Virginia's ninth congressional district is a United States congressional district in the Commonwealth of Virginia, covering much of the southwestern part of the state. The 9th is Virginia's second-largest district in area, covering 9,113.87[4][5] square miles (slightly larger than the whole state of New Jersey). It has been represented by Republican Morgan Griffith since 2011. He took office after defeating 14-term incumbent Democrat Rick Boucher.[6] With a Cook Partisan Voting Index rating of R+23, it is the most Republican district in Virginia.[3]
| Virginia's 9th congressional district | |
|---|---|
Interactive map of district boundaries since 2023 | |
| Representative | |
| Area | 9,113.87 sq mi (23,604.8 km2) |
| Distribution |
|
| Population (2023) | 776,692[2] |
| Median household income | $53,640[2] |
| Ethnicity |
|
| Cook PVI | R+23[3] |
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The Ninth was the most competitive Virginia congressional district in the early 20th century, when the state was part of the Solid South. For twenty years (1903-1923), it was the only congressional district in Virginia — and one of the few in the entire former Confederacy — to be represented by a Republican. The district alternated between Democratic and Republican representation over the rest of the century. Some of the election results were so close — and questionable — that the district became known as "The Fighting Ninth."[7]
Since the 1990s, the district has increasingly trended Republican in federal and state races, and it has taken over from the Shenandoah Valley-based Sixth as the most Republican district in the state. It last supported a Democrat for president in 1996, and has supported a Democrat in only two statewide contests since then.
The 9th is the only district in Virginia that cast more votes for Hillary Clinton than Barack Obama in the 2008 Democratic Presidential Primary. Clinton won more than 60% of the vote, despite local Congressman Rick Boucher endorsing Obama. Republican presidential candidate John McCain received 59% of the vote in the 9th district in the 2008 General Election, however, his best performance in any of Virginia's eleven congressional districts. Voters in the 9th district supported McCain over Obama in the general election, despite reelecting Democratic Congressman Rick Boucher.[8] In the 2010 midterm elections, in which Democrats lost their majority in Congress, Virginia State Delegate Morgan Griffith unseated Congressman Boucher by aligning Boucher with President Barack Obama and Speaker Nancy Pelosi, both unpopular figures in the district at the time. Boucher's support for the American Clean Energy and Security Act, or Cap and Trade was unpopular in the district. Since then, the district has not supported a Democrat in a statewide or federal election.[9]
As of 2017, the 9th district had the highest poverty rate of any Virginia congressional district, at 18.7 percent.[10]
The 9th district also includes Franklin County.
Recent election results from statewide races
editArea covered
editThe 9th district covers all or part of the following political subdivisions:
Counties
editThe entirety of:
- Lee
- Wise
- Dickenson
- Buchanan
- Scott
- Russell
- Tazewell
- Washington
- Smyth
- Bland
- Giles
- Grayson
- Wythe
- Pulaski
- Montgomery
- Carroll
- Craig
- Floyd
- Patrick
Portions of:
Cities
editList of members representing the district
edit
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Recent election results
edit2000
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Rick Boucher | 137,488 | 69.80 | |
| Republican | Michael Osborne | 59,335 | 30.1 | |
| Total votes | 196,855 | 100.00 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
2002
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Rick Boucher (inc.) | 100,075 | 65.76 | |
| Republican | Jay Katzen (write-in) | 52,076 | 34.22 | |
| Write-ins | 32 | 0.02 | ||
| Total votes | 152,183 | 100.00 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
2004
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Rick Boucher (inc.) | 150,039 | 59.32 | |
| Republican | Kevin R. Triplett | 98,499 | 38.94 | |
| Independent | Seth A. Davis | 4,341 | 1.72 | |
| Write-ins | 68 | 0.03 | ||
| Total votes | 252,947 | 100.00 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
2006
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Rick Boucher (incumbent) | 129,705 | 67.76 | |
| Republican | Bill Carrico | 61,574 | 32.17 | |
| Write-ins | 136 | 0.07 | ||
| Total votes | 191,415 | 100.00 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
2008
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Rick Boucher (incumbent) | 207,306 | 97.07 | |
| Write-ins | 6,264 | 2.93 | ||
| Total votes | 213,570 | 100.00 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
2010
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Morgan Griffith | 95,726 | 51.21 | |||
| Democratic | Rick Boucher (incumbent) | 86,743 | 46.41 | |||
| Independent | Jeremiah Heaton | 4,282 | 2.29 | |||
| Write-in | 166 | 0.09 | ||||
| Total votes | 186,917 | 100 | ||||
| Republican gain from Democratic | ||||||
2012
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Morgan Griffith (inc.) | 184,882 | 61.29 | |
| Democratic | Anthony Flaccavento | 116,400 | 38.59 | |
| Write-in | 376 | 0.12 | ||
| Total votes | 301,658 | 100 | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
2014
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Morgan Griffith (incumbent) | 117,465 | 72.1 | |
| Independent | William Carr | 39,412 | 24.2 | |
| n/a | Write-ins | 5,940 | 3.7 | |
| Total votes | 162,817 | 100.0 | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
2016
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Morgan Griffith (incumbent) | 212,838 | 68.6 | |
| Democratic | Derek Kitts | 87,877 | 28.3 | |
| Independent | Janice Boyd | 9,050 | 2.9 | |
| n/a | Write-ins | 549 | 0.2 | |
| Total votes | 310,314 | 100.0 | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
2018
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Morgan Griffith (incumbent) | 160,933 | 65.2 | |
| Democratic | Anthony Flaccavento | 85,833 | 34.7 | |
| n/a | Write-ins | 214 | 0.1 | |
| Total votes | 246,980 | 100.0 | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
2020
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Morgan Griffith (incumbent) | 271,851 | 94.0 | |
| Write-in | 17,423 | 6.0 | ||
| Total votes | 289,274 | 100.0 | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
2022
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Morgan Griffith (incumbent) | 182,207 | 73.2 | |
| Democratic | Taysha DeVaughan | 66,027 | 26.5 | |
| Write-in | 558 | 0.2 | ||
| Total votes | 248,792 | 100.0 | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
Historical district boundaries
editThe Virginia Ninth District started in 1788 covering the counties of Brunswick, Sussex, Greensville, Prince George, Dinwiddie, Mecklenburg, Lunenburg, Ameila, Cumberland and Powhatan.[39]
See also
edit
Notes
edit- ^ "Congressional Districts Relationship Files (State-based)". U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on April 2, 2013. Retrieved February 7, 2018.
- ^ a b Center for New Media & Promotion (CNMP), US Census Bureau. "My Congressional District". www.census.gov.
- ^ a b "2022 Cook PVI: District Map and List". Cook Political Report. July 12, 2022. Retrieved January 10, 2023.
- ^ "9,113.87".
- ^ Geography, US Census Bureau. "Congressional Districts Relationship Files (state-based)". www.census.gov. Retrieved June 2, 2017.
- ^ Virginia State Board of Elections. "November 2, 2010 General and Special Elections Official Results: U.S. House of Representatives". Archived from the original on July 21, 2011. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
- ^ Bohlen, Celestine. "The Fighting Ninth". Washington Post. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
- ^ "Virginia Elections Database » 2008 President General Election". Virginia Elections Database. Retrieved December 26, 2019.
- ^ "Virginia Elections Database » Search Elections". Virginia Elections Database. Retrieved December 26, 2019.
- ^ US Census Bureau. "My Congressional District: Virginia". www.census.gov. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
- ^ "Summarized by Congressional District". Commonwealth Of Virginia – State Board of Elections ELECTION RESULTS November 5, 1996 General Election For Office of PRESIDENT/VICE PRESIDENT of the United States. Virginia State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on December 28, 2012. Retrieved July 17, 2013.
- ^ "Summarized by Congressional District". Commonwealth Of Virginia – State Board of Elections ELECTION RESULTS November 5, 1996 General Election For Office of UNITED STATES SENATE. Virginia State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on July 24, 2013. Retrieved July 17, 2013.
- ^ "Summary by Congressional District". Commonwealth Of Virginia/ELECTION RESULTS/November 4, 1997 GENERAL ELECTION/For Office of GOVERNOR/By Congressional District. Virginia State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on December 28, 2012. Retrieved July 17, 2013.
- ^ "Commonwealth Of Virginia ELECTION RESULTS NOVEMBER 4, 1997 GENERAL ELECTION For Office of LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR By Congressional District". Commonwealth Of Virginia/ELECTION RESULTS/November 4, 1997 GENERAL ELECTION/For Office of LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR/By Congressional District. Virginia State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on December 19, 2013. Retrieved July 17, 2013.
- ^ "SUMMARY OF NOVEMBER 4, 1997 GENERAL ELECTION RESULTS/by Congressional District". Commonwealth Of Virginia/ELECTION RESULTS/November 4, 1997 GENERAL ELECTION/For Office of ATTORNEY GENERAL/By Congressional District. Virginia State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on December 19, 2013. Retrieved July 17, 2013.
- ^ "U.S. President/Vice-President". Commonwealth of Virginia/November 7, 2000 – General Election/OFFICIAL ELECTION RESULTS. Virginia State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on June 17, 2010. Retrieved July 17, 2013.
- ^ "U.S. Senate". Commonwealth of Virginia/November 7, 2000 – General Election/OFFICIAL RESULTS. Virginia State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on January 31, 2014. Retrieved July 17, 2013.
- ^ "Official Results/Governor". General Election – November 6, 2001. Virginia State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on December 29, 2012. Retrieved July 17, 2013.
- ^ "Official Results/U.S. Senate". November 5, 2002 General Election Results. Virginia State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on December 28, 2012. Retrieved July 17, 2013.
- ^ "Official Results/President". Commonwealth of Virginia/November 2 – General Election. Virginia State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on December 28, 2012. Retrieved July 17, 2013.
- ^ "Official Results/Governor". General Election – November 8, 2005. Virginia State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on December 28, 2012. Retrieved July 17, 2013.
- ^ "Official Results/Lieutenant Governor". General Election – November 8, 2005. Virginia State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on July 16, 2012. Retrieved July 17, 2013.
- ^ "Official Results/Attorney General". General Election – November 8, 2005. Virginia State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on July 16, 2012. Retrieved July 17, 2013.
- ^ "Official Results/U.S. Senate". General Election – November 7, 2006. Virginia State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on August 13, 2013. Retrieved July 17, 2013.
- ^ "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. Retrieved July 17, 2013.
- ^ "Congress>U.S. Senate>United States Senate>Votes By District". November 2008 Official Results. Virginia State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on June 11, 2014. Retrieved July 17, 2013.
- ^ "Governor>Votes by District". November 2009 General Election Official Results. Virginia State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on April 1, 2012. Retrieved July 17, 2013.
- ^ "Lieutenant Governor>Votes by District". November 2009 General Election Official Results. Virginia State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on January 11, 2014. Retrieved July 17, 2013.
- ^ "Attorney General>Votes by District". November 2009 General Election Official Results. Virginia State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on January 11, 2014. Retrieved July 17, 2013.
- ^ "President>President And Vice President>Votes By District". November 2012 Official Results. Virginia State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on August 9, 2016. Retrieved July 17, 2013.
- ^ "Congress>U.S. Senate>United States Senate>Votes By District". November 2012 Official Results. Virginia State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on January 11, 2014. Retrieved July 17, 2013.
- ^ "2013 Governor General Election". November 2013 Official Results. Virginia State Board of Elections. Retrieved April 10, 2016.
- ^ "2013 Lieutenant Governor General Election". November 2013 Official Results. Virginia State Board of Elections. Retrieved April 10, 2016.
- ^ "2013 Attorney General General Election". November 2013 Official Results. Virginia State Board of Elections. Retrieved April 10, 2016.
- ^ "2014 U.S. Senate General Election". November 2014 Official Results. Virginia State Board of Elections. Retrieved April 10, 2016.
- ^ "2018 U.S. Senate Results by Congressional District". The Virginia Public Access Project. Retrieved June 16, 2018.
- ^ "Daily Kos Elections' presidential results by congressional district for 2020, 2016, and 2012".
- ^ @greggiroux (November 16, 2021). "Certified results of Virginia governor's election by current congressional district" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ Statute of 20 November 1788
References
edit- Martis, Kenneth C. (1989). The Historical Atlas of Political Parties in the United States Congress. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.
- Martis, Kenneth C. (1982). The Historical Atlas of United States Congressional Districts. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.
- Congressional Biographical Directory of the United States 1774–present