembly when she served a single term in the House of Delegates in 2001 representing a Hamp- ton Roads district. An immigrant from Jamaica, Marine Corps veteran and small business owner, Ms. Sears now resides in the Winchester area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In her campaign, she highlighted her more recent work as national chairperson for Black Americans to Re-Elect President Trump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ms. Sears beat five other candidates, including two \u2014 former Delegate Tim Hugo from Fairfax County and Virginia Beach Delegate Glenn Davis \u2014 who were far more active in recent GOP politics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Delegate Miyares, an at- torney in private practice, won against three other candidates: Leslie Haley, a law firm partner and elected official in Chester- field County; Chuck Smith, a former U.S. Navy JAG commander; and Jack White, a minister, Army veteran and former clerk for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito Jr.<\/p>\n\n\n\n More than 30,000 GOP delegates cast ballots last Saturday at what the state Republican Party called an \u201cunassembled convention\u201d to choose their nominees for November\u2019s contest. Delegates used \u201cranked- choice voting,\u201d in which they ranked the candidates from first choice to last on the ballots they submitted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n After winning the nomination in the sixth and final round of counting on Monday night, Mr. Youngkin passed the 50 percent threshold to win the nomination. He later received the endorsement of former President Trump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mr. Youngkin, a former CEO of The Carlyle Group investment firm, is making his first run for public office. He lent his campaign more than $5 million and spent more than any other candidate through March 31, according to data from the Virginia Public Ac- cess Project. He campaigned as a \u201cconservative Christian outsider\u201d and highlighted his business experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI am prepared to lead, excited to serve and profoundly humbled by the trust the people have placed in me,\u201d Mr. Youngkin said on Twitter. \u201cVirginians have made it clear that they are ready for a political outsider with proven business experience to bring real change in Richmond.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n In a statement late Monday, the Virginia Republican Party celebrated Mr. Youngkin\u2019s nomination, calling him a \u201chomegrown Virginian\u201d who had \u201cnothing handed to him.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cFrom his life experiences, Glenn has developed the skills and character to lead Virginia with humility and courage,\u201d party officials said. \u201cHe has the know-how to get Virginia moving again and rebuild it into the best place to live, work, and raise a family in America.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n GOP Chairman Rich Anderson said Mr. Youngkin ran a \u201cflawless campaign,\u201d adding that he looked forward to throwing \u201cthe full force of the Republican Party of Virginia behind him in the coming months.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The state Democratic Party painted a different picture, calling Mr. Youngkin a \u201cpro-Trump extremist.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThroughout this campaign, Youngkin has advanced Trump\u2019s dangerous elec- tion conspiracy theories, opposed critical COVID-19 relief for working families and small businesses, and threatened to gut Vir- ginians\u2019 health care,\u201d Virginia Democratic Party Chairwoman Susan Swecker said in a statement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Democrats will choose their nominee in a state-run primary June 8. Early voting in that primary already has begun. Former Gov. Terry McAuliffe is the front-runner in a field of five candidates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Virginia bars incumbent governors from seeking reelection, so Democratic Gov. Ralph S. Northam is barred from seeking a second term this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Virginia is the only state with an open-seat gubernatorial contest this year; the race is being closely scrutinized as an early signal of each party\u2019s political strength heading into the 2022 congressional elections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Republicans have not won a statewide race in Virginia since 2009. But Republicans have some hope of ending their drought this year. Since 1973, only once has the party controlling the White House gone on to win the governor\u2019s race in Virginia the next year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The GOP convention was open to Virginia voters who pre-registered as delegates. People who had voted in past Democratic primaries were allowed to participate if they renounced their earlier Democratic votes and promised to support the Republican nominees in November.<\/p>\n\n\n\n