# Virginia's 1st Senate district

Virginia's 1st Senate district is one of 40 districts in the Senate of Virginia.

## History

Since the 2023 Virginia Senate election, the state senator has been Republican Timmy French.
It had been represented by Democrat Monty Mason since his victory in a 2016 special election following the death of fellow Democrat John Miller.

## Geography

District 1 is located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area in southeastern Virginia, including all of Williamsburg and parts of Hampton, Newport News, Suffolk, James City County, and York County.
The district overlaps with Virginia's 1st, 2nd, and 3rd congressional districts, and with the 76th, 92nd, 93rd, 94th, 95th, and 96th districts of the Virginia House of Delegates.

## Recent election results
### 2019

2019 Virginia Senate election, District 1 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Monty Mason (incumbent) | 36,869 | 89.8 |
| | Write-in | Write-in | 4,174 | 10.2 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 41,043 | 100 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2016 special

2016 Virginia Senate special election, District 1 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Monty Mason | 49,251 | 58.1 |
| | Republican | Thomas R. Holston | 31,740 | 37.4 |
| | Independent | John R. Bloom | 3,534 | 4.2 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 84,762 | 100 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2015

2015 Virginia Senate election, District 1 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | John Miller (incumbent) | 17,989 | 59.4 |
| | Republican | Mark Matney | 12,278 | 40.6 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 30,267 | 100 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2011

2011 Virginia Senate election, District 1 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | John Miller (incumbent) | 17,196 | 51.8 |
| | Republican | Michael Chohany | 15,994 | 48.2 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 33,190 | 100 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### Federal and statewide results

| Year | Office | Results |
| 2020 | President | Biden 62.1–36.1% |
| 2017 | Governor | Northam 62.3–36.5% |
| 2016 | President | Clinton 57.5–36.8% |
| 2014 | Senate | Warner 56.8–40.9% |
| 2013 | Governor | McAuliffe 55.4–38.3% |
| 2012 | President | Obama 59.6–39.0% |
| 2012 | Senate | Kaine 60.8–39.2% |

## Historical results

All election results below took place prior to 2011 redistricting, and thus were under different district lines.

### 2007

2007 Virginia Senate election, District 1 :
| Primary election |||||
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Patricia Stall | 4,757 | 54.3 |
| | Republican | Marty Williams (incumbent) | 3,999 | 45.7 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 8,756 | 100 |
| General election |||||
| | Democratic | John Miller | 15,502 | 51.1 |
| | Republican | Patricia Stall | 14,771 | 48.6 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 30,366 | 100 |
| | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican |

### 2003

2003 Virginia Senate election, District 1 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Marty Williams (incumbent) | 10,261 | 94.5 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 10,856 | 100 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

### 1999

1999 Virginia Senate election, District 1 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Marty Williams (incumbent) | 25,416 | 96.1 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 26,439 | 100 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

### 1995

1995 Virginia Senate election, District 1 :
| Primary election |||||
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Marty Williams | 2,406 | 51.3 |
| | Republican | John J. Gill | 2,284 | 48.7 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 4,690 | 100 |
| General election |||||
| | Republican | Marty Williams | 19,979 | 52.5 |
| | Democratic | Hunter Andrews (incumbent) | 18,047 | 47.5 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 38,033 | 100 |
| | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic |

## District officeholders since 1904

| Years | Senator, District 1 | Counties/Cities in District |
| 1904–1906 | J. Cloyd Byars (D) | Washington County, Smyth County, City of Bristol |
| 1906–1908 | Alanson T. Lincoln (R) | Washington County, Smyth County, City of Bristol |
| 1908–1912 | Alanson T. Lincoln (R) | Washington County, Smyth County, City of Bristol |
| 1912–1913 | David C. Cummings, Jr. (D) | Washington County, Smyth County, City of Bristol |
| 1913–1916 | Benjamin F. Buchanan (D) | Washington County, Smyth County, City of Bristol |
| 1916–1920 | John P. Buchanan (D) | Washington County, Smyth County, City of Bristol |
| 1920–1924 | John H. Hassinger (R) | Washington County, Smyth County, City of Bristol |
| 1924–1928 | Warner Ames (D) | Accomac County, Northampton County, Princess Anne County |
| 1928–1932 | George L. Doughty (D) | Accomac County, Northampton County, Princess Anne County |
| 1932–1936 | Jefferson F. Walter (D) | Accomac County, Northampton County, Princess Anne County |
| 1936–1940 | Jefferson F. Walter (D) | Accomac County, Northampton County, Princess Anne County |
| 1940–1942 | Jefferson F. Walter (D) | Accomac County, Northampton County, Princess Anne County |
| 1942–1944 | Ben T. Gunter Jr. (D) | Accomac County, Northampton County, Princess Anne County |
| 1944–1948 | Ben T. Gunter Jr. (D) | Accomac County, Northampton County, Princess Anne County |
| 1948–1952 | Ben T. Gunter Jr. (D) | Accomac County, Northampton County, Princess Anne County |
| 1952–1956 | V. Alfred Etheridge (D) | Accomac County, Northampton County, Princess Anne County |
| 1956–1960 | E. Almer Ames Jr. (D) | Accomac County, Northampton County, Princess Anne County, City of Virginia Beach |
| 1960–1964 | E. Almer Ames Jr. (D) | Accomac County, Northampton County, Princess Anne County, City of Virginia Beach |
| 1964–1966 | E. Almer Ames Jr. (D) | Accomac County, Northampton County, Princess Anne County, City of Virginia Beach |
| 1966–1968 | E. Almer Ames Jr. (D) | Accomac County, Gloucester County, Northampton County, Mathews County, and York County |
| 1968–1972 | William E. Fears (D) | Accomac County, Gloucester County, Northampton County, Mathews County, and York County |
| 1972–1976 | Hunter Andrews (D) | City of Hampton |
| 1976–1980 | Hunter Andrews (D) | City of Hampton |
| 1980–1984 | Hunter Andrews (D) | City of Hampton |
| 1984–1988 | Hunter Andrews (D) | City of Hampton |
| 1988–1992 | Hunter Andrews (D) | City of Hampton |
| 1992–1996 | Hunter Andrews (D) | City of Poquoson, City of Hampton (part), City of Newport News (part) and York County (part) |
| 1996–2000 | Marty Williams (R) | City of Poquoson, City of Hampton (part), City of Newport News (part) and York County (part) |
| 2000–2004 | Marty Williams (R) | City of Poquoson, City of Hampton (part), City of Newport News (part) and York County (part) |
| 2004–2008 | Marty Williams (R) | City of Poquoson, City of Hampton (part), City of Newport News (part) and York County (part) |
| 2008–2012 | John C. Miller (D) | City of Poquoson, City of Hampton (part), City of Newport News (part) and York County (part) |
| 2012–2016 | John C. Miller (D) | City of Williamsburg, James City County (part), York County (part), City of Hampton (part), City of Newport News (part) and City of Suffolk (part) |
| 2016–present | T. Monty Mason (D) | City of Williamsburg, James City County (part), York County (part), City of Hampton (part), City of Newport News (part) and City of Suffolk (part) |