Virginia's 7th congressional district

Virginia's 7th congressional district
Map
Interactive map of district boundaries since 2023
Representative
Area3,117.9 sq mi (8,075 km2)
Distribution
  • 73.1% urban[1]
  • 26.9% rural
Population (2023)814,164[2]
Median household
income		$109,348[3]
Ethnicity
Cook PVID+1[4]
Virginia's 7th congressional district from January 3, 2023

Virginia's seventh congressional district is a United States congressional district in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The district is currently represented by Democrat Eugene Vindman since January 3, 2025.

The district spans across much of Central and Northern Virginia including all of Orange, Culpeper, Spotsylvania, Greene County, Madison County, Fredericksburg, Caroline County, King George County, Stafford County, the south-eastern half of Prince William County, and a small sliver of Albemarle County.

History

[edit]

Until the 1970s, the 7th district comprised the northern half of the Shenandoah Valley, now part of the strongly Republican sixth district. After the 1970 census, it lost most of the Valley except for Winchester, while picking up Manassas and Fredericksburg, thus stretching from the fringes of the Washington, D.C. suburbs to Charlottesville. This iteration of the 7th was one of the first areas of Virginia to shake off its Solid South roots. The area's Democrats started splitting their tickets as early as the 1930s. The Republicans took the seat in 1970, and held it without much difficulty until 1993.

The district's current configuration dates from 1993, when Virginia was forced to create a majority-minority district by a Justice Department directive. At that time, most of Richmond, which had been entirely in the old 3rd district for over a century, was shifted to a newly created 3rd district. The remaining territory in the old 3rd was combined with some more rural areas to the north to form the new 7th district.

From 2013 to 2017, the 7th district stretched from the west end of Richmond through the wealthier portions of Henrico and Chesterfield counties before taking in all of Goochland, Hanover, Louisa, New Kent, Orange, Culpeper, Page and Rappahannock counties and a portion of Spotsylvania County. In 2016, the adjacent 3rd district was found unconstitutional, leading to court-ordered redistricting which changed the 7th district for the 2016 elections.[5][6]

From 2017 to 2023, the district spanned across much of Central Virginia including all of Orange, Culpeper, Goochland, Louisa, Nottoway, Amelia, and Powhatan counties. The district also included large portions of Chesterfield and Henrico counties in the suburbs of Richmond. However, Richmond was not in the 7th. Spotsylvania County also had a large portion in the 7th district just outside of Fredericksburg.[7]

Demographics

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According to the United States Census Bureau's 2017 data for Virginia's 7th Congressional District, the total population of the district is 790,084. Median age for the district is 39.7 years. 65.5% of the district is Non-Hispanic White, 18.4% Black, 5.1% Asian, 0.3% Native American or Alaskan, and 3.4% some other race with 7.3% Hispanic or Latino. Owner-occupied housing is 73.0% and renter-occupied housing is 27.0%.[8] The median value of single-family owner-occupied homes is $266,500. 91.6% of the district population has at least a high school diploma, 40.4% at least a bachelor's degree or higher. 9.1% of the district are civilian veterans. 9.1% are foreign born and 11.9% speak a language other than English at home. 9.9% are of disability status.[9] 68.2% of the district is in the labor force, which consists of those 16 years and older. Mean travel time to work is 29.3 minutes. Median household income is $77,533. Per capita income is $37,567. 5.3% of the population account for families living below the poverty level, and 7.7% of individuals live below the poverty level.[10] 9.5% of Children live below the poverty line.[11]

Recent election results

[edit]

2000s

[edit]
2000 Virginia's 7th congressional district election[12]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Eric Cantor 192,652 66.9
Democratic Warren Stewart 94,935 33.0
Write-ins 304 0.1
Total votes 287,891 100.00
2002 Virginia's 7th congressional district election[13]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Eric Cantor (incumbent) 113,658 69.4
Democratic Ben Jones 49,854 30.5
Write-ins 153 0.1
Total votes 163,665 100.00
2004 Virginia's 7th congressional district election[14]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Eric Cantor (incumbent) 230,765 75.5
Independent Ben Jones 74,325 24.3
Write-ins 568 0.2
Total votes 305,658 100.00
2006 Virginia's 7th congressional district election[15]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Eric Cantor (incumbent) 163,706 63.8
Democratic James Nachman 88,206 34.4
Independent Brad Blanton 4,213 1.6
Write-ins 272 0.1
Total votes 256,397 100.00
2008 Virginia's 7th congressional district election[16]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Eric Cantor (incumbent) 233,531 62.7
Democratic Anita Hartke 138,123 37.1
Write-ins 683 0.2
Total votes 372,337 100.00

2010s

[edit]
2010 Virginia's 7th congressional district election[17]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Eric Cantor (incumbent) 138,209 59.2
Democratic Rick Waugh 79,616 34.1
Green Floyd Bayne 15,164 6.5
Write-ins 413 0.2
Total votes 233,402 100.00
2012 Virginia's 7th congressional district election[18]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Eric Cantor (incumbent) 222,983 58.4
Democratic Wayne Powell 158,012 41.4
Write-ins 914 0.2
Total votes 381,909 100.00
2014 Virginia's 7th congressional district election[19]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican David Brat 148,026 60.8
Democratic Jack Trammell 89,914 36.9
Libertarian James Carr 5,086 2.1
Write-ins 325 0.1
Total votes 243,351 100.00
2016 Virginia's 7th congressional district election[20]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican David Brat (incumbent) 218,057 57.5
Democratic Eileen Bedell 160,159 42.2
Write-ins 947 0.2
Total votes 379,163 100.00
2018 Virginia's 7th congressional district election[21]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Abigail Spanberger 176,079 50.3
Republican David Brat (incumbent) 169,295 48.4
Libertarian Joe Walton 4,216 1.2
Write-ins 213 0.1
Total votes 349,831 100.00

2020s

[edit]
2020 Virginia's 7th congressional district election[22]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Abigail Spanberger (incumbent) 230,893 50.8
Republican Nick Freitas 222,623 49.0
Write-ins 823 0.2
Total votes 454,339 100.00
2022 Virginia's 7th congressional district election[23]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Abigail Spanberger (incumbent) 143,357 52.2
Republican Yesli Vega 130,586 47.6
Write-ins 647 0.2
Total votes 274,590 100.00
2024 Virginia's 7th congressional district election[24]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Eugene Vindman 203,336 51.18
Republican Derrick Anderson 192,847 48.54
Write-ins 1,116 0.28
Total votes 397,299 100.00

Recent election results from statewide races

[edit]
Year Office Results[25][26]
2008 President Obama 52% - 47%
2012 President Obama 52% - 48%
2016 President Clinton 48% - 46%
2017 Governor Northam 52% - 47%
Lt. Governor Fairfax 51% - 48%
Attorney General Herring 52% - 48%
2018 Senate Kaine 56% - 42%
2020 President Biden 52% - 46%
Senate Warner 54% - 46%
2021 Governor Youngkin 52% - 47%
Lt. Governor Sears 52% - 48%
Attorney General Miyares 52% - 48%
2024 President Harris 50% - 47%
Senate Kaine 53% - 46%

List of members representing the district

[edit]
Representative Party Term Cong
ress 		Electoral history
District established March 4, 1789

John Page
(Gloucester County) 		Anti-Administration March 4, 1789 –
March 3, 1793 		1st
2nd 		Elected in 1789.
Re-elected in 1790.
Redistricted to the 12th district.

Abraham B. Venable
(Farmville) 		Anti-Administration March 4, 1793 –
March 3, 1795 		3rd
4th
5th 		Redistricted from the 6th district and re-elected in 1793.
Re-elected in 1795.
Re-elected in 1797.
Retired.
Democratic-Republican March 4, 1795 –
March 3, 1799

John Randolph
(Roanoke Plantation) 		Democratic-Republican March 4, 1799 –
March 3, 1803 		6th
7th 		Elected in 1799.
Re-elected in 1801.
Redistricted to the 15th district.
Joseph Lewis Jr.
(Upperville) 		Federalist March 4, 1803 –
March 3, 1813 		8th
9th
10th
11th
12th 		Elected in 1803.
Re-elected in 1805.
Re-elected in 1807.
Re-elected in 1809.
Re-elected in 1811.
Redistricted to the 8th district.
Hugh Caperton
(Union) 		Federalist March 4, 1813 –
March 3, 1815 		13th Elected in 1813.
Lost re-election.
Ballard Smith
(Lewisburg) 		Democratic-Republican March 4, 1815 –
March 3, 1821 		14th
15th
16th 		Elected in 1815.
Re-elected in 1817.
Re-elected in 1819.
Lost re-election.
William Smith
(Lewisburg) 		Democratic-Republican March 4, 1821 –
March 3, 1823 		17th Elected in 1821.
Redistricted to the 21st district.
Jabez Leftwich
(Liberty) 		Democratic-Republican March 4, 1823 –
March 3, 1825 		18th Redistricted from the 14th district and re-elected in 1823.
Lost re-election.

Nathaniel Claiborne
(Rocky Mount) 		Jacksonian March 4, 1825 –
March 3, 1835 		19th
20th
21st
22nd
23rd
24th 		Elected in 1825.
Re-elected in 1827.
Re-elected in 1829.
Re-elected in 1831.
Re-elected in 1833.
Re-elected in 1835.
Lost re-election.
Anti-Jacksonian March 4, 1835 –
March 3, 1837

Archibald Stuart
(Mount Airy) 		Democratic March 4, 1837 –
March 3, 1839 		25th Elected in 1837.
Lost re-election.

William L. Goggin
(Liberty) 		Whig March 4, 1839 –
March 3, 1843 		26th
27th 		Elected in 1839.
Re-elected in 1841.
Lost re-election.

Henry A. Wise
(Accomac) 		Democratic March 4, 1843 –
February 12, 1844 		28th Elected in 1843.
Resigned.
Vacant February 13, 1844 –
May 5, 1844
Thomas H. Bayly
(Accomac) 		Democratic May 6, 1844 –
March 3, 1853 		28th
29th
30th
31st
32nd 		Elected to finish Wise's term.
Re-elected in 1845.
Re-elected in 1847.
Re-elected in 1849.
Re-elected in 1851.
Redistricted to the 1st district.

William Smith
(Warrenton) 		Democratic March 4, 1853 –
March 3, 1861 		33rd
34th
35th
36th 		Elected in 1853.
Re-elected in 1855.
Re-elected in 1857.
Re-elected in 1859.
Resigned.
Vacant March 4, 1861 –
May 22, 1861 		37th
Charles H. Upton
(Falls Church) 		Unionist May 23, 1861 –
February 27, 1862 		Election invalidated.
Vacant February 28, 1862 –
February 15, 1863

Lewis McKenzie
(Alexandria) 		Unionist February 16, 1863 –
March 3, 1863 		Elected to finish Upton's term.
Lost re-election.[27]
District inactive March 4, 1863 –
January 30, 1870 		38th
39th
40th
41st 		Civil War and Reconstruction

Lewis McKenzie
(Alexandria) 		Conservative January 31, 1870 –
March 3, 1871 		41st Elected in 1870.
Lost re-election.

Elliott M. Braxton
(Fredericksburg) 		Democratic March 4, 1871 –
March 3, 1873 		42nd Elected in 1870.
Lost re-election.

John T. Harris
(Harrisonburg) 		Democratic March 4, 1873 –
March 3, 1881 		43rd
44th
45th
46th 		Elected in 1872.
Re-elected in 1874.
Re-elected in 1876.
Re-elected in 1878.
Retired.

John Paul
(Harrisonburg) 		Readjuster March 4, 1881 –
September 5, 1883 		47th
48th 		Elected in 1880.
Re-elected in 1882.
Appointed U.S. District Court judge.
Vacant September 6, 1883 –
May 4, 1884 		48th

Charles T. O'Ferrall
(Harrisonburg) 		Democratic May 5, 1884 –
December 28, 1893 		48th
49th
50th
51st
52nd
53rd 		Elected to finish Paul's term.
Re-elected in 1884.
Re-elected in 1886.
Re-elected in 1888.
Re-elected in 1890.
Re-elected in 1892.
Retired to run for Governor of Virginia.
Vacant December 29, 1893 –
January 29, 1894 		53rd

Smith S. Turner
(Front Royal) 		Democratic January 30, 1894 –
March 3, 1897 		53rd
54th 		Elected to finish O'Ferrall's term.
Re-elected in 1894.
Retired.

James Hay
(Madison) 		Democratic March 4, 1897 –
October 1, 1916 		55th
56th
57th
58th
59th
60th
61st
62nd
63rd
64th 		Elected in 1896.
Re-elected in 1898.
Re-elected in 1900.
Re-elected in 1902.
Re-elected in 1904.
Re-elected in 1906.
Re-elected in 1908.
Re-elected in 1910.
Re-elected in 1912.
Re-elected in 1914.
Appointed U.S. Claim Court judge.
Vacant October 2, 1916 –
November 6, 1916 		64th

Thomas W. Harrison
(Winchester) 		Democratic November 7, 1916 –
December 15, 1922 		64th
65th
66th
67th 		Elected to finish Hay's term.
Re-elected in 1916.
Re-elected in 1918.
Election invalidated.

John Paul Jr.
(Harrisonburg) 		Republican December 15, 1922 –
March 3, 1923 		67th Elected in 1922.
Lost re-election.

Thomas W. Harrison
(Winchester) 		Democratic March 4, 1923 –
March 3, 1929 		68th
69th
70th 		Elected in 1922.
Re-elected in 1924.
Re-elected in 1926.
Lost re-election.

Jacob A. Garber
(Harrisonburg) 		Republican March 4, 1929 –
March 3, 1931 		71st Elected in 1928.
Lost re-election.
John W. Fishburne
(Charlottesville) 		Democratic March 4, 1931 –
March 3, 1933 		72nd Elected in 1930.
Retired.
District inactive March 4, 1933 –
January 3, 1935 		73rd

Absalom Willis Robertson
(Lexington) 		Democratic January 3, 1935 –
November 5, 1946 		74th
75th
76th
77th
78th
79th 		Elected in 1934.
Re-elected in 1936.
Re-elected in 1938.
Re-elected in 1940.
Re-elected in 1942.
Re-elected in 1944.
Resigned to run for U.S. senator.

Burr Harrison
(Winchester) 		Democratic November 5, 1946 –
January 3, 1963 		79th
80th
81st
82nd
83rd
84th
85th
86th
87th 		Elected to finish Robertson's term.
Re-elected in 1946.
Re-elected in 1948.
Re-elected in 1950.
Re-elected in 1952.
Re-elected in 1954.
Re-elected in 1956.
Re-elected in 1958.
Re-elected in 1960.
Retired.

John O. Marsh Jr.
(Strasburg) 		Democratic January 3, 1963 –
January 3, 1971 		88th
89th
90th
91st 		Elected in 1962.
Re-elected in 1964.
Re-elected in 1966.
Re-elected in 1968.
Retired.

J. Kenneth Robinson
(Winchester) 		Republican January 3, 1971 –
January 3, 1985 		92nd
93rd
94th
95th
96th
97th
98th 		Elected in 1970.
Re-elected in 1972.
Re-elected in 1974.
Re-elected in 1976.
Re-elected in 1978.
Re-elected in 1980.
Re-elected in 1982.
Retired.

D. French Slaughter Jr.
(Culpeper) 		Republican January 3, 1985 –
November 5, 1991 		99th
100th
101st
102nd 		Elected in 1984.
Re-elected in 1986.
Re-elected in 1988.
Re-elected in 1990.
Resigned.

George F. Allen
(Chesterfield County) 		Republican November 5, 1991 –
January 3, 1993 		102nd Elected to finish Slaughter's term.
Retired due to redistricting [1].

Thomas J. Bliley Jr.
(Richmond) 		Republican January 3, 1993 –
January 3, 2001 		103rd
104th
105th
106th 		Redistricted from the 3rd district and re-elected in 1992.
Re-elected in 1994.
Re-elected in 1996.
Re-elected in 1998.
Retired.

Eric Cantor
(Henrico County) 		Republican January 3, 2001 –
August 18, 2014 		107th
108th
109th
110th
111th
112th
113th 		Elected in 2000.
Re-elected in 2002.
Re-elected in 2004.
Re-elected in 2006.
Re-elected in 2008.
Re-elected in 2010.
Re-elected in 2012.
Lost renomination and then resigned.
Vacant August 18, 2014 –
November 12, 2014 		113th

Dave Brat
(Glen Allen) 		Republican November 12, 2014 –
January 3, 2019 		113th
114th
115th 		Elected to finish Cantor's term.
Elected to full term in 2014.
Re-elected in 2016.
Lost re-election.

Abigail Spanberger
(Glen Allen) 		Democratic January 3, 2019 –
January 3, 2025 		116th
117th
118th 		Elected in 2018.
Re-elected in 2020.
Re-elected in 2022.
Retired to run for governor of Virginia.

Eugene Vindman
(Dale City) 		Democratic January 3, 2025 –
present 		119th Elected in 2024.

Historical district boundaries

[edit]

The Virginia Seventh District started in 1788 covering the counties of Essex, Richmond, Westmoreland, Northumberland, Lancaster, Gloucester, Middlesex, King and Queen, King William and Caroline.[28]

2003–2013
2013–2017
2017–2023

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Geography, US Census Bureau. "Congressional Districts Relationship Files (state-based)". www.census.gov. Retrieved April 6, 2018.
  2. ^ "Congressional District 7, VA - Profile data - Census Reporter".
  3. ^ "My Congressional District".
  4. ^ "2022 Cook PV: District Map and List". The Cook Political Report. July 12, 2022. Retrieved January 8, 2023.
  5. ^ Andrew Cain (January 7, 2016). "Judges impose new Va. congressional map, redrawing 3rd, 4th Districts | Virginia Politics". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved May 6, 2017.
  6. ^ Dispatch, PATRICK WILSON Richmond Times. "Fueled by suburban votes, Spanberger beats Brat in 7th District House race". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved November 7, 2018.
  7. ^ "Virginia's 7th Congressional District – VA-07 Representatives & District Map – GovTrack.us". GovTrack.us. Retrieved April 6, 2018.
  8. ^ "Congressional District 7, VA - Profile data - Census Reporter".
  9. ^ "DISABILITY CHARACTERISTICS/2010 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved September 15, 2012.
  10. ^ "SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS/2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved September 15, 2012.
  11. ^ "Congressional District 7, VA - Profile data - Census Reporter".
  12. ^ "Virginia's 7th Congressional District - Ballotpedia".
  13. ^ "Virginia's 7th Congressional District - Ballotpedia".
  14. ^ "Virginia's 7th Congressional District - Ballotpedia".
  15. ^ "Virginia's 7th Congressional District - Ballotpedia".
  16. ^ "Virginia's 7th Congressional District - Ballotpedia".
  17. ^ "Virginia's 7th Congressional District - Ballotpedia".
  18. ^ "Virginia's 7th Congressional District - Ballotpedia".
  19. ^ "Virginia's 7th Congressional District - Ballotpedia".
  20. ^ "Virginia's 7th Congressional District - Ballotpedia".
  21. ^ "Virginia Elections Database".
  22. ^ "Virginia Election Results: Seventh Congressional District". The New York Times. November 3, 2020.
  23. ^ "2020 November General". 2020 November General Election Official Results. Virginia State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on February 3, 2021. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
  24. ^ "2020 November General". 2024 November General Election Official Results. Virginia State Board of Elections. Retrieved January 3, 2024.
  25. ^ https://davesredistricting.org/maps#viewmap::bc930c25-236f-46a7-bbe9-d8d77e21d011
  26. ^ https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/13OwY9FYKHM72i5DDMG_cNxz7pYoDPFjCQD1T44-D_hA/htmlview#
  27. ^ "Our Campaigns - VA - District 07 Race - May 28, 1863".
  28. ^ Statute of 20 November 1788

37°58′05″N 77°44′48″W / 37.96806°N 77.74667°W / 37.96806; -77.74667

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