The Connection

Voters across Virginia will be headed to the polls Tuesday Nov. 7. Here’s a look at what’s on the ballot:

Race for Governor

Democrat Ralph Northam is a pediatric neurologist who was elected lieutenant governor in 2013, when he beat Republican E.W. Jackson. Before being elected to the statewide office, he represented the Eastern Shore in the Virginia state Senate. He’s also a veteran, serving as an Army doctor during Desert Storm.

On the campaign trail, Northam talks about a “G3 Program” for Virginia — a plan that would help people get a job, get skilled and give back. If elected, he says he would work to expand industry certification programs, community colleges and apprenticeship programs, an effort that would focus on high-school students who do not attend a four-year college or university. He says he would support a law to make salary information more transparent so women can fight discriminatory practices. And, he says, he would push to expand Medicaid.

Fundraising Total: $22.8 million

• $3 million from DGA Action
• $705,000 from Virginia League of Conservation Voters
• $566,000 from Michael Bills of Charlottesville, founder of Bluestem Asset Management
• $450,000 from Everytown for Gun Safety
• $400,000 from the Democratic Party of Virginia

Republican Ed Gillespie is a former chairman of the Republican National Committee who owns the firm Quinn Gillespie & Associates, a bipartisan lobbying firm he started with Jack Quinn.

On the campaign trail, Gillespie talks about cutting the individual tax rate by 10 percent — the first income tax rate since 1972. He wants to prohibit candidates from using money raised for one office to run for a different office, and he says he would extend the length of time administration officials must wait before they can lobby their prior office. If elected, he says he would identify $200 million in savings during the course of his administration by establishing a new Office of Innovation and Efficiency.

Fundraising Total: $14.8 million

• $4 million from A Stronger Virginia
• $1.1 million from Let’s Grow Virginia
• $1 million from the Republican Governors Association
• $200,000 from Dwight Schar of McLean, NVR Homes
• $133,000 from Jay Faison of Charlotte, N.C., of ClearPath Foundation

Libertarian Cliff Hyra is a patent attorney who was unopposed as the Libertarian candidate for governor when party leaders met for their convention in May.

On the campaign trail, Hyra talks about ending the business, professional and occupational licenses tax known as the BPOL. He also wants to end state occupational licensing requirements for cosmetologists, interior decorators and nail technicians. He also wants to privatize the state-owned liquor monopoly and avoid increases to the minimum wage. If elected, he says he would work to exempt the first $60,000 of household income from the state income tax.

Fundraising Total: $63,000

• $15,000 from Michael Chastain of Austin, Texas
• $1,000 from John Berresford of Arlington, Federal Communications Commission
• $1,000 from Don Bruckner of Albuquerque, N.M., Guebert Bruckner PC
• $1,000 from Darryl Kerkeslager of Richmond, Virginia Department of Corrections
• $1,000 from Carrie-Anne Mosley of Chantilly, Salesforce.com

Race for Lieutenant Governor

Democrat Justin Fairfax is a former federal prosecutor who also owns a dental practice with his wife. Earlier this year, he beat out two other Democrats were were also running in the Democratic primary: longtime Democratic operative Susan Platt and former federal prosecutor Gene Rossi.

On the campaign trail, Fairfax says he wants to increase the minimum wage and expand workforce training. He wants to implement a state-based loan restructuring program, and increase access to pre-kindergarten education. If elected, he says, he would support expanding Medicaid and eliminate gaps in mental health coverage.

Fundraising Total: $2.9 million

• $50,000 from Rose McElrath-Slade of McLean, Strategic Resources Inc.
• $35,00 from the National Education Association
• $35,000 from stockbroker Edward Hart Rice of Vienna
• $30,000 from Ivan Jecklin of Henrico, Weinstein Management Company
• $25,000 from Michael Bills of Charlottesville, founder of Bluestem Asset Management

Republican Jill Vogel is a state senator representing Upperville who was first elected in 2007 after the retirement of longtime Republican state Sen. Russ Potts (R-27). Earlier this year, she beat out two other Republicans who were also running in the Republican primary for lieutenant governor: Sen. Bryce Reeves (R-17) and Del. Glenn Davis (R-84).

On the campaign trail, Vogel says she wants to reduce regulations and the tax burden. During the last General Assembly session, she introduced a bill that would have banned all gifts to lawmakers and prohibited candidates from using campaign funds on personal expenditures. She also introduced an effort she calls the “repeal amendment” that would allow states to repeal federal laws and regulations.

Fundraising Total: $2.5 million

• $825,000 from the Republican State Leadership Committee
• $496,000 from William Holtzman of Holtzman Oil Corp
• $96,000 from Jill Vogel for Senate
• $35,000 from cigarette manufacture Altria
• $29,000 from Michael Smith of Middleburg, Valley Proteins Inc.

Race for Attorney General

Democrat Mark Herring is a former state senator from Loudoun who was elected attorney general in 2013, when he won a 165-vote margin of victory against Republican Mark Obenshain that led to a statewide recount. He has a master of arts in foreign affairs from the University of Virginia as well as a bachelor’s degree in foreign affairs and economics, also from UVA. He also received a law degree from the University of Richmond.

On the campaign trail, Herring says responding to the opioid crisis is one of his top priorities. As attorney general, he says he has prosecuted more than 75 cases against heroin dealers and traffickers involving more than 375 pounds of heroin and fentanyl. Herrings says he is also leading a project to eliminate Virginia’s backlog of more than 2,000 rape kits. Herring is also chairman of a task force to combat campus sexual violence, and he says he helped put hundreds of child predators behind bars through aggressive prosecutions and digital forensics work.

Fundraising Total: $6.2 million

• $1.5 million from the Democratic Attorneys General Association
• $813,000 from One Commonwealth PAC
• $300,000 from Everytown for Gun Safety
• $150,000 from Michael Bills of Charlottesville, founder of Bluestem Asset Management
• $116,000 from the Democratic Party of Virginia

Republican John Adams is a former Navy officer who served as an associate White House counsel under former President George W. Bush. He has a law degree from the University of Virginia, and an undergraduate degree from the Virginia Military Institute. He currently works as an attorney in private practice.

On the campaign trail, Adams says he would work as an advocate against spoofing — fighting phone scammers who impersonate the government, legitimate businesses or local telephone numbers. If elected, he says, he will leverage state resources to do “much, much more” than is currently being done to combat the opioid crisis. He says he would also support “tough but effective” law combatting drug dealing.

Fundraising Total: $3.4 million

• $2.9 million from Republican Attorneys General Association
• $225,000 from Republican Party of Virginia
• $100,000 from Bruce Gottwald of Richmond of Newmarket Corp
• $35,000 from Floyd Gottwald of Henrico of Newmarket Corp
• $27,5000 of William Goodwin Jr. of Richmond of CCA Industry