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Article snippet: Ed Gillespie has narrowly edged out Corey Stewart to clinch the Republican nomination for Virginia governor, according to The Washington Post, a photo finish to a race predicted to end in a wide victory for Gillespie. Gillespie's win marks a slim victory for the establishment wing of the GOP. Stewart had aligned himself strongly with President Trump, hoping to ride the populist wave that sent Trump to the White House in November. Gillespie ultimately took 43 percent of the vote, while Stewart came in a close second with 42 percent. Trailing far back in third was Frank Wagner, a Navy veteran and Virginia state senator without the national backing of Gillespie or the populist fervor of Stewart. Gillespie, a former chairman of the Republican National Committee, was expected to win the GOP primary by a wide margin – the result of Trump's growing disapproval and a signal that insurgent candidates could be losing political ground. Also driving the prediction of Gillespie's win was Stewart's embrace of Confederate symbols, which cost him the support of some longtime GOP allies and colleagues. The Trump-aligned candidate garnered attention in April when he got into an argument on Twitter with musician John Legend, among others, over the removal of Confederate monuments in New Orleans. Trump ultimately lost Virginia in the November presidential election, coming in with roughly 200,000 votes less than his Democratic challenger MORE won twice in the state. Gillespie's vic... Link to the full article to read more