Virginia's 1st congressional district

File:Virginia's 1st congressional district (from 2023).png

Virginia's 1st congressional district from January 3, 2023

Virginia's first congressional district is a United States congressional district in the commonwealth of Virginia. It streches from the Richmond suburbs towards the Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula. The district encompasses the Historic Triangle of Jamestown, Williamsburg, and Yorktown. It has been represented by Republican Rob Wittman since 2007.

The district is sometimes referred to as "America's First District" since it includes the Historic Triangle of Jamestown, Williamsburg, and Yorktown. In the 18th and early 19th century, it comprised northwestern Virginia (that became Frederick County, Virginia as well as the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia after the American Civil War). The district includes major military installations and has been represented by Republican Rob Wittman since 2007.

In 2016, the adjacent 3rd district was ruled unconstitutional. New districts have been drawn.

Recent district election results from statewide races

Year	Office	Results
2008	President	align="right" style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading"|McCain 58% - 41%
	Senate	align="right" style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading"|Warner 57% - 42%
2009	Governor	align="right" style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading"|McDonnell 70% - 30%
	Lt. Governor	align="right" style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading"|Bolling 67% - 33%
	Attorney General	align="right" style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading"|Cuccinelli 69% - 31%
2012	President	align="right" style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading"|Romney 60% - 40%
	Senate	align="right" style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading"|Allen 57% - 42%
2013	Governor	align="right" style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading"|Cuccinelli 53% - 36%
	Lt. Governor	align="right" style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading"|Jackson 51% - 48%
	Attorney General	align="right" style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading"|Obenshain 60% - 40%
2014	Senate	align="right" style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading"|Gillespie 58% - 39%
2016	President	align="right" style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading"|Trump 54% - 40%
2017	Governor	align="right" style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading"|Gillespie 55% - 44%
	Lt. Governor	align="right" style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading"|Vogel 57% - 43%
	Attorney General	align="right" style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading"|Donley Adams 57% - 43%
2018	Senate	align="right" style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading"|Stewart 50% - 48%
2020	President	align="right" style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading"|Trump 52% - 46%
	Senate	align="right" style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading"|Gade 53% - 47%
2021	Governor	align="right" style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading"|Youngkin 58% - 41%
	Lt. Governor	align="right" style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading"|Sears 58% - 42%
	Attorney General	align="right" style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading"|Miyares 58% - 42%
2024	President	align="right" style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading"|Trump 52% - 47%
	Senate	align="right" style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading"|Cao 52% - 48%

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:

Chesterfield County (4)

Bon Air, Brandermill, Midlothian, Woodlake

Essex County (1)

Tappahannock

Gloucester County (2)

Gloucester Courthouse, Gloucester Point

Hanover County (3)

Ashland, Hanover, Mechanicsville

Henrico County (5)

Glen Allen (part; also 4th), Innsbrook, Short Pump, Tuckahoe, Wyndham

James City County (0)

No incorporated or census-recognized communities

King and Queen County (1)

King and Queen Court House

King William County (3)

All 3 communities

Lancaster County (5)

All 5 communities

Mathews County (2)

Gwynn, Mathews

Middlesex County (3)

All 3 communities

New Kent County (1)

New Kent

Northumberland County (1)

Heathsville

Richmond County (1)

Warsaw

Westmoreland County (2)

Colonial Beach, Montross

York County (2)

Bethel Manor, Yorktown

Independent cities (2)

Poquoson, Williamsburg

Historic district boundaries

File:VA 1st Congressional District.png

2003–2013

File:Virginia US Congressional District 1 (since 2013).tif

2013–2017

File:Virginia's 1st congressional district (since 2017).png

2017–2023

The Virginia First District started in 1788 covering the counties of Berkeley, Frederick, Hampshire, Hardy, Harrison, Monongalia, Ohio, Randolph and Shenandoah. Of these only Shenandoah and Frederick Counties are in Virginia today; the rest are now part of West Virginia. The modern counties of Clarke, Warren and most of Page as well as the independent city of Winchester were included as part of Frederick and Shenandoah counties in 1788. In West Virginia all the current state north and east of a generalized line running from Wood County to Pocahontas County was in the congressional district. The one exception was that Pendleton County, West Virginia was in Virginia's 3rd congressional district.

In the redistribution which followed the 1850 census (in force 1853–1863), the First District comprised sixteen counties in eastern Virginia. The counties included (amongst others) Accomack, Essex, Gloucester, James City, King and Queen, Mathews, Middlesex, New Kent, Richmond, Warwick and Westmoreland. In an 1862 Union special election three out of the sixteen counties in the Union district supplied returns.

The First District is noted for its strong presence of military institutions, including the Naval Surface Warfare Center. Increasing numbers of military and retired voters have swung the district to the right.

Recent election results

Template:Election box candidate no change

2000 Virginia's 1st congressional district election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
		Jo Ann Davis		57.5
		Lawrence A. Davies		37.0
	Independent	Sharon A. Wood		3.7
	Independent	Josh Billings		1.6
Total votes				100.00
	hold

Template:Election box candidate no change

2002 Virginia's 1st congressional district election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
		Jo Ann Davis (Incumbent)		95.9
Total votes				100.00
	hold

Template:Election box candidate no change

2004 Virginia's 1st congressional district election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
		Jo Ann Davis (Incumbent)		78.6
	Independent	William A. Lee		20.0
Total votes				100.00
	hold

Template:Election box candidate no change

2006 Virginia's 1st congressional district election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
		Jo Ann Davis (Incumbent)		63.0
		Shawn M. O'Donnell		35.5
	Independent	Marvin F. Pixton III		1.4
Total votes				100.00
	hold

Template:Election box candidate no change

2007 Virginia's 1st congressional district special election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
		Rob Wittman		60.8
		Philip Forgit		37.3
	Independent	Lucky R. Narain		1.8
Total votes				100.00
	hold

Template:Election box candidate no change

2008 Virginia's 1st congressional district election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
		Rob Wittman (Incumbent)		56.6
		Bill Day		41.8
		Nathan Larson		1.5
Total votes				100
	hold

Template:Election box candidate no change

2010 Virginia's 1st congressional district election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
		Rob Wittman (Incumbent)		63.9
		Krystal M. Ball		34.8
		G. Gail Parker		1.2
Total votes				100
	hold

Template:Election box candidate no change

2012 Virginia's 1st congressional district election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
		Rob Wittman (Incumbent)		56.3
		Adam M. Cook		41.2
		G. Gail Parker		2.3
Total votes				100
	hold

Template:Election box candidate no change

2014 Virginia's 1st congressional district election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
		Rob Wittman (Incumbent)		62.9
		Norm Mosher		34.4
		G. Gail Parker		2.4
Total votes				100
	hold

Template:Election box candidate no change

2016 Virginia's 1st congressional district election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
		Rob Wittman (Incumbent)		59.86
		Matt Rowe		36.61
	Independent	Glenda Parker		3.35
Total votes				100.00
	hold

Template:Election box candidate no change

2018 Virginia's 1st congressional district election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
		Rob Wittman (Incumbent)		55.18
		Vangie Williams		44.70
Total votes				100.00
	hold

2020 Virginia's 1st congressional district election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
		Rob Wittman (Incumbent)		58.2
		Qasim Rashid		41.8
Total votes				97.00
	hold

Template:Election box write-in with party link no change

2022 Virginia's 1st congressional district election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
		Rob Wittman (Incumbent)		56.0
		Herb Jones		43.0
		David Foster		1.0
Total votes				100.00
	hold

Template:Election box write-in with party link no change

2024 Virginia's 1st congressional district election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
		Rob Wittman (incumbent)		56.3
		Leslie Mehta		43.5
Total votes				100.0
	hold

List of members representing the district

Representative	Party	Years	Cong ress	Electoral history
District established March 4, 1789
Alexander White (Woodville)	style="background:Template:Party color" | Pro-Administration	March 4, 1789 – March 3, 1793	Template:USCongressOrdinal	Elected in 1789. Re-elected in 1790. Lost re-election.
Robert Rutherford (Charles Town)	Anti-Administration	March 4, 1793 – March 3, 1795	Template:USCongressOrdinal	Elected in 1793. Re-elected in 1795. Lost re-election.
	Democratic-Republican	March 4, 1795 – March 3, 1797
File:DanielMorgan.jpeg Daniel Morgan (Winchester)	Federalist	March 4, 1797 – March 3, 1799	Template:USCongressOrdinal	Elected in 1797. Retired.
Robert Page (Frederick County)	Federalist	March 4, 1799 – March 3, 1801	Template:USCongressOrdinal	Elected in 1799. Retired.
File:John S. Smith, head-and-shoulders portrait, right profile LCCN2007675907.tif John Smith (Hackwood)	Democratic-Republican	March 4, 1801 – March 3, 1803	Template:USCongressOrdinal	Elected in 1801. Redistricted to the Template:Ushr.
File:Johngeorgejackson.jpg John G. Jackson (Clarksburg)	Democratic-Republican	March 4, 1803 – September 28, 1810	Template:USCongressOrdinal	Elected in 1803. Re-elected in 1805. Re-elected in 1807. Re-elected in 1809. Resigned.
Vacant		September 29, 1810 – December 20, 1810	Template:USCongressOrdinal
William McKinley (Ohio County)	Democratic-Republican	December 21, 1810 – March 3, 1811		Elected in to finish Jackson's term. Lost re-election.
File:ThomasWilsonVA.jpg Thomas Wilson (Morgantown)	Federalist	March 4, 1811 – March 3, 1813	Template:USCongressOrdinal	Elected in 1811. Lost re-election.
File:Johngeorgejackson.jpg John G. Jackson (Clarksburg)	Democratic-Republican	March 4, 1813 – March 3, 1817	Template:USCongressOrdinal	Elected in 1813. Re-elected in 1815. Retired.
James Pindall (Clarksburg)	Federalist	March 4, 1817 – July 26, 1820	Template:USCongressOrdinal	Elected in 1817. Re-elected in 1819. Resigned.
Vacant		July 27, 1820 – October 22, 1820	Template:USCongressOrdinal
Edward B. Jackson (Clarksburg)	Democratic-Republican	October 23, 1820 – March 3, 1823	Template:USCongressOrdinal	Elected to finish Pindall's term. Re-elected in 1821. Retired.
File:Portrait of Thomas Newton, Jr. (1768-1847).jpg Thomas Newton Jr. (Norfolk)	Democratic-Republican	March 4, 1823 – March 3, 1825	Template:USCongressOrdinal	Redistricted from the Template:Ushr and re-elected in 1823. Re-elected in 1825. Re-elected in 1827. Election invalidated.
	Anti-Jacksonian	March 4, 1825 – March 9, 1830
George Loyall (Norfolk)	style="background-color:Template:Party color" | Jackson	March 9, 1830 – March 3, 1831	Template:USCongressOrdinal	Won election contest. Lost re-election.
File:Portrait of Thomas Newton, Jr. (1768-1847).jpg Thomas Newton Jr. (Norfolk)	Anti-Jacksonian	March 4, 1831 – March 3, 1833	Template:USCongressOrdinal	Elected in 1831. Retired.
George Loyall (Norfolk)	style="background-color:Template:Party color" | Jackson	March 4, 1833 – March 3, 1837	Template:USCongressOrdinal	Elected in 1833. Re-elected in 1835. Retired.
Francis Mallory (Hampton)	style="background-color:Template:Party color" | Whig	March 4, 1837 – March 3, 1839	Template:USCongressOrdinal	Elected in 1837. Lost re-election.
File:Joel Holleman.jpg Joel Holleman (Burwell Bay)	style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" | Democratic	March 4, 1839 – December 1, 1840	Template:USCongressOrdinal	Elected in 1839. Resigned.
Vacant		December 2, 1840 – December 27, 1840
Francis Mallory (Hampton)	style="background-color:Template:Party color" | Whig	December 28, 1840 – March 3, 1843	Template:USCongressOrdinal	Elected to finish Holleman's term. Re-elected in 1841. Retired.
Archibald Atkinson (Smithfield)	style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" | Democratic	March 4, 1843 – March 3, 1849	Template:USCongressOrdinal	Elected in 1843. Re-elected in 1845. Re-elected in 1847. Retired.
File:JohnMillson.jpg John S. Millson (Norfolk)	style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" | Democratic	March 4, 1849 – March 3, 1853	Template:USCongressOrdinal	Elected in 1849. Re-elected in 1851. Redistricted to the Template:Ushr.
Thomas H. Bayly (Accomac)	style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" | Democratic	March 4, 1853 – June 23, 1856	Template:USCongressOrdinal	Elected in 1853. Re-elected in 1855. Died.
Vacant		June 24, 1856 – November 30, 1856	Template:USCongressOrdinal
File:MuscoeRHGarnett.jpg Muscoe R. H. Garnett (Loretto)	style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" | Democratic	December 1, 1856 – March 3, 1861	Template:USCongressOrdinal	Elected to finish Bayly's term. Re-elected in 1857. Re-elected in 1859. Retired.
Vacant		March 4, 1861 – October 24, 1861	Template:USCongressOrdinal
File:Joseph Segar.jpg Joseph E. Segar (Elizabeth City)	style="background:Template:Party color" | Unionist	October 24, 1861 – February 11, 1862		Elected in 1861. Declared by the House to be not entitled to the seat.
Vacant		February 11, 1862 – March 16, 1862
File:Joseph Segar.jpg Joseph E. Segar (Elizabeth City)	style="background:Template:Party color" | Unionist	March 16, 1862 – May 17, 1864	Template:USCongressOrdinal	Elected to finish his own term. Re-elected in 1863. Declared by the House to be not entitled to the seat.
District inactive		May 17, 1864 – January 30, 1870	Template:USCongressOrdinal	Civil War and Reconstruction
File:RichardSAyer.jpg Richard S. Ayer (Warsaw)	style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading" | Republican	January 31, 1870 – March 3, 1871	Template:USCongressOrdinal	Elected to finish the short term. Retired.
File:John Critchery.jpg John Critcher (Oak Grove)	style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" | Democratic	March 4, 1871 – March 3, 1873	Template:USCongressOrdinal	Elected in 1870. Retired.
File:James Sener.jpg James B. Sener (Fredericksburg)	style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading" | Republican	March 4, 1873 – March 3, 1875	Template:USCongressOrdinal	Elected in 1872. Lost re-election.
File:BeverlyBDouglas.jpg Beverly B. Douglas (Aylett)	style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" | Democratic	March 4, 1875 – December 22, 1878	Template:USCongressOrdinal	Elected in 1874. Re-elected in 1876. Re-elected in 1878, but died before his term began.
Vacant		December 23, 1878 – January 22, 1879	Template:USCongressOrdinal
File:Richard L. T. Beale - Brady-Handy.jpg Richard L. T. Beale (Hague)	style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" | Democratic	January 23, 1879 – March 3, 1881	Template:USCongressOrdinal	Elected to finish Douglas's term. Retired.
George T. Garrison (Accomac)	style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" | Democratic	March 4, 1881 – March 3, 1883	Template:USCongressOrdinal	Elected in 1880. Lost re-election.
File:Robert Murphy Mayo.jpg Robert M. Mayo (Hague)	style="background:Template:Party color" | Readjuster	March 4, 1883 – March 20, 1884	Template:USCongressOrdinal	Elected in 1882. Election invalidated.
George T. Garrison (Accomac)	style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" | Democratic	March 20, 1884 – March 3, 1885	Template:USCongressOrdinal	Template:Dm Retired.
Thomas Croxton (Tappahannock)	style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" | Democratic	March 4, 1885 – March 3, 1887	Template:USCongressOrdinal	Elected in 1884. Lost re-election.
File:Thomas H. B. Browne.jpg Thomas H. B. Browne (Accomac)	style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading" | Republican	March 4, 1887 – March 3, 1891	Template:USCongressOrdinal	Elected in 1886. Re-elected in 1888. Lost re-election.
File:William Atkinson Jones later years.jpg William A. Jones (Warsaw)	style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" | Democratic	March 4, 1891 – April 17, 1918	Template:USCongressOrdinal	Elected in 1890. Re-elected in 1892. Re-elected in 1894. Re-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. Re-elected in 1916. Died.
Vacant		April 18, 1918 – July 2, 1918	Template:USCongressOrdinal
File:SOtisBland.jpg S. Otis Bland (Newport News)	style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" | Democratic	July 2, 1918 – March 3, 1933	Template:USCongressOrdinal	Elected to finish Jones's term. Re-elected in 1918. Re-elected in 1920. Re-elected in 1922. Re-elected in 1924. Re-elected in 1926. Re-elected in 1928. Re-elected in 1930. Redistricted to the Template:Ushr.
District inactive		March 4, 1933 – January 3, 1935	Template:USCongressOrdinal
File:SOtisBland.jpg S. Otis Bland (Newport News)	style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" | Democratic	January 3, 1935 – February 16, 1950	Template:USCongressOrdinal	Elected in 1934. Re-elected in 1936. Re-elected in 1938. Re-elected in 1940. Re-elected in 1942. Re-elected in 1944. Re-elected in 1946. Re-elected in 1948. Died.
Vacant		February 16, 1950 – May 2, 1950	Template:USCongressOrdinal
File:Edward Robeson.jpg Edward J. Robeson Jr. (Warwick)	style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" | Democratic	May 2, 1950 – January 3, 1959	Template:USCongressOrdinal	Elected to finish Bland's term. Re-elected in 1950. Re-elected in 1952. Re-elected in 1954. Re-elected in 1956. Lost renomination.
File:Thomas N. Downing.jpg Thomas N. Downing (Newport News)	style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" | Democratic	January 3, 1959 – January 3, 1977	Template:USCongressOrdinal	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. Re-elected in 1972. Re-elected in 1974. Retired.
File:Paul Trible.jpg Paul Trible (Newport News)	style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading" | Republican	January 3, 1977 – January 3, 1983	Template:USCongressOrdinal	Elected in 1976. Re-elected in 1978. Re-elected in 1980. Retired to run for U.S. senator.
File:HerbertBateman.jpg Herbert H. Bateman (Newport News)	style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading" | Republican	January 3, 1983 – September 11, 2000	Template:USCongressOrdinal	Elected in 1982. Re-elected in 1984. Re-elected in 1986. Re-elected in 1988. Re-elected in 1990. Re-elected in 1992. Re-elected in 1994. Re-elected in 1996. Re-elected in 1998. Announced retirement, then died.
Vacant		September 11, 2000 – January 3, 2001	Template:USCongressOrdinal
File:Jo ann davis 2.jpg Jo Ann Davis (Gloucester)	style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading" | Republican	January 3, 2001 – October 6, 2007	Template:USCongressOrdinal	Elected in 2000. Re-elected in 2002. Re-elected in 2004. Re-elected in 2006. Died.
Vacant		October 6, 2007 – December 11, 2007	Template:USCongressOrdinal
File:Rob Wittman 117th Congress.jpeg Rob Wittman (Montross)	style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading" | Republican	December 11, 2007 – present	Template:USCongressOrdinal	Elected to finish Davis's term. Re-elected in 2008. Re-elected in 2010. Re-elected in 2012. Re-elected in 2014. Re-elected in 2016. Re-elected in 2018. Re-elected in 2020. Re-elected in 2022. Re-elected in 2024.

See also

• Virginia's congressional districts
• List of United States congressional districts
• 2007 Virginia's 1st congressional district special election

References

• Congressional Biographical Directory of the United States 1774–present