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 rural southwestern part of the state. The district includes the city of Salem, along with the towns of Abingdon and Blacksburg. It has been represented by Republican Morgan Griffith since 2011. Griffith took office after defeating 14-term incumbent Democrat Rick Boucher. With a Cook Partisan Voting Index rating of R+22, it is the most Republican district in Virginia.

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."

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 Ninth 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. 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.

The district includes the entireties of the following counties: Bland, Buchanan, Carroll, Craig, Dickenson, Floyd, Franklin, Giles, Grayson, Henry, Lee, Montgomery, Patrick, Pulaski, Russell, Scott, Smyth, Tazewell, Washington, Wise, and Wythe, along with parts of Bedford and Roanoke counties. It also encompasses the independent cities of Bristol, Galax, Martinsville, Norton, and Radford.

Recent election results from statewide races Year Office Results2008 PresidentMcCain 59% - 39% SenateWarner 62% - 36%2009 GovernorMcDonnell 67% - 32% Lt. GovernorBolling 67% - 33% Attorney GeneralCuccinelli 67% - 33%2012 PresidentRomney 63% - 34% SenateAllen 62% - 38%2013 GovernorCuccinelli 61% - 31% Lt. GovernorJackson 61% - 39% Attorney GeneralObenshain 67% - 32%2014 SenateGillespie 60% - 37%2016 PresidentTrump 68% - 27%2017 GovernorGillespie 68% - 31% Lt. GovernorVogel 70% - 30% Attorney GeneralDonley Adams 69% - 31%2018 SenateStewart 64% - 34%2020 PresidentTrump 70% - 28% SenateGade 66% - 34%2021 GovernorYoungkin 75% - 25% Lt. GovernorEarle-Sears 74% - 26% Attorney GeneralMiyares 74% - 26%2024 PresidentTrump 71% - 27% SenateCao 67% - 33%2025 GovernorEarle-Sears 68% - 32% Lt. GovernorReid 69% - 30% Attorney GeneralMiyares 72% - 28%

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:

Bedford County (5) Bedford, Big Island, Moneta, Montvale, Stewartsville Bland County (4) All 4 communities Buchanan County (4) All 4 communities Carroll County (5) All 5 communities Craig County (1) New Castle Dickenson County (4) All 4 communities Floyd County (1) Floyd Franklin County (8) All 8 communities Giles County (6) All 6 communities Grayson County (6) All 6 communities Henry County (11) All 11 communities Lee County (8) All 8 communities Montgomery County (10) All 10 communities Patrick County (3) All 3 communities Pulaski County (10) All 10 communities Roanoke County (2) Cave Spring, Lafayette Russell County (7) All 7 communities Scott County (7) All 7 communities Smyth County (9) All 9 communities Tazewell County (16) All 16 communities Washington County (7) All 7 communities Wise County (14) All 14 communities Wythe County (6) All 6 communities Independent cities (5) Bristol, Galax, Martinsville, Norton, Radford

List of members representing the district

Representative Party Term Cong-ress Electoral history District established March 4, 1789 Theodorick Bland Anti-Administration March 4, 1789 –June 1, 1790 Elected in 1789.Died. Vacant June 2, 1790 –December 6, 1790 William B. Giles Anti-Administration December 7, 1790 –March 3, 1795 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 Elected to finish Giles's term.Re-elected in 1799. William B. Giles Democratic-Republican March 4, 1801 –March 3, 1803 Elected in 1801.Redistricted to the and retired. Philip R. Thompson Democratic-Republican March 4, 1803 –March 3, 1807 Redistricted from the and re-elected in 1803.Re-elected in 1805.Retired. John Love Democratic-Republican March 4, 1807 –March 3, 1811 Elected in 1807.Re-elected in 1809.Moved to the and lost re-election there. Aylett Hawes Democratic-Republican March 4, 1811 –March 3, 1813 Elected in 1811.Redistricted to the . John P. Hungerford Democratic-Republican March 4, 1813 –March 3, 1817 Elected in 1813.Re-elected in 1815.Lost re-election. William L. Ball Democratic-Republican March 4, 1817 –March 3, 1823 Elected in 1817.Re-elected in 1819.Re-elected in 1821.Redistricted to the . Andrew Stevenson Democratic-Republican March 4, 1823 –March 3, 1825 Redistricted from the and re-elected in 1823.Re-elected in 1825.Re-elected in 1827.Re-elected in 1829.Re-elected in 1831.Redistricted to the Jackson March 4, 1825 –March 3, 1833 William P. Taylor Anti-Jacksonian March 4, 1833 –March 3, 1835 Elected in 1833.Lost re-election. John Roane Jacksonian March 4, 1835 –March 3, 1837 Elected in 1835.Retired. Robert M. T. Hunter Whig March 4, 1837 –March 3, 1843 Elected in 1837.Re-elected in 1839.Re-elected in 1841.Lost re-election. Samuel Chilton Whig March 4, 1843 –March 3, 1845 Elected in 1843.Retired. John S. Pendleton Whig March 4, 1845 –March 3, 1849 Elected in 1845.Re-elected in 1847.Lost re-election. Jeremiah Morton Whig March 4, 1849 –March 3, 1851 Elected in 1849.Lost re-election. James F. Strother Whig March 4, 1851 –March 3, 1853 Elected in 1851.Lost re-election. John Letcher Democratic March 4, 1853 –March 3, 1859 Elected in 1853.Re-elected in 1855.Re-elected in 1857.Retired to run for Governor of Virginia. John T. Harris Independent Democratic March 4, 1859 –March 3, 1861 Elected in 1859.Retired. District inactive March 4, 1861 –June 19, 1863 Civil War District moved to West Virginia June 20, 1863 District re-established March 4, 1873 Rees T. Bowen Democratic March 4, 1873 –March 3, 1875 Elected in 1872.Retired. William Terry Democratic March 4, 1875 –March 3, 1877 Elected in 1874.Lost re-election. Auburn L. Pridemore Democratic March 4, 1877 –March 3, 1879 Elected in 1876.Lost re-election. James B. Richmond Democratic March 4, 1879 –March 3, 1881 Elected in 1878.Lost re-election. Abram Fulkerson Democratic March 4, 1881 –March 3, 1883 Elected in 1880.Retired. Henry Bowen Readjuster March 4, 1883 –March 3, 1885 Elected in 1882.Lost re-election. Connally F. Trigg Democratic March 4, 1885 –March 3, 1887 Elected in 1884.Lost re-election. Henry Bowen Republican March 4, 1887 –March 3, 1889 Elected in 1886.Lost re-election. John A. Buchanan Democratic March 4, 1889 –March 3, 1893 Elected in 1888.Re-elected in 1890.Retired.James W. Marshall Democratic March 4, 1893 –March 3, 1895 Elected in 1892.Lost re-election. James A. Walker Republican March 4, 1895 –March 3, 1899 Elected in 1894.Re-elected in 1896.Lost re-election.William F. Rhea Democratic March 4, 1899 –March 3, 1903 Elected in 1898.Re-elected in 1900.Lost re-election. Campbell Slemp Republican March 4, 1903 –October 13, 1907 Elected in 1902.Re-elected in 1904.Re-elected in 1906.Died. Vacant October 14, 1907 –December 16, 1907 C. Bascom Slemp Republican December 17, 1907 –March 3, 1923 Elected to finish Slemp's term.Re-elected in 1908.Re-elected in 1910.Re-elected in 1912.Re-elected in 1914.Re-elected in 1916.Re-elected in 1918.Re-elected in 1920.Retired. George C. Peery Democratic March 4, 1923 –March 3, 1929 Elected in 1922.Re-elected in 1924.Re-elected in 1926.Retired. Joseph C. Shaffer Republican March 4, 1929 –March 3, 1931 Elected in 1928.Lost re-election.John W. Flannagan Jr. Democratic March 4, 1931 –March 3, 1933 Elected in 1930.Redistricted to . District inactive March 4, 1933 –January 3, 1935 John W. Flannagan Jr. Democratic January 3, 1935 –January 3, 1949 Redistricted from 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.Re-elected in 1946.Retired. Thomas B. Fugate Democratic January 3, 1949 –January 3, 1953 Elected in 1948.Re-elected in 1950.Retired. William C. Wampler Republican January 3, 1953 –January 3, 1955 Elected in 1952.Lost re-election. W. Pat Jennings Democratic January 3, 1955 –January 3, 1967 Elected in 1954.Re-elected in 1956.Re-elected in 1958.Re-elected in 1960.Re-elected in 1962.Re-elected in 1964.Lost re-election. William C. Wampler Republican January 3, 1967 –January 3, 1983 Elected in 1966.Re-elected in 1968.Re-elected in 1970.Re-elected in 1972.Re-elected in 1974.Re-elected in 1976.Re-elected in 1978.Re-elected in 1980.Lost re-election. Frederick C. Boucher Democratic January 3, 1983 –January 3, 2011 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.Re-elected in 2000.Re-elected in 2002.Re-elected in 2004.Re-elected in 2006.Re-elected in 2008.Lost re-election. Morgan Griffith Republican January 3, 2011 –present 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.

Recent election results 2000

2002

2004

2006

2008

2010

2012

2014

2016

2018

2020

2022

2024

Historical district boundaries The Virginia Ninth District started in 1788 covering the counties of Brunswick, Sussex, Greensville, Prince George, Dinwiddie, Mecklenburg, Lunenburg, Ameila, Cumberland and Powhatan.Statute of 20 November 1788

See also

Virginia's congressional districts List of United States congressional districts

Notes

References

Congressional Biographical Directory of the United States 1774–present