Virginia elects its statewide state officers in years following presidential elections. Virginia permits all qualified parties to decide for themselves whether to nominate by primary or convention. For the 2021 statewide offices, the Republican Party will nominate by convention. The decision was made on Saturday, December 5.
The Republicans used a primary for those offices in 2017, but a convention for those offices in 2013. Republicans haven’t won a gubernatorial general election in Virginia since 2009, when Robert McDonnell was elected.