Virginia's 6th congressional district

Virginia's 6th congressional district
Map
Interactive map of district boundaries since 2023
Representative
Distribution
  • 64.34% urban[1]
  • 35.66% rural
Population (2023)794,509[2]
Median household
income		$69,115
Ethnicity
Cook PVIR+14[3]
Virginia's 6th congressional district from January 3, 2023

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.[4]

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.[5] The district as a whole has not supported a Democrat for president since Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964.

Area covered

It covers all or part of the following political subdivisions:

Counties

The entirety of:

Portions of:

Cities

Recent election results

2000s

2000 Virginia's 6th congressional district election[6]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Bob Goodlatte (incumbent) 153,338 99.3
Write-ins 1,145 0.7
Total votes 154,483 100.00
2002 Virginia's 6th congressional district election[6]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Bob Goodlatte (incumbent) 105,530 97.1
Write-ins 3,202 2.9
Total votes 108,732 100.00
2004 Virginia's 6th congressional district election[6]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Bob Goodlatte (incumbent) 206,560 96.7
Write-ins 7,008 3.3
Total votes 213,648 100.00
2006 Virginia's 6th congressional district election[6]
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 203,995 100.00
2008 Virginia's 6th congressional district election[6]
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 312,392 100.00

2010s

2010 Virginia's 6th congressional district election[6]
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 167,154 100.00
2012 Virginia's 6th congressional district election[6]
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 323,893 100.00
2014 Virginia's 6th congressional district election[6]
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 179,708 100.00
2016 Virginia's 6th congressional district election[6]
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 338,409 100.00
2018 Virginia's 6th congressional district election[6]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Ben Cline 167,957 59.7
Democratic Jennifer Lewis 113,133 40.2
Write-ins 287 0.1
Total votes 281,377 100.00

2020s

2020 Virginia's 6th congressional district election[7]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Ben Cline (incumbent) 246,606 64.7
Democratic Nicholas Betts 134,729 35.4
Total votes 381,335 100.00
2022 Virginia's 6th congressional district election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Ben Cline (incumbent) 173,352 64.4
Democratic Jennifer Lewis 95,410 35.4
Write-in 472 0.2
Total votes 269,234 100.00

Recent results in statewide elections

Year Office Results
1996 President Dole 50%–40%[citation needed]
Senator Warner 54%–46%[citation needed]
1997 Governor Gilmore 60%–38%[citation needed]
Lieutenant Governor Hager 53%–43%[citation needed]
Attorney General Earley 62%–38%[citation needed]
2000 President Bush 60%–37%[citation needed]
Senator Allen 58%–42%[citation needed]
2001 Governor Earley 51%–49%[citation needed]
Lieutenant Governor Katzen 54%–45%[citation needed]
Attorney General Kilgore 67%–33%[citation needed]
2004 President Bush 63%–36%[8]
2008 President McCain 57%–42%[9]
2012 President Romney 59%–39%[10]
2013 Governor Cuccinelli 57%–35%–7%[11]
Lieutenant Governor Jackson 58%–42%[12]
Attorney General Obenshain 64%–35%[13]
2014 Senator Gillespie 60%–37%[14]
2016 President Trump 59%–35%[15]
2018 Senator Stewart 57%–41%[16]
2020 President Trump 59%–38%[17]

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.
Democratic-Republican March 4, 1795 –
March 3, 1797

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.
Anti-Jackson March 4, 1833 –
March 3, 1835
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.
Democratic March 4, 1837 –
March 3, 1843

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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 		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.[18]

2003–2013
2013–2023

See also

References

  1. ^ "Congressional Districts Relationship Files (state-based)". www.census.gov. US Census Bureau Geography. Retrieved April 10, 2018.
  2. ^ "My Congressional District". www.census.gov. Center for New Media & Promotion (CNMP), US Census Bureau. Retrieved September 22, 2024.
  3. ^ "2022 Cook PVI: District Map and List". Cook Political Report. Retrieved January 10, 2023.
  4. ^ Forman, Carmen (November 9, 2017). "After nearly a quarter century in D.C., Rep. Bob Goodlatte of Roanoke County will not seek re-election". The Roanoke Times. Roanoke, VA. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
  5. ^ Menendez, Albert J.; The Geography of Presidential Elections in the United States, 1868-2004; pp. 326-330 ISBN 0786422173
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Virginia's 6th Congressional District". Ballotpedia. Retrieved August 1, 2022.
  7. ^ "Virginia Election Results: Sixth Congressional District". The New York Times. November 3, 2020.
  8. ^ "Official Results/President". Commonwealth of Virginia/November 2nd – General Election. Virginia State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on December 29, 2012.
  9. ^ "President>President And Vice President>Votes By District". November 2008 Official Results. Virginia State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016.
  10. ^ "President>President And Vice President>Votes By District". November 6, 2012 General Election Official Results. Virginia State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on August 9, 2016.
  11. ^ "Governor>Votes by District". November 2013 General Election Official Results. Virginia State Board of Elections. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  12. ^ "Lieutenant Governor>Votes by District". November 2013 General Election Official Results. Virginia State Board of Elections. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  13. ^ "Attorney General>Votes by District". November 2013 General Election Official Results. Virginia State Board of Elections. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  14. ^ "Turnout by Congressional District". The Virginia Public Access Project. Retrieved July 4, 2020.
  15. ^ "2016 November General President". Archived from the original on December 23, 2016. Retrieved October 1, 2020.
  16. ^ "2018 U.S. Senate Results by Congressional District". The Virginia Public Access Project. Retrieved June 16, 2018.
  17. ^ "Daily Kos Elections' presidential results by congressional district for 2020, 2016, and 2012".
  18. ^ Statute of 20 November 1788

38°7′51.6″N 79°2′38″W / 38.131000°N 79.04389°W / 38.131000; -79.04389