# Virginia's 6th Senate district

Virginia's 6th Senate district is one of 40 districts in the Senate of Virginia. The new 2021 redistricting has moved the designation of 6th Senate District to far southwestern Virginia.
Before the recent redistricting, the old district had been represented by Democrat Lynwood Lewis since his victory in a highly contested 2014 special election to succeed fellow Democrat Ralph Northam, who was elected Lieutenant Governor of Virginia.

## Geography

Former District 6 was a disparate district which included Accomack County and Northampton County on the Eastern Shore, Mathews County on the Middle Peninsula, and parts of the Hampton Roads cities of Norfolk and Virginia Beach.
The former District 6 had overlapped with Virginia's former 1st, 2nd, and 3rd congressional districts, and with the former 79th, 83rd, 89th, 90th, 98th, and 100th districts of the Virginia House of Delegates. It had bordered the state of Maryland.

## Recent election results
### 2019

2019 Virginia Senate election, District 6 :
| Primary election |||||
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Lynwood Lewis (incumbent) | 4,559 | 70.6 |
| | Democratic | Willie Randall | 1,899 | 29.4 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 6,459 | 100 |
| General election |||||
| | Democratic | Lynwood Lewis (incumbent) | 25,772 | 59.7 |
| | Republican | Elizabeth Lankford | 17,357 | 40.2 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 43,198 | 100 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2015

2015 Virginia Senate election, District 6 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Lynwood Lewis (incumbent) | 16,738 | 59.5 |
| | Republican | Richard Ottinger | 11,386 | 40.4 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 28,153 | 100 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2014 special

2014 Virginia Senate special election, District 6 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Lynwood Lewis | 10,201 | 50.0 |
| | Republican | Wayne Coleman | 10,192 | 50.0 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 20,401 | 100 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2011

2011 Virginia Senate election, District 6 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Ralph Northam (incumbent) | 16,606 | 56.8 |
| | Republican | Benito Loyola, Jr. | 12,622 | 43.1 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 29,259 | 100 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### Federal and statewide results

| Year | Office | Results |
| 2020 | President | Biden 57.1–41.1% |
| 2017 | Governor | Northam 58.2–40.6% |
| 2016 | President | Clinton 53.4–41.3% |
| 2014 | Senate | Warner 52.7–44.5% |
| 2013 | Governor | McAuliffe 52.7–40.6% |
| 2012 | President | Obama 56.7–42.0% |
| 2012 | Senate | Kaine 58.4–41.6% |

## 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 6 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Ralph Northam | 17,307 | 54.3 |
| | Republican | Nick Rerras (incumbent) | 14,499 | 45.5 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 31,851 | 100 |
| | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican |

### 2003

2003 Virginia Senate election, District 6 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Nick Rerras (incumbent) | 15,771 | 61.7 |
| | Democratic | Andrew Protogyrou | 9,775 | 38.2 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 25,560 | 100 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

### 1999

1999 Virginia Senate election, District 6 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Nick Rerras | 11,621 | 59.3 |
| | Democratic | Stanley C. Walker (incumbent) | 7,966 | 40.7 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 19,591 | 100 |
| | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic |

### 1995

1995 Virginia Senate election, District 6 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Stanley C. Walker (incumbent) | 10,917 | 54.9 |
| | Republican | Nick Rerras | 8,979 | 45.1 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 19,901 | 100 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

## District officeholders since 1940

| Years | Senator, District 6 | Counties/Cities in District |
| 1940 | Robert W. Daniel (D) | Greensvile County, Prince George County, Surry County, Sussex County and the City of Hopewell |
| 1941–1944 | Garland Gray (D) | Greensvile County, Prince George County, Surry County, Sussex County and the City of Hopewell |
| 1944–1948 | Garland Gray (D) | Greensvile County, Prince George County, Surry County, Sussex County and the City of Hopewell |
| 1948–1952 | Garland Gray (D) | Greensvile County, Prince George County, Surry County, Sussex County and the City of Hopewell |
| 1952–1956 | Garland Gray (D) | Greensvile County, Prince George County, Surry County, Sussex County and the City of Hopewell |
| 1956–1960 | Garland Gray (D) | Greensvile County, Prince George County, Surry County, Sussex County and the City of Hopewell |
| 1960–1964 | Garland Gray (D) | Greensvile County, Prince George County, Surry County, Sussex County and the City of Hopewell |
| 1964–1966 | Garland Gray (D) | Greensvile County, Prince George County, Surry County, Sussex County and the City of Hopewell |
| 1966–1968 | Garland Gray (D) | Greensvile County, James City County, Prince George County, Surry County, Sussex County, the City of Hopewell, and the City of Williamsburg |
| 1968–1972 | Garland Gray (D) | Greensvile County, James City County, Prince George County, Surry County, Sussex County, the City of Emporia, the City of Hopewell, and the City of Williamsburg |
| 1972–1976 | Stanley C. Walker (D) Peter K. Babalas (D) Thomas McNamara (D) | City of Norfolk, City of Virginia Beach (part) |
| 1976–1980 | Stanley C. Walker (D) Peter K. Babalas (D) Joseph T. Fitzpatrick (D) | City of Norfolk, City of Virginia Beach (part) |
| 1980–1984 | Stanley C. Walker (D) | City of Norfolk (part) |
| 1984–1988 | Stanley C. Walker (D) | City of Norfolk (part) |
| 1988–1992 | Stanley C. Walker (D) | City of Norfolk (part) |
| 1992–1996 | Stanley C. Walker (D) | City of Norfolk (part), City of Virginia Beach (part) |
| 1996–2000 | Stanley C. Walker (D) | City of Norfolk (part), City of Virginia Beach (part) |
| 2000–2004 | Nick Rerras (R) | City of Norfolk (part), City of Virginia Beach (part) |
| 2004–2008 | Nick Rerras (R) | Accomack County, Mathews County, Northampton County, City of Norfolk (part), City of Virginia Beach (part) |
| 2008–2012 | Ralph Northam (D) | Accomack County, Mathews County, Northampton County, City of Norfolk (part), City of Virginia Beach (part) |
| 2012–2013 | Ralph Northam (D) | Accomack County, Mathews County, Northampton County, City of Norfolk (part), City of Virginia Beach (part) |
| 2014–2016 | Lynwood Lewis (D) | Accomack County, Mathews County, Northampton County, City of Norfolk (part), City of Virginia Beach (part) |
| 2016–present | Lynwood Lewis (D) | Accomack County, Mathews County, Northampton County, City of Norfolk (part), City of Virginia Beach (part) |