Politics of Virginia
The politics of Virginia have followed major historical events and demographic changes in the commonwealth. In the 21st century, the northern region has become more liberal in attitudes and voting, constituting a reliable voting bloc for Democrats and joining with population centers in the Richmond Metropolitan and Hampton Roads areas to dominate the state. Political orientation varies by region, with the larger cities and suburban areas generally voting Democratic and the rural areas voting Republican. The southern, rural regions have remained rural and conservative.[1] Until 2021[2] when the GOP swept all statewide offices, Virginia was shifting more Democratic and now is considered a swing state again by most pundits.[3][4][5][6]
Eight presidents of the United States were born in Virginia, the most of any state. In fact, 4 of the first 5 presidents were born within its boundaries. George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe, William Henry Harrison, John Tyler, Zachary Taylor, and Woodrow Wilson were all Virginians at birth. Numerous other influential politicians, such as Patrick Henry, an American Founding Father, have also come from Virginia.[7]
History
After the
Elections resumed after 5 years as a U.S. Military District, and control was chaotic. In the late 1870s, a coalition of Conservative Democrats, Republicans, and African Americans was assembled and the Readjuster Party took power for about 10 years. After U.S. Senator William Mahone and the Readjuster Party lost control of Virginia politics around 1883, white Democrats regained the state legislature. They proceeded to use statute and a new constitution in 1901, with provisions such as a poll tax, residency requirements, and literacy test to disfranchise most African Americans and many poor whites. Their disfranchisement lasted until after the passage of civil rights legislation in the mid-1960s.
White Democrats created a one-party state, with a nearly unchallenged majority of state and most federal offices through the middle of the 20th century. The
President Lyndon Johnson's and national Democrats' support for civil rights turned many conservative whites in Virginia against the Democrats. However, many Virginians had been willing to support Republicans, at least at the national level, since the 1930s due to
Virginia voted for Republicans in nearly every presidential election from 1952 to 2004 except for the Democratic landslide in President Johnson's election in
Regional differences play a large part in Virginia politics.
Recent events
In 2007, the
Criticism
Dozens of delegates run unopposed each election cycle, which led 2001 Libertarian gubernatorial candidate and former national
Districting
Congressional representation
Senate
- Tim Kaine (D) won the seat in 2012.
- Mark Warner (D) won the seat in 2008.
House
- 1st District: Rob Wittman (R)
- 2nd District: Jen Kiggans (R)
- Bobby Scott(D)
- 4th District: Jennifer McClellan (D)
- 5th District: Bob Good (R)
- 6th District: Ben Cline (R)
- 7th District: Abigail Spanberger (D)
- 8th District: Don Beyer (D)
- 9th District: Morgan Griffith (R)
- 10th District: Jennifer Wexton (D)
- 11th District: Gerry Connolly (D)
Virginia is part of the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia and the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia in the federal judiciary. The district's cases are appealed to the Richmond-based United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.
Elections
State elections
Unity control only lasted two years, and
The
In 2019, Democrats took full control of the state's legislature, flipping at least two state senate seats and five state house seats from Republican to Democratic candidates.[29][30]
In 2021, Republicans retook control of the House of Delegates, flipping at least seven seats from Democratic to Republican candidates. Additionally, Glenn Youngkin, a Republican, defeated Terry McAuliffe in the governor's race, Virginia elected its first black female lieutenant governor Winsome Sears, a Republican, and elected Virginia's first Latino attorney general, Jason Miyares, a Republican.
In the 2023 election, Democrats regained control of the House of Delegates — flipping three seats — and held onto the Senate.
Federal elections
Year | Republican / Whig | Democratic | Third party | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
2020 | 1,962,430 | 44.00% | 2,413,568 | 54.11% | 84,526 | 1.89% |
2016 | 1,769,443 | 44.43% | 1,981,473 | 49.75% | 231,836 | 5.82% |
2012 | 1,822,522 | 47.28% | 1,971,820 | 51.16% | 60,147 | 1.56% |
2008 | 1,725,005 | 46.33% | 1,959,532 | 52.63% | 38,723 | 1.04% |
2004 | 1,716,959 | 53.68% | 1,454,742 | 45.48% | 26,666 | 0.83% |
2000 | 1,437,490 | 52.47% | 1,217,290 | 44.44% | 84,667 | 3.09% |
1996 | 1,138,350 | 47.10% | 1,091,060 | 45.15% | 187,232 | 7.75% |
1992 | 1,150,517 | 44.97% | 1,038,650 | 40.59% | 369,498 | 14.44% |
1988 | 1,309,162 | 59.74% | 859,799 | 39.23% | 22,648 | 1.03% |
1984 | 1,337,078 | 62.29% | 796,250 | 37.09% | 13,307 | 0.62% |
1980 | 989,609 | 53.03% | 752,174 | 40.31% | 124,249 | 6.66% |
1976 | 836,554 | 49.29% | 813,896 | 47.96% | 46,644 | 2.75% |
1972 | 988,493 | 67.84% | 438,887 | 30.12% | 29,639 | 2.03% |
1968 | 590,319 | 43.36% | 442,387 | 32.49% | 328,785 | 24.15% |
1964 | 481,334 | 46.18% | 558,038 | 53.54% | 2,895 | 0.28% |
1960 | 404,521 | 52.44% | 362,327 | 46.97% | 4,601 | 0.60% |
1956 | 386,459 | 55.37% | 267,760 | 38.36% | 43,759 | 6.27% |
1952 | 349,037 | 56.32% | 268,677 | 43.36% | 1,975 | 0.32% |
1948 | 172,070 | 41.04% | 200,786 | 47.89% | 46,400 | 11.07% |
1944 | 145,243 | 37.39% | 242,276 | 62.36% | 966 | 0.25% |
1940 | 109,363 | 31.55% | 235,961 | 68.08% | 1,283 | 0.37% |
1936 | 98,336 | 29.39% | 234,980 | 70.23% | 1,274 | 0.38% |
1932 | 89,637 | 30.09% | 203,979 | 68.46% | 4,326 | 1.45% |
1928 | 164,609 | 53.91% | 140,146 | 45.90% | 603 | 0.20% |
1924 | 73,312 | 32.79% | 139,716 | 62.48% | 10,574 | 4.73% |
1920 | 87,456 | 37.86% | 141,670 | 61.33% | 1,873 | 0.81% |
1916 | 49,356 | 32.05% | 102,824 | 66.77% | 1,812 | 1.18% |
1912 | 23,288 | 17.00% | 90,332 | 65.95% | 23,356 | 17.05% |
1908 | 52,572 | 38.36% | 82,946 | 60.52% | 1,547 | 1.13% |
1904 | 48,180 | 36.95% | 80,649 | 61.84% | 1,581 | 1.21% |
1900 | 115,769 | 43.82% | 146,079 | 55.29% | 2,360 | 0.89% |
1896 | 135,379 | 45.94% | 154,708 | 52.50% | 4,587 | 1.56% |
1892 | 113,098 | 38.70% | 164,136 | 56.17% | 15,004 | 5.13% |
1888 | 150,399 | 49.46% | 152,004 | 49.99% | 1,684 | 0.55% |
1884 | 139,356 | 48.90% | 145,491 | 51.05% | 130 | 0.05% |
1880 | 83,533 | 39.47% | 128,083 | 60.53% | 0 | 0.00% |
1876 | 95,518 | 40.42% | 140,770 | 59.58% | 0 | 0.00% |
1872 | 93,463 | 50.47% | 91,647 | 49.49% | 85 | 0.05% |
1860 | 1,887 | 1.13% | 16,198 | 9.71% | 148,806 | 89.16% |
1856 | 0 | 0.00% | 90,083 | 59.96% | 60,150 | 40.04% |
1852 | 58,732 | 44.29% | 73,872 | 55.71% | 0 | 0.00% |
1848 | 45,265 | 49.20% | 46,739 | 50.80% | 0 | 0.00% |
1844 | 44,860 | 46.95% | 50,679 | 53.05% | 0 | 0.00% |
1840 | 42,637 | 49.35% | 43,757 | 50.65% | 0 | 0.00% |
1836 | 23,384 | 43.35% | 30,556 | 56.64% | 5 | 0.01% |
In federal elections since 2006, both parties have seen successes. Republican Senator
In the
Statewide referendums
In 2006, a statewide
See also
- Government of Virginia
- Elections in Virginia
- List of politics by U.S. state
- Republican Party of Virginia
- Democratic Party of Virginia
- Libertarian Party of Virginia
- Green Party of Virginia
- Independent Greens of Virginia
- Law of Virginia
- Shad Planking
References
- ^ Inoljt (2010-08-10). "Analyzing Virginia's 2009 Gubernatorial Election, Part 1". My Firedoglake. Retrieved 2013-01-11.
- ^ Reston, Maeve (November 3, 2021). "Republican Youngkin wins Virginia governor's race, CNN projects". CNN. Archived from the original on November 3, 2021. Retrieved November 3, 2021.
- ^ "GOP sweeps statewide races with 2 down-ballot wins". AP NEWS. 2021-11-02. Retrieved 2021-11-12.
- ^ "Virginia Swings Back to Swing State Status". Washingtonian. 2021-11-03. Retrieved 2021-11-12.
- ^ "Virginia returns to swing state status and more headlines". Virginia Mercury. November 3, 2021. Retrieved 2021-11-12.
- ^ "Republicans Bucked Virginia's Blue State Trend. Here Are A Few Reasons Why". WAMU. Retrieved 2021-11-12.
- ^ "Virginia Presidents – Virginia is for Lovers".
- ^ Turque, Bill; Wiggins, Ovetta; Stewart, Nikita (February 13, 2008). "In Virginia, Results Signal A State in Play for November". The Washington Post. Retrieved September 29, 2008.
- S2CID 12885628.
- ^ Craig, Tim (December 11, 2007). "Tensions Could Hurt Majority in Va. Senate". The Washington Post. Retrieved December 23, 2007.
- S2CID 144038985.
- ^ Eisman, Dale (October 25, 2006). "Webb, Allen court Hispanic, white-collar voters in N. Va". The Virginian-Pilot. Retrieved March 29, 2008.
- ^ a b Przybyla, Heidi (November 7, 2012). "Obama Repeats Win in Former Republican Stronghold Virginia". Bloomberg Businessweek. Archived from the original on January 18, 2013. Retrieved November 24, 2012.
- ^ Murray, Mark (April 16, 2009). "Shad Planking kicks Virginia race into gear". NBC News. Retrieved May 7, 2009.
- ^ Va. Driver Fees Now Election Weapon, Tim Craig, The Washington Post, July 17, 2007.
- ^ Abusive Driver Fees Refunds (Report). Virginia Department of Accounts. Retrieved 2016-05-21.
- Washington Post, Oct. 12, 2001.
- ^ Laris, Michael (10 October 2001). "Libertarian Targets Political System". Washington Post. Retrieved 27 September 2017.
- ^ Craig, Tim; Kumar, Anita (November 8, 2007). "Kaine Hails 'Balance' in New Political Landscape". The Washington Post. Retrieved November 7, 2007.
- ^ Helderman, Rosalind S.; Kumar, Anita (November 4, 2009). "GOP reclaims Virginia". The Washington Post. Retrieved November 4, 2009.
- ^ Lewis, Bob (November 10, 2011). "GOP claims Va. Senate majority after Dem concedes". The Boston Globe. Associated Press. Retrieved November 15, 2011.
- ^ "Decision 2013: Virginia general election results". The Washington Post. November 6, 2013. Archived from the original on November 8, 2013. Retrieved November 6, 2013.
- ^ "McAuliffe wins nailbiter Virginia governor's race". CBS News. November 6, 2013. Retrieved November 6, 2013.
- ^ Huffington Post. Retrieved November 6, 2013.
- Huffington Post. Retrieved November 6, 2013.
- ^ "2013: Virginia House of Delegates election results". Virginia Board of Elections. November 12, 2013. Archived from the original on November 9, 2013. Retrieved November 12, 2013.
- ^ Barakat, Matthew (November 7, 2017). "Virginia House up for grabs after Democrats' historic gains". The Seattle Times. AP.
- ^ Moomaw, Graham (January 4, 2018). "Del. David E. Yancey wins tiebreaker for key Virginia House of Delegates seat". Fredericksburg.com.
- ^ "Democrats win full control of Virginia statehouse". AP NEWS. 2019-11-06. Retrieved 2019-11-06.
- ^ Schwartzman, Paul (November 6, 2019). "Republicans wake to a blue Virginia". The Washington Post. Retrieved November 6, 2019.
- ^ Leip, David. "Presidential General Election Results Comparison – Virginia". US Election Atlas. Retrieved January 10, 2010.
- Washington Post. Associated Press. Archived from the originalon December 12, 2018. Retrieved November 24, 2012.
- ^ Kumar, Anita (November 5, 2008). "Warner Rolls Past His Fellow Former Governor". The Washington Post. Retrieved November 5, 2008.
- ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2023-04-18.
- ^ "Virginia GOP completes sweep of elections with House win". AP NEWS. 2021-12-03. Retrieved 2023-04-18.
- ^ Barnes, Fred. "Why Virginia Is Turning Blue". WSJ. Retrieved 2019-11-06.
- ^ Virginia's 4th Congressional District election, 2016 Ballotpedia: the Encyclopedia of American Politics. viewed November 13, 2016.
External links
- Politics of Virginia at Curlie