Editing Douglas Wilder (section)

== Campaign for governor ==
{{Main|1989 Virginia gubernatorial election}}
In the 1989 campaign for governor of Virginia, Wilder had a comfortable lead in the last polls before the election. The unexpected closeness of the election may have been due to the Republicans' strong [[get out the vote]] efforts. Wilder had been candid about his [[pro-choice]] position in relation to [[abortion]]. Some observers believed the close election was caused by the [[Bradley effect]], and suggested that white voters were reluctant to tell pollsters that they did not intend to vote for Wilder.{{efn|Such an observation is common enough that the [[Bradley effect]] is sometimes called the "Wilder effect".<ref>Kevin Drum, [https://washingtonmonthly.com/2008/07/23/east-coast-bias-watch/ "East Coast Bias Watch"], washingtonmonthly.com, July 23, 2008. Retrieved July 10, 2021.</ref>}} Wilder was elected governor on November 8, 1989, defeating [[Republican Party of Virginia|Republican]] [[Marshall Coleman]] by a spread of less than half a [[percent]]. The narrow victory margin prompted a [[recount]], which reaffirmed Wilder's election.[[File:D.Wilder S.Senate poster.jpg|alt=wilder|thumb|Wilder state senate campaign poster, 1969]]