The 2001 Virginia gubernatorial election was held on November 6, 2001. Incumbent Republican governor Jim Gilmore was barred from seeking a second term; Democratic nominee Mark Warner, the 1996 Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate and former chair of the Democratic Party of Virginia, defeated Republican nominee Mark Earley, the attorney general of Virginia.

General election

Candidates

Campaign

Warner made a conscious effort to appeal to voters in rural Virginia, personified by his official campaign song, written by the Bluegrass Brothers. The song was considered an essential part of Warner's outreach to rural Virginia, with the lyrics emphasizing Warner's understanding of the culture of that part of the state.

Polling

Results

Results by county and city

Counties and Independent Cities that flipped from Republican to Democratic