Virginia voters will elect a new governor this November. Incumbent Gov. Ralph Northam (D) is term-limited, leaving the seat open. Three candidates—Terry McAuliffe (D), Glenn Youngkin (R), and Princess Blanding (Liberation)—will appear on the general election ballot. A fourth, Paul Davis (I), is running as a write-in candidate.

Youngkin, Blanding, and Davis have all completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey, which allows candidates to speak directly to Ballotpedia readers, describing who they are, why they are running, and what they would prioritize if elected.

One question asks candidates to list three key messages from their campaigns, the main points they want voters to remember about their goals. Here are a few responses:

1. Youngkin: “Virginia’s economy has stalled while neighboring states thrive. Virginia’s businesses are drowning in high costs and redtape . [sic] We need a governor with real-world experience who can create jobs, keep businesses from leaving, put an open-for-business sign on Virginia, and create a rip-roaring economy that lifts all Virginians.”
2. Blanding: “Empowering and supporting courageous leadership that will put people over profit and politics.”
3. Davis: “Stop Criminal Corrupt politicians and hold legislative bi partisan accountability”

Ballotpedia is seeking 100% participation among candidates in this race. To ask McAuliffe to complete the survey, tweet at his campaign account or send him an email.

An average of the five most recent polls in the race shows 48% of respondents favoring McAuliffe and 42% supporting Youngkin. Blanding, included in three of those polls, received support from 3% of respondents, on average. Davis has not been listed in a poll to date.

Democrats have won four of the last five gubernatorial elections and all thirteen statewide elections in Virginia since 2012. In 2019, Democrats won majorities in both the state House and Senate, creating a Democratic trifecta in the state for the first time since 1994. Most recently, Joe Biden (D) won the state in the 2020 presidential election, receiving 54% of the vote to Donald Trump’s (R) 44%.