Trump throws GOP candidate Ed Gillespie under the bus following his Virginia election loss

Julia Rendleman/Reuters

Ed Gillespie.

• Virginia is projected to elect Democrat Ralph Northam as governor.
• President Donald Trump sent out a sour tweet following GOP nominee Ed Gillespie's loss.

As Democrat Ralph Northam braced for his projected win as governor of Virginia, President Donald Trump sent out a tweet reacting to the projected loss of Republican candidate Ed Gillespie.

"Ed Gillespie worked hard but did not embrace me or what I stand for," Trump tweeted Tuesday night, using Twitter's new 280-character limit.

"Don't forget, Republicans won 4 out of 4 House seats, and with the economy doing record numbers, we will continue to win, even bigger than before!"

Trump had tweeted in support of Gillespie in the days leading up to the election.

"The state of Virginia economy, under Democrat rule, has been terrible," the president tweeted Monday. "If you vote Ed Gillespie tomorrow, it will come roaring back!"

Trump also denounced Northram, who received wide support from former President Barack Obama and former Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, in recent days.

"Ralph Northam will allow crime to be rampant in Virginia. He's weak on crime, weak on our GREAT VETS, Anti-Second Amendment and has been horrible on Virginia economy," Trump said in a pair of tweets Tuesday morning.

In Virginia, a critical battleground state that Clinton won in the 2016 US presidential election, initial exit polls reportedly show voters there gave Trump a 43% approval rating.