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Politics in Virginia


Virginia Senate
The Virginia Senate in session, presided over by then-Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling. Roll mouse over this image to see the Virginia House of Delegates, just before then-Speaker William Howell called the session to order. Photo taken during a Central Virginia Community College field trip, Feb. 25, 2009.
Also see the camera Politics photo gallery.

Introduction

The political system in the Commonwealth of Virginia is unique in various ways. It is the only one of the fifty states in which cities are legally independent of the counties in which they are situated. Consequently, court districts and election returns are all "segregated" between the urban centers and the adjacent suburban/rural areas. It is is one of only four states (including Kentucky, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania) that are formally called "commonwealths," but the distinction in terminology has no real significance. Virginia is one of only three states that hold elections for state-wide offices and legislatures in odd-numbered years; Mississippi and New Jersey are the other two. (Kentucky and Louisiana also elect their governors in odd-numbered years, but elect their legislatures in even-numbered years.) Having state elections separate from federal elections tends to reduce voter turnout in the former, and it tends to separate state issues from national issues. Likewise, the staggered election cycle also blurs the ideological distinction between parties. Like most southern states, Virginia was solidly Democratic for most of its history, and then gradually shifted toward the Republican side from the 1950s until the early 2000s, when it began shifting back toward the Democratic side. Finally, Virginia has a remarkable independent streak and pride in its cultural heritage, often going against the grain of national trends, and this often yields odd results in the political scene. This page provides a geographical and historical background to help understand politics in Virginia.

NOTE: The above table will be updated in January 2024, when the new legislative branch officials are sworn in. ;


History of politics in Virginia, in brief

The first Constitution of the Commonwealth of Virginia was promulgated in , during the American Revolution. The first governor was Patrick Henry (1776-1779), followed by Thomas Jefferson (1779-1781). Until 1851, the governor of Virginia was elected by the state legislature, and from 1843 until 1851, governors served three-year terms. After that, the term was four years. Throughout Virginia history, governors have been prohibited from running for immediate reelection; the required time to wait has varied. During Reconstruction (1865-1873), the governor was essentially appointed by the Federal government. Since 1874, governors have been elected by the voters, and have served in an unbroken sequence of four-year terms.

The "Byrd Organization"

The election of Winchester publisher Harry F. Byrd in 1925 marked the onset of a new era in Virginia politics, one marked by pronounced conservatism in fiscal policy as well as social policy. Regarding the budget, Byrd was a fierce advocate for "pay as you go," meaning that borrowing for highways, educational infrastructure, etc. became very difficult. During the New Deal, Byrd (and his Virginia Democrats) became increasingly alienated from the national Democratic Party, but soft-pedaled the differences with President Roosevelt. But after World War II the tensions boiled over, and Byrd declined to endorse Truman for president in 1948. (Many Virginians voted for "Dixiecrat" Strom Thurmond.) In the 1950s, Byrd tacitly endorsed the Republican ticket led by Dwight Eisenhower, and later led the "Massive Resistance" movement seeking to block school desegregation imposed by the U.S. Supreme Court. This effort ultimately failed, and by the time Byrd died in 1965, his political agenda had already become obsolete.

Virginia electoral trends

Governors of Virginia since Harry F. Byrd

Modern-era election trends

The adjacent set of bar graphs illustrates the transformation from Virginia from a one-party state, especially in terms of state-level political offices, into a competitive two-party state. The shift was very gradual, and was manifested at the Federal level (presidential and congressional races) before it reached the state and local level. From 1876 through 1948, the Democratic candidate won in every presidential election in Virginia except for 1928, when Herbert Hoover beat Smith. From 1952 through 2004, in contrast, the Republican candidate won in every such election except for 1964, when Lyndon Johnson beat Barry Goldwater. With the exception of the 2010 midterm elections, the 2008 victory of Barack Obama was a clear sign that Virginia underwent a long-term shift back toward the Democratic side -- but with a distinct liberal emphasis in contrast to the historical pattern. In the 2018 elections, the Democrats achieved a net gain of three the seats in the House of Representatives, and their seven-to-four edge over the Republicans was the biggest since 1994. This balance remained the same in the 2020 elections.

NOTE: Because Virginia has a staggered election cycle, the years in the adjacent graphs refer to overlapping terms. State office terms begin in even-numbered years, so "1992" means the 1992-1993 term, resulting from the 1991 election. Federal office terms begin in odd-numbered years, so "1991" means the 1991-1992 term, resulting from the 1990 election.



Maps of districts and election results

Use the scrolling menus arranged in the four groups below to see different map versions. Roll your mouse over the links below to see different map versions. (NOTE: 2000-2004 and 2008-2012 shift maps forthcoming.)

PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS CONGRESSIONAL ELECTIONS CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS CITIES & COUNTIES / POPULATION
2000 president 2004 president 2004-2008 shift 2008 president 2012 president 2016 president 2020 president
2000 Congress   2002 Congress 2004 Congress   2006 Congress 2008 Congress   2010 Congress 2012 Congress 2014 Congress 2016 Congress 2018 Congress 2020 Congress
1992 cong. dist. 2002 cong. dist. { my proposal } 2012 cong. dist. 2016 cong. dist.* 2022 cong. dist.** County names City names Population (data) Population (dots)

* In January 2016, a Federal court ordered that the lines between the 3rd District and the four adjacent districts be redrawn, after finding that the existing lines had been racially gerrymandered.
** After the new Redistricting Commission failed to reach an agreement in September 2022, the new district lines were drawn by two Special Masters appointed by the Virginia Supreme Court.

Virginia congressional elections 2022 Virginia counties names


Federal office holders

Year
term
began
U.S.
Senator
U.S.
Senator
House 1st Dist. House 2nd Dist. House 3rd Dist. House 4th Dist. House 5th Dist. House
6th Dist.
House 7th Dist. House 8th Dist. House 9th Dist. House 10th Dist. House 11th Dist.
1965 Robertson Byrd, Sr./Jr.@ Downing Hardy Satterfield Abbitt Tuck Poff Marsh Smith Jennings Broyhill
1967 Spong Byrd, Jr. @ Downing Hardy Satterfield Abbitt W. Daniel Poff Marsh Scott Wampler Broyhill
1969 Downing Whitehurst Satterfield Abbitt W. Daniel Poff Marsh Scott Wampler Broyhill
1971 Byrd, Jr. Downing Whitehurst Satterfield Abbitt W. Daniel Poff Robinson Scott Wampler Broyhill
® 1973 ® Scott Downing Whitehurst Satterfield R. Daniel W. Daniel Butler Robinson Parris Wampler Broyhill
1975 Downing Whitehurst Satterfield R. Daniel W. Daniel Butler Robinson Harris Wampler Fisher
1977 Byrd, Jr. Trible Whitehurst Satterfield R. Daniel W. Daniel Butler Robinson Harris Wampler Fisher
1979 J. Warner Trible Whitehurst Satterfield R. Daniel W. Daniel Butler Robinson Harris Wampler Fisher
1981 Trible Whitehurst Bliley & R. Daniel W. Daniel Butler Robinson Parris Wampler Wolf
® 1983 ® Trible Bateman & Whitehurst Bliley Sisisky W. Daniel Olin Robinson Parris Boucher Wolf
1985 J. Warner Bateman Whitehurst Bliley Sisisky W. Daniel Olin Slaughter Parris Boucher Wolf
1987 Bateman Pickett Bliley Sisisky W. Daniel # Olin Slaughter Parris Boucher Wolf
1989 Robb Bateman Pickett Bliley Sisisky Payne Olin Slaughter Parris Boucher Wolf
1991 J. Warner Bateman Pickett Bliley Sisisky Payne Olin Sla. / Allen Moran Boucher Wolf
® 1993 ® Bateman Pickett Scott Sisisky Payne Goodlatte Bliley Moran Boucher Wolf L. Byrne
1995 Robb Bateman Pickett Scott Sisisky Payne Goodlatte Bliley Moran Boucher Wolf T. Davis
1997 J. Warner Bateman Pickett Scott Sisisky Goode Goodlatte Bliley Moran Boucher Wolf T. Davis
1999 Bateman Pickett Scott Sisisky Goode Goodlatte Bliley Moran Boucher Wolf T. Davis
2001 Allen J. Davis Schrock Scott Forbes Goode Goodlatte Cantor Moran Boucher Wolf T. Davis
® 2003 ® J. Warner J. Davis Schrock Scott Forbes Goode & Goodlatte Cantor Moran Boucher Wolf T. Davis
2005 J. Davis Drake Scott Forbes Goode Goodlatte Cantor Moran Boucher Wolf T. Davis
2007 Webb J. Davis # Drake Scott Forbes Goode Goodlatte Cantor Moran Boucher Wolf T. Davis
2009 M. Warner Wittman Nye Scott Forbes Perriello Goodlatte Cantor Moran Boucher Wolf Connolly
2011 Wittman Rigell Scott Forbes Hurt Goodlatte Cantor Moran Griffith Wolf Connolly
® 2013 ® Kaine Wittman Rigell Scott Forbes Hurt Goodlatte Cantor Moran Griffith Wolf Connolly
2015 M. Warner Wittman Rigell Scott Forbes Hurt Goodlatte Brat Beyer Griffith Comstock Connolly
® 2017 ® Wittman Taylor Scott McEachin Garrett Goodlatte Brat Beyer Griffith Comstock Connolly
2019 Kaine Wittman Luria Scott McEachin Riggleman Cline Spanberger Beyer Griffith Wexton Connolly
2021 M. Warner Wittman Luria Scott McEachin # Good Cline Spanberger Beyer Griffith Wexton Connolly
@ 2023 @ Wittman Kiggans Scott McClellan (!) Good Cline Spanberger Beyer Griffith Wexton Connolly
Year
term
began
U.S.
Senator
U.S.
Senator
House 1st Dist. House 2nd Dist. House 3rd Dist. House 4th Dist. House 5th Dist. House
6th Dist.
House 7th Dist. House 8th Dist. House 9th Dist. House 10th Dist. House 11th Dist.

NOTES:
#: Died before term ended. Donald McEachin died a few weeks after being reelected in Nov. 2022;
(!) Jennifer McClellan won a special election to fill that vacancy in February 2023.
@: Sen. Harry F. Byrd Sr. retired due to ill health in Nov. 1965, and his son was appointed by Gov. Harrison to replace him. The elder Byrd died in Oct. 1966 just before his son won a special election to fill the rest of that Senate term.
&: Republicans who were formerly Democrats
®: redistricting (normally every ten years; court-ordered change took effect in 2016 elections)

SOURCES: Larry Sabato, Virginia Votes (various years); Frank Atkinson, Dynamic Dominion; Virginia Dept. of Elections


State office holders

Year
term
began
Governor Lieutenant Governor Attorney General State Senate
(number of seats)
House of Delegates
(number of seats)
Dem. GOP Indep. Dem. GOP Indep.
1966 Godwin Pollard Button 36 4 0 87 12 1
1968 34 6 0 85 14 1
1970 Holton Reynolds * Miller 33 7 0 75 24 1
1972 Howell 73 24 3
1974 Godwin Dalton Miller * 34 6 0 65 20 15
1976 35 5 0 78 17 5
1978 Dalton Robb Coleman 34 6 0 76 21 3
1980 31 9 0 74 25 1
1982 Robb Davis Baliles * 66 33 1
1984 32 8 0 65 34 1
1986 Baliles Wilder Terry 65 33 2
1988 30 10 0 64 35 1
1990 Wilder Beyer Terry * 59 39 2
1992 22 18 0 58 41 1
1994 Allen Beyer Gilmore * 52 47 1
1996 20 20 0 53 46 1
1998 Gilmore Hager Earley * 50 49 1
2000 19 21 0 47 52 1
2002 M. Warner Kaine Kilgore * 34 64 2
2004 16 24 0 37 61 2
2006 Kaine Bolling McDonnell * 40 57 3
2008 21 19 0 44 54 2
2010 McDonnell Bolling Cuccinelli 22 18 0 39 59 2
2012 20 20 0 32 67 1
2014 # McAuliffe Northam Herring 20 19 20 21 0 32 31 68 0 1
2016 19 21 0 34 66 0
2018 Northam Fairfax Herring 49 51 0
2020 21 19 0 55 45 0
2022 Youngkin Sears Miyares 48 52 0
2024 21 19 0 51 49 0
Year
term
began
Governor Lieutenant Governor Attorney General Dem. GOP Indep. Dem. GOP Indep.
State Senate
(number of seats)
House of Delegates
(number of seats)

NOTES: * (asterisk): Died or resigned before term ended to run for governor. Marshall Coleman remained as attorney general while running for governor in the fall of 1981, as did Ken Cuccinelli in 2013. Both lost. Numbers pertain to the beginning of the term and do not account for legislators who switched parties or who were replaced by members of the other party due to resignation or death. 2023 election results became finalized on December 20.

Orange background / bold face indicates majority party in each chamber of the state legislature.

# State Senator Phil Puckett (D) resigned in June 2014, and a Republican won the special election to fill the vacancy, giving the Republicans a 21-19 majority in that chamber. In late 2014, Delegate Joe Morrissey was convicted of a morals crime, resigned his seat, and then won a special election in January, running as an independent. He later returned to the Democratic ranks in the House of Delegates.

SOURCES: Larry Sabato, Virginia Votes (various years); Frank Atkinson, Dynamic Dominion; National Conference of State Legislatures; Virginia Dept. of Elections


Presidential election results (state & local)

Year Democrats Republicans Independents
Presidential &
Vice-Pres. candidates
Virginia Staunton Waynes- boro Augusta County Presidential &
Vice-Pres. candidates
Virginia Staunton Waynes- boro Augusta County Presid. candidate Virginia
1968 Humphrey / Muskie 32.5% % % % Nixon / Agnew 43.4% % % % Wallace 23.6%
1972 McGovern / Shriver 30.1% % % % Nixon / Agnew 67.8% % % % . %
1976 Carter / Mondale 48.0% 37.5% 37.3% 38.3% Ford / Dole 49.3% 59.5% 59.6% 57.5% . %
1980 Carter / Mondale 40.3% 33.5% 32.0% 30.3% Reagan / Bush Sr. 53.0% 60.8% 61.4% 64.3% Anderson 5.1%
1984 Mondale / Ferraro 37.1% 24.5% 26.0% 20.2% Reagan / Bush Sr. 62.3% 74.9% 73.2% 79.2% . %
1988 Dukakis / Bentsen 39.2% 29.5% 30.6% 23.6% Bush Sr. / Quayle 59.7% 69.3% 68.7% 75.1% . %
1992 B. Clinton / Gore 40.6% 30.9% 32.2% 23.7% Bush Sr. / Quayle 45.0% 54.0% 52.6% 59.0% Perot 13.6%
1996 B. Clinton / Gore 45.1% 37.5% 36.5% 27.0% Dole / Kemp 47.1% 53.7% 52.7% 60.9% Perot 6.6%
2000 Gore / Lieberman 44.4% 39.0% 38.4% 26.3% Bush Jr. / Cheney 52.5% 57.3% 57.5% 70.2% Nader 2.2%
2004 Kerry / Edwards 45.5% 39.0% 35.1% 23.6% Bush Jr. / Cheney 53.7% 60.3% 64.0% 74.4% . %
2008 Obama / Biden 52.6% 50.6% 44.1% 29.5% McCain / Palin 46.4% 48.4% 54.3% 69.3% . %
2012 Obama / Biden 51.2% 51.1% 43.7% 28.1% Romney / Ryan 47.3% 47.0% 54.5% 70.2% . 1.5%
2016 H. Clinton / Kaine 49.8% 47.4% 40.9% 22.5% Trump / Pence 44.4% 45.6% 52.2% 72.0% Johnson 3.0%
2020 Biden / Harris 54.1% 53.7% 46.3% 25.6% Trump / Pence 44.0% 43.8% 51.4% 72.7% Jorgenson 1.5%

NOTE: Orange background indicates national winners. Bold face indicates winners in Virginia. Also see the Presidency page.

SOURCES: