It’s official: Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli is the Republican nominee for governor.

Cuccinelli was the only Republican candidate to file for the GOP nomination by today’s 5 p.m. deadline, making him the party’s standard-bearer for the 2013 election.

Republicans will formally nominate their statewide ticket at a convention in May. There are seven GOP candidates for lieutenant governor and two for attorney general.

Cuccinelli’s path to the Republican nomination was cleared in late November when Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling exited the contest. Bolling had wanted the party to stick to its original plan for an open primary and concluded he could not get the nomination in a convention. Bolling has not ruled out running as an independent.

Former Democratic National Committee Chairman Terry McAuliffe of McLean is his  party’s presumptive  gubernatorial nomination. The Democrats will nominate their statewide ticket in a primary.

State Republican Chairman Pat Mullins called Cuccinelli “will continue the hard work Governor [Bob]McDonnell has started to grow our economy, reform our state government, and provide greater opportunities for all Virginians.”

The seven GOP candidates for lieutenant governor are: former state Sen. Jeannemarie Davis of Fairfax County, Bishop E.W. Jackson of Chesapeake, Del. Scott Lingamfelter of Prince William County, Sen. Steve Martin of Chesterfield County, businessman Pete Snyder of Fairfax County, Prince William County Board of Supervisors Chairman Corey Stewart, and Stafford County Supervisor Susan Stimpson.

Del. Rob Bell of Albemarle County and Sen. Mark Obenshain of Harrisonburg are the Republican candidates for attorney general.

– Michael Sluss