Virginia's 9th congressional district

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). Since 2011 it has been represented by Morgan Griffith (R), who took office after defeating Rick Boucher (D), the district's representative for 1983-2011.[6]

Virginia's 9th congressional district
Virginia's 9th congressional district - since January 3, 2013
Representative	Morgan Griffith R–Salem
Area	9,113.87 sq mi (23,604.8 km^2)
Distribution	58.25% rural[1] 41.75% urban
Population (2018, estimated)	704,831[2]
Median income	$43,987[2]
Ethnicity	90.8% white 5.4% black 2.3% Hispanic 1.4% Asian 0.3% Native American
Cook PVI	R+19[3]

Largely white, the Ninth was the most competitive Congressional district in the early the 20th century, when Virginia was among the Solid South states and African Americans were disenfranchised. 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 its voters have increasingly cast ballots for Republican presidential candidates. 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 Congressional 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. Since then, the district has not supported a Democrat in a statewide or federal election (as of 2019).[9]

As of 2017, the 9th district had the highest poverty rate of any Virginia Congressional District, at 18.7 percent.[10]

Recent election results from statewide races

Year	Office	Results
1996	U.S. President	Clinton 46%–43%–10%[11]
	U.S. Senator	Warner 55%–44%[12]
	U.S. Representative	Boucher 65%–31%[13]
1997	Governor	Gilmore 57%–41%[14]
	Lieutenant Governor	Hager 51%–44%[15]
	Attorney General	Earley 56%–44%[16]
1998	U.S. Representative	Boucher 61%–39%[17]
2000	U.S. President	Bush 55%–42%[18]
	U.S. Senator	Allen 57%–43%[19]
	U.S. Representative	Boucher 70%–30%[20]
2001	Governor	Warner 52%–47%[21]
	Lieutenant Governor	Katzen 49%–49%
	Attorney General	Kilgore 69%–31%
2002	U.S. Senator	Warner 83%–8%–9%[22]
	U.S. Representative	Boucher 66%–34%[23]
2004	U.S. President	Bush 60%–39%[24]
	U.S. Representative	Boucher 59%–39%[25]
2005	Governor	Kilgore 55%–43%[26]
	Lieutenant Governor	Bolling 57%–43%[27]
	Attorney General	McDonnell 58%–42%[28]
2006	U.S. Senator	Allen 55%–44%[29]
	U.S. Representative	Boucher 68%–32%[30]
2008	U.S. President	McCain 59%–40%[31]
	U.S. Senator	Warner 63%–36%[32]
	U.S. Representative	Boucher 97%–3%[33]
2009	Governor	McDonnell 66%–34%[34]
	Lieutenant Governor	Bolling 66%–34%[35]
	Attorney General	Cuccinelli 66%–34%[36]
2010	U.S. Representative	Griffith 51%–46%[37]
2012	U.S. President	Romney 63%–35%[38]
	U.S. Senator	Allen 62%–38%[39]
	U.S. Representative	Griffith 61%–39%[40]
2013	Governor	Cuccinelli 61%–32%–7%[41]
	Lieutenant Governor	Jackson 61%–39%[42]
	Attorney General	Obenshain 67%–33%[43]
2014	U.S. Senator	Gillespie 59%–38%[44]
	U.S. Representative	Griffith 72%–24%[45]
2016	U.S. President	Trump 69%–27%
	U.S. Representative	Griffith 69%–28%
2017	Governor	Gillespie 68%–31%
	Lieutenant Governor	Vogel 69%–31%
	Attorney General	Adams 69%–31%
2018	U.S. Senator	Stewart 64%–35%[46]
	U.S. Representative	Griffith 65%–35%

Area covered

The 9th district covers all or part of the following political subdivisions:

Counties

The entirety of:

• Lee
• Wise
• Dickenson
• Buchanan
• Scott
• Russell
• Tazewell
• Washington
• Smyth
• Bland
• Giles
• Grayson
• Wythe
• Pulaski
• Montgomery
• Carroll
• Craig
• Floyd
• Patrick

Portions of:

• Alleghany
• Roanoke
• Henry

Cities

• Bristol
• Covington
• Galax
• Martinsville
• Norton
• Radford
• Salem

List of members representing the district

Representative	Party	Term	Cong- ress	Electoral history
District created: March 4, 1789
Theodorick Bland	Anti-Administration	March 4, 1789 – June 1, 1790	1st	Elected in 1789. Died.
Vacant		June 2, 1790 – December 6, 1790
William B. Giles	Anti-Administration	December 7, 1790 – March 3, 1795	1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th	Elected in July 1790 to finish Bland's term and seated December 7, 1790. Re-elected later in 1790. Re-elected in 1793. Re-elected in 1795. Re-elected in 1797. Resigned.
	Democratic-Republican	March 4, 1795 – October 2, 1798
Vacant		October 3, 1798 – December 2, 1798
Joseph Eggleston	Democratic-Republican	December 3, 1798 – March 3, 1801	5th 6th	Elected to finish Giles's term. Re-elected in 1799. [data unknown/missing]
William B. Giles	Democratic-Republican	March 4, 1801 – March 3, 1803	7th	Elected in 1801. Redistricted to the 16th district and retired.
Philip R. Thompson	Democratic-Republican	March 4, 1803 – March 3, 1807	8th 9th	Redistricted from the 18th district and re-elected in 1803. Re-elected in 1805. Re-elected in 1807. Re-elected in 1809. Retired.
John Love	Democratic-Republican	March 4, 1807 – March 3, 1811	10th 11th	Elected in 1807. Re-elected in 1809. Moved to the 7th district and lost re-election there.
Aylett Hawes	Democratic-Republican	March 4, 1811 – March 3, 1813	12th	Elected in 1811. Redistricted to the 10th district.
John P. Hungerford	Democratic-Republican	March 4, 1813 – March 3, 1817	13th 14th	Elected in 1813. Re-elected in 1815. Lost re-election.
William L. Ball	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 13th district.
Andrew Stevenson	Crawford D-R	March 4, 1823 – March 3, 1825	18th 19th 20th 21st 22nd	Redistricted from the 23rd district and re-elected in 1823. Re-elected in 1825. Re-elected in 1827. Re-elected in 1829. [data unknown/missing] Redistricted to the 11th congressional district
	Jackson	March 4, 1825 – March 3, 1833
William P. Taylor	Anti-Jacksonian	March 4, 1833 – March 3, 1835	23rd	[data unknown/missing] Lost re-election.
John Roane	Jacksonian	March 4, 1835 – March 3, 1837	24th	[data unknown/missing] Retired.
Robert M. T. Hunter	Whig	March 4, 1837 – March 3, 1843	25th 26th 27th	[data unknown/missing] Lost re-election.
Samuel Chilton	Whig	March 4, 1843 – March 3, 1845	28th	[data unknown/missing] Retired.
John S. Pendleton	Whig	March 4, 1845 – March 3, 1849	29th 30th	[data unknown/missing] Lost re-election.
Jeremiah Morton	Whig	March 4, 1849 – March 3, 1851	31st	[data unknown/missing] Lost re-election.
James F. Strother	Whig	March 4, 1851 – March 3, 1853	32nd	[data unknown/missing] Lost re-election.
John Letcher	Democratic	March 4, 1853 – March 3, 1859	33rd 34th 35th	[data unknown/missing] Retired to run for Governor of Virginia.
John T. Harris	Independent Democratic	March 4, 1859 – March 3, 1861	36th	[data unknown/missing] Retired.
Vacant		March 4, 1861 – June 19, 1863	Civil War
District eliminated June 20, 1863
District re-created: March 4, 1873
Rees T. Bowen	Democratic	March 4, 1873 – March 3, 1875	43rd	[data unknown/missing] Retired.
William Terry	Democratic	March 4, 1875 – March 3, 1877	44th	[data unknown/missing] Lost re-election.
Auburn L. Pridemore	Democratic	March 4, 1877 – March 3, 1879	45th	[data unknown/missing] Lost re-election.
James B. Richmond	Democratic	March 4, 1879 – March 3, 1881	46th	[data unknown/missing] Lost re-election.
Abram Fulkerson	Democratic	March 4, 1881 – March 3, 1883	47th	[data unknown/missing] Retired.
Henry Bowen	Readjuster	March 4, 1883 – March 3, 1885	48th	[data unknown/missing] Lost re-election.
Connally F. Trigg	Democratic	March 4, 1885 – March 3, 1887	49th	[data unknown/missing] Lost re-election.
Henry Bowen	Republican	March 4, 1887 – March 3, 1889	50th	[data unknown/missing] Lost re-election.
John A. Buchanan	Democratic	March 4, 1889 – March 3, 1893	51st 52nd	[data unknown/missing] Retired.
James W. Marshall	Democratic	March 4, 1893 – March 3, 1895	53rd	[data unknown/missing] Lost re-election.
James A. Walker	Republican	March 4, 1895 – March 3, 1899	54th 55th	[data unknown/missing] Lost re-election.
William F. Rhea	Democratic	March 4, 1899 – March 3, 1903	56th 57th	[data unknown/missing] Lost re-election.
Campbell Slemp	Republican	March 4, 1903 – October 13, 1907	58th 59th 60th	[data unknown/missing] Died.
Vacant		October 14, 1907 – December 16, 1907
C. Bascom Slemp	Republican	December 17, 1907 – March 3, 1923	60th 61st 62nd 63rd 64th 65th 66th 67th	[data unknown/missing] Retired.
George C. Peery	Democratic	March 4, 1923 – March 3, 1929	68th 69th 70th	[data unknown/missing] Retired.
Joseph C. Shaffer	Republican	March 4, 1929 – March 3, 1931	71st	[data unknown/missing] Lost re-election.
John W. Flannagan Jr.	Democratic	March 4, 1931 – March 3, 1933	72nd	Elected to VA-AL.
District eliminated March 4, 1933
District recreated: January 3, 1935
John W. Flannagan Jr.	Democratic	January 3, 1935 – January 3, 1949	74th 75th 76th 77th 78th 79th 80th	[data unknown/missing] Retired.
Thomas B. Fugate	Democratic	January 3, 1949 – January 3, 1953	81st 82nd	[data unknown/missing] Retired.
William C. Wampler	Republican	January 3, 1953 – January 3, 1955	83rd	[data unknown/missing] Lost re-election.
W. Pat Jennings	Democratic	January 3, 1955 – January 3, 1967	84th 85th 86th 87th 88th 89th	[data unknown/missing] Lost re-election.
William C. Wampler	Republican	January 3, 1967 – January 3, 1983	90th 91st 92nd 93rd 94th 95th 96th 97th	[data unknown/missing] Lost re-election.
Frederick C. Boucher	Democratic	January 3, 1983 – January 3, 2011	98th 99th 100th 101st 102nd 103rd 104th 105th 106th 107th 108th 109th 110th 111th	[data unknown/missing] Lost re-election.
Morgan Griffith	Republican	January 3, 2011 – Present	112th 113th 114th 115th 116th	Elected in 2010.

Historical district boundaries

2003–2013

See also

• Virginia's congressional districts
• List of United States congressional districts

Notes

1. https://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/cd_state.html
2. https://www.census.gov/mycd/?st=51&cd=09
3. "Partisan Voting Index – Districts of the 115th Congress" (PDF). The Cook Political Report. April 7, 2017. Retrieved April 7, 2017.
4. 9,113.87
5. Geography, US Census Bureau. "Congressional Districts Relationship Files (state-based)". www.census.gov. Retrieved 2017-06-02.
6. Virginia State Board of Elections. "November 2, 2010 General and Special Elections Official Results: U.S. House of Representatives". Archived from the original on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2018.
7. Bohlen, Celestine. "The Fighting Ninth". Washington Post. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
8. "Virginia Elections Database » 2008 President General Election". Virginia Elections Database. Retrieved 2019-12-26.
9. "Virginia Elections Database » Search Elections". Virginia Elections Database. Retrieved 2019-12-26.
10. US Census Bureau. "My Congressional District: Virginia". www.census.gov. Retrieved 2018-09-25.
11. "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. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
12. "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. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
13. "Seventh Congressional District". Commonwealth Of Virginia/ELECTION RESULTS/NOVEMBER 5, 1996 GENERAL ELECTION/For Office of United States House of Representatives/By Locality and Precinct for Congressional District 009. Virginia State Board of Elections. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
14. "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. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
15. "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. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
16. "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. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
17. "7th Congressional District". Commonwealth Of Virginia/State Board Of Elections/ELECTION RESULTS/NOVEMBER 3, 1998 GENERAL ELECTION/For Office of United States House of Representatives/By Congressional District. Virginia State Board of Elections. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
18. "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 17 June 2010. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
19. "U.S. Senate". Commonwealth of Virginia/November 7, 2000 – General Election/OFFICIAL RESULTS. Virginia State Board of Elections. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
20. "U.S. House of Representatives/Congressional District 009". Commonwealth of Virginia/November 7, 2000 – General Election/OFFICIAL ELECTION RESULTS. Virginia State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on 28 December 2012. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
21. "Official Results/Governor". General Election – November 6, 2001. Virginia State Board of Elections. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
22. "Official Results/U.S. Senate". November 5, 2002 General Election Results. Virginia State Board of Elections. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
23. "Official Results/U.S. House of Representatives". November 5, 2002 General Election Results. Virginia State Board of Elections. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
24. "Official Results/President". Commonwealth of Virginia/November 2nd – General Election. Virginia State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on 28 December 2012. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
25. "Official Results/U.S. House of Representatives". Commonwealth of Virginia/November 2nd – General Election. Virginia State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on 28 December 2012. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
26. "Official Results/Governor". General Election – November 8, 2005. Virginia State Board of Elections. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
27. "Official Results/Lieutenant Governor". General Election – November 8, 2005. Virginia State Board of Elections. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
28. "Official Results/Attorney General". General Election – November 8, 2005. Virginia State Board of Elections. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
29. "Official Results/U.S. Senate". General Election – November 7, 2006. Virginia State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on 13 August 2013. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
30. "Official Results/U.S. House of Representatives". General Election – November 7, 2006. Virginia State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on 13 August 2013. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
31. "President>President And Vice President>Votes By District". November 2008 Official Results. Virginia State Board of Elections. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
32. "Congress>U.S. Senate>United States Senate>Votes By District". November 2008 Official Results. Virginia State Board of Elections. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
33. "U.S. House of Representatives". November 2008 Official Results. Virginia State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on 5 October 2013. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
34. "Governor>Votes by District". November 2009 General Election Official Results. Virginia State Board of Elections. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
35. "Lieutenant Governor>Votes by District". November 2009 General Election Official Results. Virginia State Board of Elections. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
36. "Attorney General>Votes by District". November 2009 General Election Official Results. Virginia State Board of Elections. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
37. "U.S. House of Representatives". November 2, 2010 General and Special Elections Official Results. Virginia State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
38. "President>President And Vice President>Votes By District". November 2012 Official Results. Virginia State Board of Elections. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
39. "Congress>U.S. Senate>United States Senate>Votes By District". November 2012 Official Results. Virginia State Board of Elections. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
40. "U.S. House of Representatives". November 2012 Official Results. Virginia State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on 12 May 2013. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
41. "2013 Governor General Election". November 2013 Official Results. Virginia State Board of Elections. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
42. "2013 Lieutenant Governor General Election". November 2013 Official Results. Virginia State Board of Elections. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
43. "2013 Attorney General General Election". November 2013 Official Results. Virginia State Board of Elections. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
44. "2014 U.S. Senate General Election". November 2014 Official Results. Virginia State Board of Elections. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
45. "U.S. House of Representatives". November 2014 Official Results. Virginia State Board of Elections. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
46. "2018 U.S. Senate Results by Congressional District". The Virginia Public Access Project. Retrieved 2018-06-16.

References

• 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