# Virginia's 7th congressional district

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

Until the 1970s, the 7th district comprised the northern half of the Shenandoah Valley, now part of the strongly Republican 6th 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.
From 2017 to 2023, the district spanned 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.

## Demographics

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%. 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. 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. 9.5% of Children live below the poverty line.

## Recent election results
### 2000s

2000 Virginia's 7th congressional district election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Eric Cantor | 192,652 | 66.9 |
| | Democratic | Warren Stewart | 94,935 | 33.0 |
| | Write-ins | | 304 | 0.1 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 287,891 | 100.00 |
2002 Virginia's 7th congressional district election :
| Party | 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 | Total votes | Total votes | 163,665 | 100.00 |
2004 Virginia's 7th congressional district election :
| Party | 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 | Total votes | Total votes | 305,658 | 100.00 |
2006 Virginia's 7th congressional district election :
| Party | 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 | Total votes | Total votes | 256,397 | 100.00 |
2008 Virginia's 7th congressional district election :
| Party | 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 | Total votes | Total votes | 372,337 | 100.00 |

### 2010s

2010 Virginia's 7th congressional district election :
| Party | 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 | Total votes | Total votes | 233,402 | 100.00 |
2012 Virginia's 7th congressional district election :
| Party | 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 | Total votes | Total votes | 381,909 | 100.00 |
2014 Virginia's 7th congressional district election :
| Party | 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 | Total votes | Total votes | 243,351 | 100.00 |
2016 Virginia's 7th congressional district election :
| Party | 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 | Total votes | Total votes | 379,163 | 100.00 |
2018 Virginia's 7th congressional district election :
| Party | 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 | Total votes | Total votes | 349,831 | 100.00 |

### 2020s

2020 Virginia's 7th congressional district election :
| Party | 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 | Total votes | Total votes | 454,339 | 100.00 |
2022 Virginia's 7th congressional district election :
| Party | 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 | Total votes | Total votes | 274,590 | 100.00 |
2024 Virginia's 7th congressional district election :
| Party | 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 | Total votes | Total votes | 397,299 | 100.00 |

## Recent election results from statewide races

| Year | Office | Results |
| 2008 | President | Obama 52% - 47% |
| 2009 | Governor | McDonnell 63% - 37% |
| 2012 | President | Obama 52% - 48% |
| 2013 | Governor | Cuccinelli 49% - 46% |
| 2013 | Lt. Governor | Northam 51% - 49% |
| 2013 | Attorney General | Obenshain 51% - 48% |
| 2014 | Senate | Gillespie 53% - 45% |
| 2016 | President | Clinton 48% - 46% |
| 2017 | Governor | Northam 52% - 47% |
| 2017 | Lt. Governor | Fairfax 51% - 48% |
| 2017 | Attorney General | Herring 52% - 48% |
| 2018 | Senate | Kaine 56% - 42% |
| 2020 | President | Biden 52% - 46% |
| 2020 | Senate | Warner 54% - 46% |
| 2021 | Governor | Youngkin 52% - 47% |
| 2021 | Lt. Governor | Sears 52% - 48% |
| 2021 | Attorney General | Miyares 52% - 48% |
| 2024 | President | Harris 50% - 47% |
| 2024 | Senate | Kaine 53% - 46% |

## Composition

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:
Caroline County (4)
    All 4 communities
Culpeper County (2)
    Brandy Station, Culpeper
Greene County (3)
    All 3 communities
King George County (5)
    All 5 communities
Madison County (2)
    Brightwood, Madison
Orange County (4)
    All 4 communities
Prince William County (14)
    Cherry Hill, County Center (part; also 10th), Dale City, Dumfries, Independent Hill (part; also 10th), Lake Ridge, Leesylvania, Montclair, Occoquan, Potomac Mills, Quantico, Quantico Base, Triangle, Woodbridge
Spotsylvania County (2)
    Lake Wilderness, Spotsylvania Courthouse
Stafford County (6)
    All 6 communities
Independent city (1)
    Fredericksburg

## List of members representing the district

| 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. |
| Abraham B. Venable (Farmville) | Democratic-Republican | March 4, 1795 – March 3, 1799 | 3rd 4th 5th | Redistricted from the 6th district and re-elected in 1793. Re-elected in 1795. Re-elected in 1797. Retired. |
| 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. |
| Nathaniel Claiborne (Rocky Mount) | Anti-Jacksonian | March 4, 1835 – March 3, 1837 | 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. |
| 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 | Vacant | February 13, 1844 – May 5, 1844 | 28th | |
| 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 | Vacant | March 4, 1861 – May 22, 1861 | 37th | |
| Charles H. Upton (Falls Church) | Unionist | May 23, 1861 – February 27, 1862 | 37th | Election invalidated. |
| Vacant | Vacant | February 28, 1862 – February 15, 1863 | 37th | |
| Lewis McKenzie (Alexandria) | Unionist | February 16, 1863 – March 3, 1863 | 37th | Elected to finish Upton's term. Lost re-election. |
| District inactive | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 . |
| 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 (Richmond) | 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 | 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

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.