[3] In the general election on November 7, 2017, Northam defeated Republican Gillespie, winning by the largest margin for a Democrat since 1985.

[216] Polls tightened significantly in the last two weeks of the campaign with several showing the race tied or within the margin of error.

[217][218][219] Aggregate polls with Corey Stewart with Frank Wagner with Denver Riggleman with Rob Wittman with Ken Cuccinelli with Eric Cantor with Mark Herring with Ralph Northam Virginia election laws allow for unlimited campaign contributions in state and local elections.

According to the Virginia Public Access Project, Northam's top five donors were the Democratic Governors Association's super PAC DGA Action; Michael Bloomberg's Everytown for Gun Safety group; the Virginia League of Conservation Voters; Michael D. Bills; and the Laborers' International Union of North America.

Gillespie was unable to come back from the large margins in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. and Virginia Beach, and he conceded to Northam at 8:56 pm EST.

[284] Northam's wider than expected margin of victory is often attributed to Trump's unpopularity in Virginia and claims that Gillespie was using fear-mongering which repelled more voters than it obtained.