| State: | Virginia |
| District Number: | 7 |
| Image Caption: | Interactive map of district boundaries since 2023 |
| Representative: | Eugene Vindman |
| Party: | Democratic |
| Residence: | Dale City |
| English Area: | 3,117.9 |
| Distribution Ref: | [1] |
| Percent Urban: | 73.1 |
| Percent Rural: | 26.9 |
| Population: | 825,445[2] |
| Population Year: | 2024 |
| Median Income: | $113,690[3] |
| Percent White: | 53.5 |
| Percent Hispanic: | 17.4 |
| Percent Black: | 20.4 |
| Percent Asian: | 5.3 |
| Percent More Than One Race: | 11.3 |
| Percent Other Race: | 9.6 |
| Cpvi: | D+2[4] |
Virginia's seventh congressional district is a United States congressional district in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The district encompasses a vast swath of Northern and Central Virginia, including many suburban, urban, and rural areas. The district includes the city of Fredericksburg, along with the towns of Bowling Green and Culpeper. Considered among the nation's most competitive congressional districts, it has been represented by Democrat Eugene Vindman since 2025.
The district spans across much of Central and Northern Virginia including all of Orange, Culpeper, Spotsylvania, Greene County, Madison County, Fredericksburg, Caroline County, King George County, Stafford County, the south-eastern half of Prince William County, and a small sliver of Albemarle County.
Until the 1970s, the 7th district comprised the northern half of the Shenandoah Valley, now part of the strongly Republican 6th district. After the 1970 census, it lost most of the Valley except for Winchester, while picking up Manassas and Fredericksburg, thus stretching from the fringes of the Washington, D.C. suburbs to Charlottesville. This iteration of the 7th was one of the first areas of Virginia to shake off its Solid South roots. The area's Democrats started splitting their tickets as early as the 1930s. The Republicans took the seat in 1970, and held it without much difficulty until 1993.
The district's current configuration dates from 1993, when Virginia was forced to create a majority-minority district by a Justice Department directive. At that time, most of Richmond, which had been entirely in the old 3rd district for over a century, was shifted to a newly created 3rd district. The remaining territory in the old 3rd was combined with some more rural areas to the north to form the new 7th district.
From 2013 to 2017, the 7th district stretched from the west end of Richmond through the wealthier portions of Henrico and Chesterfield counties before taking in all of Goochland, Hanover, Louisa, New Kent, Orange, Culpeper, Page and Rappahannock counties and a portion of Spotsylvania County. In 2016, the adjacent 3rd district was found unconstitutional, leading to court-ordered redistricting which changed the 7th district for the 2016 elections.[5] [6]
From 2017 to 2023, the district spanned much of Central Virginia, including all of Orange, Culpeper, Goochland, Louisa, Nottoway, Amelia, and Powhatan counties. The district also included large portions of Chesterfield and Henrico counties in the suburbs of Richmond. However, Richmond was not in the 7th. Spotsylvania County also had a large portion in the 7th district just outside of Fredericksburg.[7]
According to the United States Census Bureau's 2017 data for Virginia's 7th Congressional District, the total population of the district is 790,084. Median age for the district is 39.7 years. 65.5% of the district is Non-Hispanic White, 18.4% Black, 5.1% Asian, 0.3% Native American or Alaskan, and 3.4% some other race with 7.3% Hispanic or Latino. Owner-occupied housing is 73.0% and renter-occupied housing is 27.0%.[8] The median value of single-family owner-occupied homes is $266,500. 91.6% of the district population has at least a high school diploma, 40.4% at least a bachelor's degree or higher. 9.1% of the district are civilian veterans. 9.1% are foreign born and 11.9% speak a language other than English at home. 9.9% are of disability status.[9] 68.2% of the district is in the labor force, which consists of those 16 years and older. Mean travel time to work is 29.3 minutes. Median household income is $77,533. Per capita income is $37,567. 5.3% of the population account for families living below the poverty level, and 7.7% of individuals live below the poverty level.[10] 9.5% of children live below the poverty line.[11]
| Year | Office | Results[12] |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | President | McCain 53% - 46% |
| Senate | Warner 64% - 35% | |
| 2009 | Governor | McDonnell 63% - 37% |
| Lt. Governor | Bolling 60% - 39% | |
| Attorney General | Cuccinelli 58% - 42% | |
| 2012 | President | Romney 57% - 42% |
| Senate | Allen 55% - 45% | |
| 2013 | Governor | Cuccinelli 52% - 38% |
| Lt. Governor | Northam 51% - 49% | |
| Attorney General | Obenshain 58% - 42% | |
| 2014 | Senate | Gillespie 56% - 41% |
| 2016 | President | Trump 50% - 44% |
| 2017 | Governor | Gillespie 51% - 48% |
| Lt. Governor | Vogel 53% - 47% | |
| Attorney General | Adams 53% - 47% | |
| 2018 | Senate | Kaine 52% - 46% |
| 2020 | President | Biden 50% - 49% |
| Senate | Warner 51% - 49% | |
| 2021 | Governor | Youngkin 55% - 44% |
| Lt. Governor | Earle-Sears 55% - 45% | |
| Attorney General | Miyares 55% - 45% | |
| 2024 | President | Harris 50% - 47% |
| Senate | Kaine 53% - 46% | |
| 2025 | Governor | Spanberger 58% - 42% |
| Lt. Governor | Hashmi 56% - 44% | |
| Attorney General | Jones 54% - 46% |
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:[13]
Albemarle County (0)
District contains no incorporated or census-designated communitiesCaroline County (4)
All 4 communitiesCulpeper County (2)
Brandy Station, CulpeperGreene County (3)
All 3 communitiesKing George County (5)
All 5 communitiesMadison County (2)
Brightwood, MadisonOrange County (4)
All 4 communitiesPrince William County (14)
Cherry Hill, County Center (part; also 10th), Dale City, Dumfries, Independent Hill (part; also 10th), Lake Ridge, Leesylvania, Montclair, Occoquan, Potomac Mills, Quantico, Quantico Base, Triangle, WoodbridgeSpotsylvania County (2)
Lake Wilderness, Spotsylvania CourthouseStafford County (7)
All 7 communitiesIndependent city (1)
| Representative | Party | Term | Cong ress | Electoral history | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District established March 4, 1789 | ||||||||
| align=left | John Page | Anti-Administration | nowrap | March 4, 1789 – March 3, 1793 | Elected in 1789. Re-elected in 1790. Redistricted to the . | |||
| align=left rowspan=2 | Abraham B. Venable | Anti-Administration | nowrap | March 4, 1793 – March 3, 1795 | Redistricted from the and re-elected in 1793. Re-elected in 1795. Re-elected in 1797. Retired. | |||
| Democratic-Republican | nowrap | March 4, 1795 – March 3, 1799 | ||||||
| align=left | John Randolph | Democratic-Republican | nowrap | March 4, 1799 – March 3, 1803 | Elected in 1799. Re-elected in 1801. Redistricted to the . | |||
| align=left | Joseph Lewis Jr. | Federalist | nowrap | March 4, 1803 – March 3, 1813 | Elected in 1803. Re-elected in 1805. Re-elected in 1807. Re-elected in 1809. Re-elected in 1811. Redistricted to the . | |||
| align=left | Hugh Caperton | Federalist | nowrap | March 4, 1813 – March 3, 1815 | Elected in 1813. Lost re-election. | |||
| align=left | Ballard Smith | Democratic-Republican | nowrap | March 4, 1815 – March 3, 1821 | Elected in 1815. Re-elected in 1817. Re-elected in 1819. Lost re-election. | |||
| align=left | William Smith | Democratic-Republican | nowrap | March 4, 1821 – March 3, 1823 | Elected in 1821. Redistricted to the . | |||
| align=left | Jabez Leftwich | Democratic-Republican | nowrap | March 4, 1823 – March 3, 1825 | Redistricted from the and re-elected in 1823. Lost re-election. | |||
Nathaniel Claiborne | Jacksonian | nowrap | March 4, 1825 – March 3, 1835 | Elected in 1825. Re-elected in 1827. Re-elected in 1829. Re-elected in 1831. Re-elected in 1833. Re-elected in 1835. Lost re-election. | ||||
| Anti-Jacksonian | nowrap | March 4, 1835 – March 3, 1837 | ||||||
| align=left | Archibald Stuart | Democratic | nowrap | March 4, 1837 – March 3, 1839 | Elected in 1837. Lost re-election. | |||
| align=left | William L. Goggin | Whig | nowrap | March 4, 1839 – March 3, 1843 | Elected in 1839. Re-elected in 1841. Lost re-election. | |||
| align=left | Henry A. Wise | Democratic | nowrap | March 4, 1843 – February 12, 1844 | Elected in 1843. Resigned. | |||
| Vacant | nowrap | February 13, 1844 – May 5, 1844 | ||||||
| align=left | Thomas H. Bayly | Democratic | nowrap | May 6, 1844 – March 3, 1853 | Elected to finish Wise's term. Re-elected in 1845. Re-elected in 1847. Re-elected in 1849. Re-elected in 1851. Redistricted to the . | |||
| align=left | William Smith | Democratic | nowrap | March 4, 1853 – March 3, 1861 | Elected in 1853. Re-elected in 1855. Re-elected in 1857. Re-elected in 1859. Resigned. | |||
| Vacant | nowrap | March 4, 1861 – May 22, 1861 | ||||||
| align=left | Charles H. Upton | Unionist | nowrap | May 23, 1861 – February 27, 1862 | Election invalidated. | |||
| Vacant | nowrap | February 28, 1862 – February 15, 1863 | ||||||
| align=left | Lewis McKenzie | Unionist | nowrap | February 16, 1863 – March 3, 1863 | Elected to finish Upton's term. Lost re-election.[14] | |||
| District inactive | nowrap | March 4, 1863 – January 30, 1870 | Civil War and Reconstruction | |||||
| align=left | Lewis McKenzie | Conservative | nowrap | January 31, 1870 – March 3, 1871 | Elected in 1870. Lost re-election. | |||
| align=left | Elliott M. Braxton | Democratic | nowrap | March 4, 1871 – March 3, 1873 | Elected in 1870. Lost re-election. | |||
| align=left | John T. Harris | Democratic | nowrap | March 4, 1873 – March 3, 1881 | Elected in 1872. Re-elected in 1874. Re-elected in 1876. Re-elected in 1878. Retired. | |||
| align=left | John Paul | Readjuster | nowrap | March 4, 1881 – September 5, 1883 | Elected in 1880. Re-elected in 1882. Appointed U.S. District Court judge. | |||
| Vacant | nowrap | September 6, 1883 – May 4, 1884 | ||||||
| align=left | Charles T. O'Ferrall | Democratic | nowrap | May 5, 1884 – December 28, 1893 | Elected to finish Paul's term. Re-elected in 1884. Re-elected in 1886. Re-elected in 1888. Re-elected in 1890. Re-elected in 1892. Retired to run for Governor of Virginia. | |||
| Vacant | nowrap | December 29, 1893 – January 29, 1894 | ||||||
| align=left | Smith S. Turner | Democratic | nowrap | January 30, 1894 – March 3, 1897 | Elected to finish O'Ferrall's term. Re-elected in 1894. Retired. | |||
| align=left | James Hay | Democratic | nowrap | March 4, 1897 – October 1, 1916 | 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. Appointed U.S. Claim Court judge. | |||
| Vacant | nowrap | October 2, 1916 – November 6, 1916 | ||||||
| align=left | Thomas W. Harrison | Democratic | nowrap | November 7, 1916 – December 15, 1922 | Elected to finish Hay's term. Re-elected in 1916. Re-elected in 1918. Election invalidated. | |||
| align=left | John Paul Jr. | Republican | nowrap | December 15, 1922 – March 3, 1923 | Elected in 1922. Lost re-election. | |||
| align=left | Thomas W. Harrison | Democratic | nowrap | March 4, 1923 – March 3, 1929 | Elected in 1922. Re-elected in 1924. Re-elected in 1926. Lost re-election. | |||
| align=left | Jacob A. Garber | Republican | nowrap | March 4, 1929 – March 3, 1931 | Elected in 1928. Lost re-election. | |||
| align=left | John W. Fishburne | Democratic | nowrap | March 4, 1931 – March 3, 1933 | Elected in 1930. Retired. | |||
| District inactive | nowrap | March 4, 1933 – January 3, 1935 | ||||||
| align=left | Absalom Willis Robertson | Democratic | nowrap | January 3, 1935 – November 5, 1946 | Elected in 1934. Re-elected in 1936. Re-elected in 1938. Re-elected in 1940. Re-elected in 1942. Re-elected in 1944. Resigned to run for U.S. senator. | |||
| align=left | Burr Harrison | Democratic | nowrap | November 5, 1946 – January 3, 1963 | Elected to finish Robertson's term. Re-elected in 1946. Re-elected in 1948. Re-elected in 1950. Re-elected in 1952. Re-elected in 1954. Re-elected in 1956. Re-elected in 1958. Re-elected in 1960. Retired. | |||
| align=left | John O. Marsh Jr. | Democratic | nowrap | January 3, 1963 – January 3, 1971 | Elected in 1962. Re-elected in 1964. Re-elected in 1966. Re-elected in 1968. Retired. | |||
| align=left | J. Kenneth Robinson | Republican | nowrap | January 3, 1971 – January 3, 1985 | Elected in 1970. Re-elected in 1972. Re-elected in 1974. Re-elected in 1976. Re-elected in 1978. Re-elected in 1980. Re-elected in 1982. Retired. | |||
| align=left | D. French Slaughter Jr. | Republican | nowrap | January 3, 1985 – November 5, 1991 | Elected in 1984. Re-elected in 1986. Re-elected in 1988. Re-elected in 1990. Resigned. | |||
| align=left | George F. Allen | Republican | nowrap | November 5, 1991 – January 3, 1993 | Elected to finish Slaughter's term. Redistricted to the and retired. | |||
| align=left | Thomas J. Bliley Jr. | Republican | nowrap | January 3, 1993 – January 3, 2001 | Redistricted from the and re-elected in 1992. Re-elected in 1994. Re-elected in 1996. Re-elected in 1998. Retired. | |||
| align=left | Eric Cantor | Republican | nowrap | January 3, 2001 – August 18, 2014 | Elected in 2000. Re-elected in 2002. Re-elected in 2004. Re-elected in 2006. Re-elected in 2008. Re-elected in 2010. Re-elected in 2012. Lost renomination and then resigned. | |||
| Vacant | nowrap | August 18, 2014 – November 12, 2014 | ||||||
| align=left | Dave Brat | Republican | nowrap | November 12, 2014 – January 3, 2019 | Elected to finish Cantor's term. Elected to full term in 2014. Re-elected in 2016. Lost re-election. | |||
| align=left | Abigail Spanberger | Democratic | nowrap | January 3, 2019 – January 3, 2025 | Elected in 2018. Re-elected in 2020. Re-elected in 2022. Retired to run for governor of Virginia. | |||
| align=left | Eugene Vindman | Democratic | January 3, 2025 – present | Elected in 2024. | ||||
The Virginia Seventh District started in 1788 covering the counties of Essex, Richmond, Westmoreland, Northumberland, Lancaster, Gloucester, Middlesex, King and Queen, King William and Caroline.[15]
