United States gubernatorial elections, 2017

United States gubernatorial elections, 2017
United States
November 7, 2017
2 governorships

Light red: Term-limited Republican
Light blue: Term-limited Democrat

The United States gubernatorial elections of 2017 will be held on November 7, 2017, in the states of New Jersey and Virginia.

Race summary

State Incumbent Party First elected Incumbent status Candidates
New Jersey Chris Christie Republican 2009 Term-limited
Virginia Terry McAuliffe Democratic 2013 Term-limited

Term-limited Democratic incumbent

Terry McAuliffe (Virginia)

Governor Terry McAuliffe won election with 48% of the vote in 2013.[1] McAuliffe is term-limited in 2017. Virginia is the only state that prohibits its Governor from serving immediate successive terms.

Potential Democratic candidates include Lieutenant Governor Ralph Northam and Attorney General Mark Herring.[2][3] U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, both former Governors, might run.

State Senator Frank Wagner has confirmed that he plans to run for governor.[4] Other potential Republican candidates include former Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling, former U.S. Representative and former House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, former Attorney General of Virginia and 2013 nominee Ken Cuccinelli, U.S. Representative Randy Forbes, State Senator and 2013 Attorney General nominee Mark Obenshain, and 2013 Lieutenant Governor candidate Pete Snyder.[2][5][6][7][8] Former Republican National Committee Chairman and 2014 U.S. Senate nominee Ed Gillespie had been speculated to run due to his near upset defeat of the very popular Warner,[9] but he has said that he has no interest in doing so.[10]

Term-limited Republican incumbent

Chris Christie (New Jersey)

Governor Chris Christie was re-elected to a second term with 60.4% of the vote in 2013.[1] Christie is term-limited in 2017. He may run for president in 2016.[11] If Christie were to vacate his office, Lieutenant Governor Kim Guadagno would succeed Christie, but a special election would be held if Christie resigned more than 60 days before the next election.[12]

Republican Evesham Township Mayor Randy Brown successfully ran for re-election in 2014 and stated that he plans to run for Governor.[13] Potential Republican candidates include Guadagno,[14] former Bogota Mayor Steve Lonegan, former Attorney General and former U.S Senator Jeffrey Chiesa, Fox News personality Geraldo Rivera and state legislators Thomas Kean, Jr., Sean T. Kean, Jon Bramnick, Joe Kyrillos, Michael J. Doherty and Jay Webber.[15][16]

Montclair Deputy Mayor Robert Russo, a Democrat, announced in June 2014 that he would forgo re-election in 2016 in order to run for Governor.[17] Potential Democratic candidates include 2013 nominee and State Senator Barbara Buono, U.S. Senator Cory Booker, U.S. Representatives Rush Holt and Frank Pallone, businessman and former United States Ambassador to Germany Philip D. Murphy, Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop, Essex County Executive Joe DiVincenzo, former Governor Richard Codey and state legislators Stephen M. Sweeney, Sheila Oliver, Louis Greenwald, Jim Whelan, Troy Singleton, Linda R. Greenstein, John Wisniewski and John F. McKeon.[15][18][19][20]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Election 2013". The New York Times. November 6, 2013.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Winners/Losers: The 2013 Virginia elections". Augusta Free Press. 6 November 2013. Retrieved 3 April 2014.
  3. ↑ Ballhaus, Rebecca (18 December 2013). "Republican Obenshain Concedes Virginia AG Race". Retrieved 3 April 2014.
  4. ↑ Fain, Travis (December 8, 2014). "Fredericks: Frank Wagner running for governor". Daily Press. Retrieved December 5, 2014.
  5. ↑ Fredericks, John (January 21, 2014). "Forbes Eyes 2017 Gov. Bid". The John Fredericks Show. Retrieved April 10, 2014.
  6. ↑ Pershing, Ben (9 January 2014). "In Virginia, Republican Ed Gillespie plans run for Democrat Mark Warner’s Senate seat". Washington Post. Retrieved 3 April 2014.
  7. ↑ Stuart, Bob (19 December 2013). "Obenshain defeat not an end to future aspirations". The Daily Progress. Retrieved 3 April 2014.
  8. ↑ Cain, Andrew (December 8, 2014). "Gillespie says he's not interested in running for governor". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved November 10, 2014.
  9. ↑ "Ed Gillespie emerges as leading candidate for VA governor after Tuesday performance". The Washington Times. November 5, 2014. Retrieved November 7, 2014.
  10. ↑ "Ed Gillespie: No plan to run for Virginia governor". Politico. November 7, 2014. Retrieved November 11, 2014.
  11. ↑ Rubin, Jennifer (1 May 2013). "Christie will cruise to reelection. Then what?". The Washington Post. Retrieved 23 May 2013.
  12. ↑ Amick, George (10 February 2014). "Amick: Kim Guadagno, somebody to keep the chair warm". The Times of Trenton. Retrieved 3 April 2014.
  13. ↑ "Sources: Brown to get through November election - then run for governor". PolitickerNJ. August 5, 2014. Retrieved September 15, 2014.
  14. ↑ Michael Catalini (February 1, 2015). "Assembly Republicans meeting in AC to plan 2015 campaign". SFGate. Retrieved February 4, 2015.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Pizarro, Max (12 February 2013). "The 2017 Gubernatorial Sweepstakes". PolitickerNJ. Retrieved 3 April 2014.
  16. ↑ "Is Christie grooming Jon Bramnick to be his successor in N.J.? The Auditor". nj.com. November 5, 2014. Retrieved November 11, 2014.
  17. ↑ "Montclair deputy mayor to explore gubernatorial bid". PolitickerNJ. 18 June 2014. Retrieved 2 September 2014.
  18. ↑ Matt Friedman (May 22, 2014). "Former ambassador to Germany seriously considers bid for NJ governor". nj.com. Retrieved May 21, 2014.
  19. ↑ "Rush Holt for N.J. governor? He's not ruling it out: The Auditor". nj.com. September 7, 2014. Retrieved September 19, 2014.
  20. ↑ "Former ambassador who wants to run for N.J. governor spent big on 2014 elections: The Auditor". nj.com. November 10, 2014. Retrieved November 11, 2014.