# Virginia's 6th congressional district

Virginia's sixth congressional district is a United States congressional district in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It covers much of the west-central portion of the state, including Roanoke and most of the Shenandoah Valley. The current representative is Ben Cline (R), who has held the seat since the 2019 retirement of incumbent Republican Bob Goodlatte.
The district was an open seat in 2018. In November 2017, Goodlatte announced that he would retire from Congress at the end of his current term, and would not seek re-election.
Historically, the 6th district was one of the first areas of Virginia to turn Republican. Many of the old Byrd Democrats in the area began splitting their tickets and voting Republican at the national level as early as the 1930s. It was also one of the first areas of Virginia where Republicans were able to break the long Democratic dominance at the state and local level. The district itself was in Republican hands from 1953 to 1983. Democrat Jim Olin then won the seat in 1982, and held it for a decade before Goodlatte won it.
Some counties in the district have not supported a Democrat for president since Franklin D. Roosevelt. For instance, Highland and Shenandoah counties last voted for a Democratic presidential candidate in 1932, and Augusta and Roanoke counties have not supported a Democrat since 1944. The district as a whole has not supported a Democrat for president since Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964.

## Area covered

For the 118th and successive Congresses (based on redistricting following the 2020 census), the district contains all or portions of the following counties and communities:
Alleghany County (7)
    All 7 communities
Augusta County (20)
    All 20 communities
Bath County (3)
    All 3 communities
Botetourt County (10)
    All 10 communities
Clarke County (3)
    All 3 communities
Frederick County (6)
    All 6 communities
Highland County (2)
    McDowell, Monterey
Lancaster County (5)
    All 5 communities
Page County (3)
    All 3 communities
Roanoke County (3)
    Glenvar, Hollins, Vinton
Rockbridge County (4)
    All 4 communities
Rockingham County (15)
    All 15 communities
Shenandoah County (9)
    All 9 communities
Warren County (6)
    All 6 communities
Independent cities (9)
    Buena Vista, Covington, Harrisonburg, Lexington, Roanoke, Salem, Staunton, Waynesboro, Winchester

## Recent election results
### 2000s

2000 Virginia's 6th congressional district election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Bob Goodlatte (incumbent) | 153,338 | 99.3 |
| | Write-ins | | 1,145 | 0.7 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 154,483 | 100.00 |
2002 Virginia's 6th congressional district election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Bob Goodlatte (incumbent) | 105,530 | 97.1 |
| | Write-ins | | 3,202 | 2.9 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 108,732 | 100.00 |
2004 Virginia's 6th congressional district election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Bob Goodlatte (incumbent) | 206,560 | 96.7 |
| | Write-ins | | 7,008 | 3.3 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 213,648 | 100.00 |
2006 Virginia's 6th congressional district election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Bob Goodlatte (incumbent) | 153,187 | 75.1 |
| | Independent | Barbara Jean Pryor | 25,129 | 12.3 |
| | Independent | Andre Peery | 24,731 | 12.1 |
| | Write-ins | | 948 | 0.5 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 203,995 | 100.00 |
2008 Virginia's 6th congressional district election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Bob Goodlatte (incumbent) | 192,350 | 61.6 |
| | Democratic | Sam Rasoul | 114,367 | 36.6 |
| | Write-ins | | 262 | 0.1 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 312,392 | 100.00 |

### 2010s

2010 Virginia's 6th congressional district election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Bob Goodlatte (incumbent) | 127,487 | 76.3 |
| | Independent | Jeffrey Vanke | 21,649 | 13.0 |
| | Libertarian | Stuart Bain | 15,309 | 9.2 |
| | Write-ins | | 2,709 | 1.6 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 167,154 | 100.00 |
2012 Virginia's 6th congressional district election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Bob Goodlatte (incumbent) | 211,278 | 65.2 |
| | Democratic | Andy Schmookler | 111,949 | 34.6 |
| | Write-ins | | 666 | 0.2 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 323,893 | 100.00 |
2014 Virginia's 6th congressional district election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Bob Goodlatte (incumbent) | 133,898 | 74.3 |
| | Libertarian | Will Hammer | 22,161 | 12.3 |
| | Green | Bo Brown | 21,447 | 11.9 |
| | Write-ins | | 2,202 | 1.2 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 179,708 | 100.00 |
2016 Virginia's 6th congressional district election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Bob Goodlatte (incumbent) | 225,471 | 66.6 |
| | Democratic | Kai Degner | 112,170 | 33.1 |
| | Write-ins | | 768 | 0.2 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 338,409 | 100.00 |
2018 Virginia's 6th congressional district election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Ben Cline | 167,957 | 59.7 |
| | Democratic | Jennifer Lewis | 113,133 | 40.2 |
| | Write-ins | | 287 | 0.1 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 281,377 | 100.00 |

### 2020s

2020 Virginia's 6th congressional district election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Ben Cline (incumbent) | 246,606 | 64.7 |
| | Democratic | Nicholas Betts | 134,729 | 35.4 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 381,335 | 100.00 |
2022 Virginia's 6th congressional district election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Ben Cline (incumbent) | 173,352 | 64.4 |
| | Democratic | Jennifer Lewis | 95,410 | 35.4 |
| | Write-in | Write-in | 472 | 0.2 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 269,234 | 100.00 |

## Recent election results from statewide races

| Year | Office | Results |
| 2008 | President | McCain 56% - 42% |
| 2009 | Governor | McDonnell 66% - 34% |
| 2012 | President | Romney 59% - 41% |
| 2013 | Governor | Cuccinelli 57% - 35% |
| 2013 | Lt. Governor | Jackson 57% - 42% |
| 2013 | Attorney General | Obenshain 64% - 36% |
| 2014 | Senate | Gillespie 60% - 37% |
| 2016 | President | Trump 60% - 34% |
| 2017 | Governor | Gillespie 60% - 38% |
| 2017 | Lt. Governor | Vogel 63% - 37% |
| 2017 | Attorney General | Donley Adams 62% - 38% |
| 2018 | Senate | Stewart 57% - 41% |
| 2020 | President | Trump 60% - 38% |
| 2020 | Senate | Gade 58% - 41% |
| 2021 | Governor | Youngkin 66% - 33% |
| 2021 | Lt. Governor | Sears 66% - 34% |
| 2021 | Attorney General | Miyares 66% - 34% |
| 2024 | President | Trump 61% - 37% |
| 2024 | Senate | Cao 59% - 41% |

## List of members representing the district

| Representative | Party | Term | Cong ress | Electoral history |
| District established March 4, 1789 |||||
| Isaac Coles (Coles Hill) | Anti-Administration | March 4, 1789 – March 3, 1791 | 1st | Elected in 1789. Re-elected in 1790. Retired. |
| Abraham B. Venable (Farmville) | Anti-Administration | March 4, 1791 – March 3, 1793 | 2nd | Elected in 1790. Redistricted to the 7th district. |
| Isaac Coles (Coles Hill) | Anti-Administration | March 4, 1793 – March 3, 1795 | 3rd 4th | Elected in 1793. Re-elected in 1795. Retired. |
| Isaac Coles (Coles Hill) | Democratic-Republican | March 4, 1795 – March 3, 1797 | 3rd 4th | Elected in 1793. Re-elected in 1795. Retired. |
| Matthew Clay (Richmond) | Democratic-Republican | March 4, 1797 – March 3, 1803 | 5th 6th 7th | Elected in 1797. Re-elected in 1799. Re-elected in 1801. Redistricted to the 14th district. |
| Abram Trigg (Christiansburg) | Democratic-Republican | March 4, 1803 – March 3, 1809 | 8th 9th 10th | Redistricted from the 4th district and re-elected in 1803. Re-elected in 1805. Re-elected in 1807. Retired. |
| Daniel Sheffey (Wythe County) | Federalist | March 4, 1809 – March 3, 1817 | 11th 12th 13th 14th | Elected in 1809. Re-elected in 1811. Re-elected in 1813. Re-elected in 1815. Retired. |
| Alexander Smyth (Wythe County) | Democratic-Republican | March 4, 1817 – March 3, 1823 | 15th 16th 17th | Elected in 1817. Re-elected in 1819. Re-elected in 1821. Redistricted to the 22nd district. |
| George Tucker (Lynchburg) | Democratic-Republican | March 4, 1823 – March 3, 1825 | 18th | Redistricted from the 15th district and re-elected in 1823. Lost re-election. |
| Thomas Davenport (Meadville) | Jackson | March 4, 1825 – March 3, 1833 | 19th 20th 21st 22nd 23rd | Elected in 1825. Re-elected in 1827. Re-elected in 1829. Re-elected in 1831. Re-elected in 1833. Lost re-election. |
| Thomas Davenport (Meadville) | Anti-Jackson | March 4, 1833 – March 3, 1835 | 19th 20th 21st 22nd 23rd | Elected in 1825. Re-elected in 1827. Re-elected in 1829. Re-elected in 1831. Re-elected in 1833. Lost re-election. |
| Walter Coles (Robertsons Store) | Jackson | March 4, 1835 – March 3, 1837 | 24th 25th 26th 27th | Elected in 1835. Re-elected in 1837. Re-elected in 1839. Re-elected in 1841. Redistricted to the 3rd district. |
| Walter Coles (Robertsons Store) | Democratic | March 4, 1837 – March 3, 1843 | 24th 25th 26th 27th | Elected in 1835. Re-elected in 1837. Re-elected in 1839. Re-elected in 1841. Redistricted to the 3rd district. |
| John W. Jones (Petersburg) | Democratic | March 4, 1843 – March 3, 1845 | 28th | Elected in 1843. Retired. |
| James A. Seddon (Richmond) | Democratic | March 4, 1845 – March 3, 1847 | 29th | Elected in 1845. Retired. |
| John M. Botts (Richmond) | Whig | March 4, 1847 – March 3, 1849 | 30th | Elected in 1847. Lost re-election. |
| James A. Seddon (Richmond) | Democratic | March 4, 1849 – March 3, 1851 | 31st | Elected in 1849. Retired. |
| John S. Caskie (Richmond) | Democratic | March 4, 1851 – March 3, 1853 | 32nd | Elected in 1851. Redistricted to the 3rd district. |
| Paulus Powell (Amherst) | Democratic | March 4, 1853 – March 3, 1859 | 33rd 34th 35th | Elected in 1853. Re-elected in 1855. Re-elected in 1857. Lost re-election. |
| Shelton F. Leake (Charlottesville) | Independent Democratic | March 4, 1859 – March 3, 1861 | 36th | Elected in 1859. Retired. |
| District inactive | District inactive | March 4, 1861 – January 26, 1870 | 37th 38th 39th 40th 41st | Civil War and Reconstruction |
| William Milnes Jr. (Shenandoah Iron Works) | Conservative | January 27, 1870 – March 3, 1871 | 41st | Elected in 1870. Lost re-election. |
| John T. Harris (Harrisonburg) | Democratic | March 4, 1871 – March 3, 1873 | 42nd | Elected in 1870. Redistricted to the 7th district. |
| Thomas Whitehead (Amherst) | Democratic | March 4, 1873 – March 3, 1875 | 43rd | Elected in 1872. Retired. |
| John R. Tucker (Lexington) | Democratic | March 4, 1875 – March 3, 1885 | 44th 45th 46th 47th 48th | Elected in 1874. Re-elected in 1876. Re-elected in 1878. Re-elected in 1880. Re-elected in 1882. Redistricted to the 10th district. |
| John W. Daniel (Lynchburg) | Democratic | March 4, 1885 – March 3, 1887 | 49th | Elected in 1884. Elected to the U.S. Senate |
| Samuel I. Hopkins (Lynchburg) | Labor Party | March 4, 1887 – March 3, 1889 | 50th | Elected in 1886. Retired. |
| Paul C. Edmunds (Halifax) | Democratic | March 4, 1889 – March 3, 1895 | 51st 52nd 53rd | Elected in 1888. Re-elected in 1890. Re-elected in 1892. Retired. |
| Peter J. Otey (Lynchburg) | Democratic | March 4, 1895 – May 4, 1902 | 54th 55th 56th 57th | Elected in 1894. Re-elected in 1896. Re-elected in 1898. Re-elected in 1900. Died. |
| Vacant | Vacant | May 5, 1902 – November 3, 1902 | 57th | |
| E. Carter Glass (Lynchburg) | Democratic | November 4, 1902 – December 16, 1918 | 57th 58th 59th 60th 61st 62nd 63rd 64th 65th | Elected to finish Otey's term. Elected the same day to the next term. Re-elected in 1904. Re-elected in 1906. Re-elected in 1908. Re-elected in 1910. Re-elected in 1912. Re-elected in 1914. Re-elected in 1916. Re-elected in 1918. Resigned to become U.S. Secretary of Treasury. |
| Vacant | Vacant | December 17, 1918 – February 24, 1919 | 65th | |
| James P. Woods (Roanoke) | Democratic | February 25, 1919 – March 3, 1923 | 65th 66th 67th | Elected to finish Glass's term. Elected the same day to the next term. Lost re-election. |
| Clifton A. Woodrum (Roanoke) | Democratic | March 4, 1923 – March 3, 1933 | 68th 69th 70th 71st 72nd | Elected in 1922. Elected in 1924. Re-elected in 1926. Re-elected in 1928. Re-elected in 1930. Redistricted to the at-large seat. |
| District inactive | District inactive | March 4, 1933 – January 3, 1935 | 73rd | |
| Clifton A. Woodrum (Roanoke) | Democratic | January 3, 1935 – December 31, 1945 | 74th 75th 76th 77th 78th 79th | Redistricted from the at-large seat and re-elected in 1934. Re-elected in 1936. Re-elected in 1938. Re-elected in 1940. Re-elected in 1942. Re-elected in 1944. Resigned. |
| Vacant | Vacant | December 31, 1945 – January 22, 1946 | 79th | |
| J. Lindsay Almond (Roanoke) | Democratic | January 22, 1946 – April 17, 1948 | 79th 80th | Elected to finish Woodrum's term. Re-elected in 1946. Elected Attorney General of Virginia. |
| Vacant | Vacant | April 17, 1948 – November 2, 1948 | 80th | |
| Clarence G. Burton (Lynchburg) | Democratic | November 2, 1948 – January 3, 1953 | 80th 81st 82nd | Elected to finish Almond's term. Re-elected in 1948. Re-elected in 1950. Lost re-election. |
| Richard H. Poff (Radford) | Republican | January 3, 1953 – August 29, 1972 | 83rd 84th 85th 86th 87th 88th 89th 90th 91st 92nd | Elected in 1952. Re-elected in 1954. Re-elected in 1956. Re-elected in 1958. Re-elected in 1960. Re-elected in 1962. Re-elected in 1964. Re-elected in 1966. Re-elected in 1968. Re-elected in 1970. Resigned when appointed Virginia Supreme Court justice. |
| Vacant | Vacant | August 29, 1972 – November 7, 1972 | 92nd | |
| M. Caldwell Butler (Roanoke) | Republican | November 7, 1972 – January 3, 1983 | 92nd 93rd 94th 95th 96th 97th | Elected to finish Poff's term. Re-elected in 1972. Re-elected in 1974. Re-elected in 1976. Re-elected in 1978. Re-elected in 1980. Retired. |
| Jim Olin (Roanoke) | Democratic | January 3, 1983 – January 3, 1993 | 98th 99th 100th 101st 102nd | Elected in 1982. Re-elected in 1984. Re-elected in 1986. Re-elected in 1988. Re-elected in 1990. Retired. |
| Bob Goodlatte (Roanoke) | Republican | January 3, 1993 – January 3, 2019 | 103rd 104th 105th 106th 107th 108th 109th 110th 111th 112th 113th 114th 115th | Elected in 1992. Re-elected in 1994. Re-elected in 1996. Re-elected in 1998. Re-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. Re-elected in 2014. Re-elected in 2016. Retired. |
| Ben Cline (Fincastle) | Republican | January 3, 2019 – present | 116th 117th 118th 119th | Elected in 2018. Re-elected in 2020. Re-elected in 2022. Re-elected in 2024. |

## Historical district boundaries

The Virginia Sixth District started in 1788 covering the counties of Campbell, Charlotte, Buckingham, Bedford, Prince Edward, Franklin, Henry, Pittsylvania and Halifax.