Virginia Gov.-elect Robert F. McDonnell celebrates with Attorney General-elect Ken Cuccinelli and Lt. Gov.-elect Bill Bolling following his victory speech Tuesday night. The candidates' wins had been anticipated by polling in the week prior to the election, but the expansive margins each captured exceeded expectations considerably.
Jonathan Newton-The Washington Post
R. Creigh Deeds delivers his concession speech. "Just because we didn't get the right result tonight doesn't mean we get to go home and whine," Deeds said. "We've got to keep working and keep fighting."
Ricky Carioti-The Washington Post
Virginia Gov.-elect Robert F. McDonnell celebrates with his wife, Maureen, during his victory speech Tuesday night. McDonnell sought to bring Virginians back together following the sometimes contentious campaign and emphasized the challenges the commonwealth would face during his upcoming term.
Jonathan Newton-The Washington Post
R. Creigh Deeds exits the stage after delivering his concession speech. He charged into the general election after a surprising come-from-behind primary victory against better-known opponents and later profited from coverage of a staunchly conservative graduate school paper written by McDonnell. In both cases, the momentum evaporated.
Ricky Carioti-The Washington Post
Virginia Attorney General-elect Ken Cucchinelli holds a broom aloft at the Republicans' victory celebration. As the electoral picture looked increasingly rosy in the past week, Republicans began anticipating a sweep of the governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general races.
Jonathan Newton-The Washington Post
Virginia Gov. Timothy M. Kaine (D) and U.S. Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) deliver a speech to supporters before Creigh Deeds's concession speech Tuesday night at the Westin in Richmond. While it was a sad occasion for the Democrats, many of the speakers took upbeat tones.
Ricky Carioti-The Washington Post
Republican National Party Chairman Michael S. Steele welcomes the crowd to McDonnell's campaign party in Richmond. Earlier in the week, McDonnell introduced Steele as "my largest campaign contributor" -- and then, noting his 6-foot-4 frame, added "also my tallest."
Jonathan Newton-The Washington Post
Deeds delivers his concession speech. He was the first Democrat to lose a governor or U.S. Senate race in Virginia since 1997, and the margin neared 20 percentage points.
Ricky Carioti-The Washington Post
Virginia attorney general candidate Stephen Shannon gives his concession speech Tuesday night as his wife, Abby, stands nearby. Shannon pledged to continue in the public sector to pursue the priorities he campaigned on.
Ricky Carioti-The Washington Post
McDonnell hugs his father-in-law, Frank Gardner, in his hotel suite as he waits for election returns in Richmond. The numbers eventaully would show a margin of victory larger than President Obama's in Virginia in 2008.
Steve Helber-The Associated Press
McDonnell points to early election returns as he watches with his children -- Jeanine, second from left, Rachel, third from left, Bobby, Sean, and Cailin, right -- in his suite in Richmond.
Steve Helber-The Associated Press
Republican supporter Jay Davis,13, of Richmond, naps on the ballroom floor while waiting for his dad following the raucus GOP victory celebration Tuesday night.
Jonathan Newton-The Washington Post
Campaign volunteers found a creative way to display their candidates' literature outside the Barcraft Sport and Fitness Center in Arlington County.
Katherine Frey-The Washington Post
Deeds chats with a journalist before the election night party in Richmond, where Deeds eventually would give his spirited concession speech.
Ricky Carioti-The Washington Post
Deeds makes his rounds for interviews with the media before the election night party in Richmond.
Ricky Carioti-The Washington Post
A little after 3 p.m., District 67 Democratic State Del. Chuck Caputo (red tie) visits his headquarters, where volunteers man the phone banks and check on voter turnout from the precincts. He reminded everyone that there were just four hours left before the polls closed. Caputo was one of a handful of Democratic incumbents ousted Tuesday night, boosting the Republicans' House of Delegates majority in a year the Democrats had hoped to take control.
Tracy A Woodward-The Washington Post
Suzanne Pearson, 65, checks in with polling volunteers Kelly Omohundro and Jim Chow at the Rosslyn Fire Station voting place.
Katherine Frey-The Washington Post
Beth Echols, 85, left, and her husband, Pat Echols, 84, prepare to cast their votes at the Arleigh Burke Pavilion polling station in McLean on Tuesday.
Nikki Kahn-The Washington Post
Russ Ugone, election officer, watches as James Studer, 88, casts his vote at the Arleigh Burke Pavilion polling station in McLean.
Nikki Kahn-The Washington Post
Voters line up at Pimmit Hills High School 30 minutes before the polls closed. At the end of the night, Creigh Deeds appeared to become the first top-of-the-ticket Democrat to lose Fairfax County since Al Gore in 2000.
Richard A. Lipski-The Washington Post
Craig Perry, 32, of Arlington County has the Rosslyn Fire Station polling place all to himself as he casts his votes in Tuesday's election. Volunteers said that the turnout was light but steady.
Katherine Frey-The Washington Post
Afredo Enriquez of Falls Church votes as his 9-year-old daughter, Claudine Ann Enriquez, glances over his shoulder at Pimmit Hills High School an hour before the polls closed in Virginia.
Richard A. Lipski-The Washington Post
Deeds campaigns at a polling station in Charlottesville on Election Day. Polls showed Deeds trailing McDonnell at the start of the day.
Sarah L. Voisin-The Washington Post
Deeds talks to poll workers Stephanie Commander, left, and Leah Puryear of Charlottesville.
Sarah L. Voisin-The Washington Post
Virginia residents Ann Hamenway, left, commonwealth's attorney candidate Warner D. Chapman and his son Reuben Chapman meet Deeds at a polling site in McLean.
Sarah L. Voisin-The Washington Post
Deeds autographs a poster for Kim Simmons of Charlottesville as Reuben Chapman, 16, watches.
Sarah L. Voisin-The Washington Post
Election officer Karen Maude assembles voting papers for ManorCare nursing home resident Anna Marie Martinez, right, who just voted in the front seat of a car driven to Kenmore Middle School by volunteer John McIntire. Gloria Allen, drector of Activities at ManorCare , who stands behind Maude, assisted with driving residents to Kenmore Middle School to vote.
Gerald Martineau-The Washington Post
Voters check in at a registration table at Kenmore Middle School.
Gerald Martineau-The Washington Post
Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob McDonnell waves at supporters at Mount Vernon Precinct's Riverside Elementary School on Tuesday.
Nikki Kahn-The Washington Post
A supporter waits for McDonnell's arrival at Riverside Elementary School in Mount Vernon.
Nikki Kahn-The Washington Post
McDonnell greets poll worker Dolores Myers at Mount Vernon Precinct Riverside Elementary School in Mount Vernon. McDonnell has led every poll for the past several months and built up a large fundraising lead.
Nikki Kahn-The Washington Post
McDonnell and his daughter Jeanine visit supporters in Mount Vernon. McDonnell grew up in Alexandria, and while he wasn't expected to win the region, he was expected to perform better than recent GOP candidates.
Nikki Kahn-The Washington Post
McDonnell greets supporters at Mount Vernon Precinct Riverside Elementary School.
Nikki Kahn-The Washington Post
State Sen. R. Creigh Deeds checks in with poll workers before voting at the Millboro Ruritan Club in Bath County. Deeds struggled to take advantage of his win in the Democratic primary and trailed McDonnell in most polls leading up to Election Day.
Win Mcnamee-Getty Images
Election officers Dorothy Acosta (right) and Cheryl Davis (center) verify paperwork for voters in Vienna. McDonnell put more effort into Fairfax County than other recent Republican candidates for statewide office.
Gerald Martineau-The Washington Post
Kilmer Middle School Chief Election Officer David Burks wipes off a voting machine touch screen with an alcohol swab to combat the spread of germs.
Gerald Martineau-The Washington Post
McDonnell stands at a voting both at Rivers Edge Elementary School.
Mark Wilson-Getty Images
McDonnell gestures as he talks to reporters after voting at his polling place Tuesday.
Steve Helber-AP
Virginia attorney general candidate Steve Shannon (D) waits outside a voting location to greet voters.
Gerald Martineau-The Washington Post
District 67 Democratic State Del. Chuck Caputo hands out hand warmers to Girl Scouts outside Navy Elementary School in Fairfax. The scouts, Kelly Turner, left, and Katherine Hughes, both 11, were at the school selling baked goods. Caputo was greeting voters and hoping to hold off a strong challenge from Republican Jim LeMunyon.
Tracy A Woodward-The Washington Post
Voters cast their ballots at Navy Elementary School in Fairfax County.
Tracy A Woodward-The Washington Post
Sheila Hautbois and daughter Sylvie, 8, read the voting instructions as they stand in line to make their electronic ballot Tuesday morning at Navy Elementary School.
Tracy A Woodward-The Washington Post
Sean Kelly gives his son Ryan, 5, a lift in the voting booth at Navy Elementary School in Fairfax County.
Tracy A Woodward-The Washington Post
Voters and election officers verify residency prior to casting ballots at Arleigh Burke Pavillion in McLean.
Gerald Martineau-The Washington Post
Elizabeth Ende deposits her completed paper ballot into an optical scanner as children Jennie, 8, and Jessi, 17, observe.
Gerald Martineau-The Washington Post
Deeds casts his vote at the Millboro Ruritan Club in Millboro. He cast his ballot at 6:25 a.m. and was followed by his wife and three oldest kids. They were the 21st through 25th voters at the rural precinct.
Win Mcnamee-Getty Images
Deeds and his wife, Pam, leave the Millboro Ruritan Club after voting.
Win Mcnamee-Getty Images
Gallery Credits:
Producer, Photo Editor Stephen Cook, Dee Swann, Sam Funt
Text Editor Christopher Dean Hopkins
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