Virginia's 4th congressional district explained

State:	Virginia
District Number:	4
Image Caption:	Interactive map of district boundaries since 2023
Representative:	Jennifer McClellan
Party:	Democratic
Residence:	Richmond
Distribution Ref:	^[1]
Percent Urban:	73.83
Percent Rural:	26.17
Population:	790,811^[2]
Population Year:	2022
Median Income:	$66,086^[3]
Percent White:	42.1
Percent Hispanic:	9.8
Percent Black:	40.7
Percent Asian:	2.4
Percent More Than One Race:	4.0
Percent Other Race:	1.0
Cpvi:	D+16^[4]

Virginia's fourth congressional district is a United States congressional district in the state of Virginia, taking in most of the area between Richmond and the North Carolina state line. It covers all or part of the counties of Brunswick, Charles City, Chesterfield, Dinwiddie, Greensville, Henrico, Prince George, Southampton, Surry, and Sussex, and all or part of the independent cities of Colonial Heights, Emporia, Hopewell, Petersburg, and Richmond. The district is currently represented by Democrat Jennifer McClellan, who was elected to the seat after she defeated Republican Leon Benjamin in the February 21, 2023, special election, caused by the death of incumbent Donald McEachin (D) on November 28, 2022.

In 2016, the adjacent 3rd district was found unconstitutional, leading court-ordered redistricting which transformed the 4th District from a Republican-leaning district to a safely Democratic seat for the 2016 elections.^[5]

Recent election results

2020s

^[6]

Recent election results from statewide races

Year	Office	Results
1996	President		Bob Dole 46%–46%^[7]
	Senator		John Warner 51%–49%^[8]
1997	Governor		Jim Gilmore 57%–41%^[9]
	Lieutenant Governor		John H. Hager 51%–42%^[10]
	Attorney General		Mark Earley 62%–38%^[11]
2000	President		George W. Bush 49%–49%^[12]
	Senator		Chuck Robb 51%–49%^[13]
2001	Governor		Mark Warner 54%–46%^[14]
	Lieutenant Governor		Tim Kaine 53%–45%^[15]
	Attorney General		Jerry W. Kilgore 57%–43%^[16]
2004	President		George W. Bush 57%–43%^[17]
2008	President		Barack Obama 50%–49%^[18]
2012	President		Mitt Romney 50%–49%^[19]
2013	Governor	Ken Cuccinelli 48%–45%–7%^[20]
	Lieutenant Governor	Ralph Northam 53%–46%^[21]
	Attorney General	Mark Obenshain 53%–47%^[22]
2014	Senator		Ed Gillespie 51%–47%^[23]
2016	President		Hillary Clinton 59%–37%
2017	Governor		Ralph Northam 61%–37%^[24]
2018	Senator		Tim Kaine 64%–34%^[25]
2020	President		Joe Biden 61%–36%^[26]
2021	Governor		Terry McAuliffe 56%–43%^[27]

List of members representing the district

Representative	Party	Term	Cong ress	Electoral history
District established March 4, 1789
align=left	Richard B. Lee		Pro-Administration	nowrap	March 4, 1789 – March 3, 1793		Elected in 1789. Re-elected in 1790. Redistricted to the .
Francis Preston		Anti-Administration	nowrap	March 4, 1793 – March 3, 1795		Elected in 1793. Results were challenged but upheld. Re-elected in 1795. Retired.
	Democratic-Republican	nowrap	March 4, 1795 – March 3, 1797
align=left	Abram Trigg		Democratic-Republican	nowrap	March 4, 1797 – March 3, 1803		Elected in 1797. Re-elected in 1799. Re-elected in 1801. Redistricted to the .
align=left	David Holmes		Democratic-Republican	nowrap	March 4, 1803 – March 3, 1809		Redistricted from the and re-elected in 1803. Re-elected in 1805. Re-elected in 1807. Retired.
align=left	Jacob Swoope		Federalist	nowrap	March 4, 1809 – March 3, 1811		Elected in 1809. Retired.
align=left	William McCoy		Democratic-Republican	nowrap	March 4, 1811 – March 3, 1823		Elected in 1811. Re-elected in 1813. Re-elected in 1815. Re-elected in 1817. Re-elected in 1819. Re-elected in 1821. Redistricted to the .
align=left rowspan=2	Mark Alexander		Democratic-Republican	nowrap	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. Retired.
	Jackson	nowrap	March 4, 1825 – March 3, 1833
align=left	James Gholson		Anti-Jackson	nowrap	March 4, 1833 – March 3, 1835		Elected in 1833. Lost re-election.
align=left rowspan=2	George Dromgoole		Jackson	nowrap	March 4, 1835 – March 3, 1837		Elected in 1835. Re-elected in 1837. Re-elected in 1839. Retired.
	Democratic	nowrap	March 4, 1837 – March 3, 1841
align=left	William Goode		Democratic	nowrap	March 4, 1841 – March 3, 1843		Elected in 1841. Retired.
align=left	Edmund W. Hubard		Democratic	nowrap	March 4, 1843 – March 3, 1847		Redistricted from the and re-elected in 1843. Re-elected in 1845. Retired.
align=left	Thomas S. Bocock		Democratic	nowrap	March 4, 1847 – March 3, 1853		Elected in 1847. Re-elected in 1849. Re-elected in 1851. Redistricted to the .
align=left	William Goode		Democratic	nowrap	March 4, 1853 – July 3, 1859		Elected in 1853. Re-elected in 1855. Re-elected in 1857. Died.
Vacant		nowrap	July 3, 1859 – December 6, 1859
align=left	Roger Pryor		Democratic		nowrap	December 7, 1859 – March 3, 1861	Elected to finish Goode's term. Re-elected in 1859. Resigned.
District inactive		nowrap	March 4, 1861 – January 25, 1870		Civil War and Reconstruction
align=left	George Booker		Conservative	nowrap	January 26, 1870 – March 3, 1871		Elected in 1870. Lost re-election.
align=left	William H. H. Stowell		Republican	nowrap	March 4, 1871 – March 3, 1877		Elected in 1870. Re-elected in 1872. Re-elected in 1874. Retired.
align=left	Joseph Jorgensen		Republican	nowrap	March 4, 1877 – March 3, 1883		Elected in 1876. Re-elected in 1878. Re-elected in 1880. Retired.
align=left	Benjamin Hooper		Readjuster	nowrap	March 4, 1883 – March 3, 1885		Elected in 1882. Lost re-election.
align=left	James Brady		Republican	nowrap	March 4, 1885 – March 3, 1887		Elected in 1884. Retired.
align=left	William E. Gaines		Republican	nowrap	March 4, 1887 – March 3, 1889		Elected in 1886. Retired.
align=left	Edward Venable		Democratic	nowrap	March 4, 1889 – September 23, 1890		Election invalidated.
align=left	John Langston		Republican	nowrap	September 23, 1890 – March 3, 1891		Elected in 1890. Lost re-election.
align=left	James F. Epes		Democratic	nowrap	March 4, 1891 – March 3, 1895		Elected in 1890. Re-elected in 1892. Retired.
align=left	William McKenney		Democratic	nowrap	March 4, 1895 – May 2, 1896		Election invalidated
align=left	Robert Thorp		Republican	nowrap	May 2, 1896 – March 3, 1897		Elected in 1896. Lost re-election.
align=left	Sydney Epes		Democratic	nowrap	March 4, 1897 – March 23, 1898		Election invalidated.
align=left	Robert Thorp		Republican	nowrap	March 23, 1898 – March 3, 1899		Elected in 1898. Lost re-election.
align=left	Sydney Epes		Democratic	nowrap	March 4, 1899 – March 3, 1900		Elected in 1898. Died.
Vacant		nowrap	March 4, 1900 – April 18, 1900
align=left	Francis Lassiter		Democratic	nowrap	April 19, 1900 – March 3, 1903		Elected to finish Epes's term. Re-elected in 1900. Lost re-election.
align=left	Robert G. Southall		Democratic	nowrap	March 4, 1903 – March 3, 1907		Elected in 1902. Re-elected in 1904. Lost re-election.
align=left	Francis Lassiter		Democratic	nowrap	March 4, 1907 – October 31, 1909		Elected in 1906. Re-elected in 1908. Died.
Vacant		nowrap	November 1, 1909 – March 7, 1910
align=left	Robert Turnbull		Democratic	nowrap	March 8, 1910 – March 3, 1913		Elected to finish Lassiter's term. Re-elected in 1910. Lost re-election.
align=left	Walter Watson		Democratic	nowrap	March 4, 1913 – December 24, 1919		Elected in 1912. Re-elected in 1914. Re-elected in 1916. Re-elected in 1918. Died.
Vacant		nowrap	December 25, 1919 – April 26, 1920
align=left	Patrick Drewry		Democratic	nowrap	April 27, 1920 – March 3, 1933		Elected to finish Watson's term. 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 .
District inactive		nowrap	March 4, 1933 – January 3, 1935
align=left	Patrick Drewry		Democratic	nowrap	January 3, 1935 – December 21, 1947		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. Died.
Vacant		nowrap	December 21, 1947 – February 17, 1948
align=left	Watkins Abbitt		Democratic	nowrap	February 17, 1948 – January 3, 1973		Elected to finish Drewry's term. 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. Re-elected in 1962. Re-elected in 1964. Re-elected in 1966. Re-elected in 1968. Re-elected in 1970. Retired.
align=left	Robert Daniel		Republican	nowrap	January 3, 1973 – January 3, 1983		Elected in 1972. Re-elected in 1974. Re-elected in 1976. Re-elected in 1978. Re-elected in 1980. Lost re-election.
align=left	Norman Sisisky		Democratic	nowrap	January 3, 1983 – March 29, 2001		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. Died.
Vacant		nowrap	March 29, 2001 – June 19, 2001
align=left	Randy Forbes		Republican	nowrap	June 19, 2001 – January 3, 2017		Elected to finish Sisisky's term. Re-elected in 2002. Re-elected in 2004. Re-elected in 2006. Re-elected in 2008. Re-elected in 2010. Re-elected in 2012. Re-elected in 2014. Redistricted to the and lost renomination.
align=left	Donald McEachin		Democratic	nowrap	January 3, 2017 – November 28, 2022		Elected in 2016. Re-elected in 2018. Re-elected in 2020. Re-elected in 2022, but died before next term began.
Vacant		nowrap	November 28, 2022 – March 7, 2023
align=left	Jennifer McClellan		Democratic	nowrap	March 7, 2023 – present		Elected to finish McEachin's term.

Historical district boundaries

The Virginia Fourth District started in 1788 covering the counties of Prince William, Stafford, Loudoun, Fairfax, King George and Fauquier.^[28]

See also

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

References

• Book: Martis, Kenneth C.. The Historical Atlas of Political Parties in the United States Congress. 1989. Macmillan Publishing Company. New York.
• Book: Martis, Kenneth C.. The Historical Atlas of United States Congressional Districts. 1982. Macmillan Publishing Company. New York.
• Congressional Biographical Directory of the United States 1774–present

36.9744°N -77.3069°W

Notes and References

1. Web site: Congressional Districts Relationship Files (state-based). US Census Bureau Geography. www.census.gov. April 9, 2018.
2. Web site: My Congressional District. Center for New Media & Promotion (CNMP), US Census Bureau. www.census.gov. October 6, 2023.
3. Web site: My Congressional District.
4. Web site: 2022 Cook PVI: District Map and List. 2023-01-10. The Cook Political Report. en.
5. Web site: Court Ordered Redistricting. Redistricting.dls.virginia.gov. 2015-09-03. 2017-05-06.
   Personnhuballah v. Alcorn Civil Action
   Web site: Supreme Court weighs legality of Virginia redistricting. The Hill. March 21, 2016. 2017-05-06.
   Web site: By Todd Ruger. Supreme Court Allows Virginia Redistricting to Stand in 2016. Rollcall.com. 2016-02-01. 2017-05-06.
   Web site: ANDREW CAIN Richmond Times-Dispatch. Judges impose new Va. congressional map, redrawing 3rd, 4th Districts Virginia Politics . richmond.com. 2016-01-07. 2017-05-06.
6. Web site: 2023 February Special . 2023-04-02 . March 9, 2023 . results.elections.virginia.gov.
7. Web site: 1996 Election Results – President . Virginia State Board of Elections . September 15, 2013 . December 28, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121228232425/http://www.sbe.virginia.gov/ElectionResults/1996/results1996-presvpres-district_totals.htm . dead .
8. Web site: 1996 Election Results – US Senate . Virginia State Board of Elections . September 15, 2013 . July 24, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130724230548/http://www.sbe.virginia.gov/ElectionResults/1996/results1996-us_senate-district_totals.htm . dead .
9. Web site: Nov 97 Gen Election Results for Governor by Congressional District and Locality . Virginia State Board of Elections . September 15, 2013 . December 28, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121228232100/http://www.sbe.virginia.gov/ElectionResults/1997/GOV97DST.htm . dead .
10. Web site: Nov 97 Gen Election Results for Lt Governor by Congressional District and Locality . Virginia State Board of Elections . September 15, 2013 . December 19, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131219182053/http://www.sbe.virginia.gov/ElectionResults/1997/Ltgovdst.htm . dead .
11. Web site: Nov 97 Gen Election Results for Attorney General by Congressional District and Locality . Virginia State Board of Elections . September 15, 2013 . December 19, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131219182155/http://www.sbe.virginia.gov/ElectionResults/1997/ag97_dst.htm . dead .
12. Web site: Virginia General Election – November 7, 2000 . Virginia State Board of Elections . September 15, 2013 . December 29, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121229001711/http://www.sbe.virginia.gov/ElectionResults/2000/nov/nov2000/president.htm . dead .
13. Web site: Virginia General Election – November 7, 2000 . Virginia State Board of Elections . September 15, 2013 . January 31, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140131213452/http://www.sbe.virginia.gov/ElectionResults/2000/nov/nov2000/ussenate.htm . dead .
14. Web site: General Election – November 6, 2001 . Virginia State Board of Elections . September 15, 2013 . December 29, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121229000128/http://www.sbe.virginia.gov/ElectionResults/2001/nov2001/html/d_03.htm . dead .
15. Web site: General Election – November 6, 2001 . Virginia State Board of Elections . September 15, 2013 . January 31, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140131210808/http://www.sbe.virginia.gov/ElectionResults/2001/nov2001/html/d_04.htm . dead .
16. Web site: General Election – November 6, 2001 . Virginia State Board of Elections . September 15, 2013 . January 31, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140131210818/http://www.sbe.virginia.gov/ElectionResults/2001/nov2001/html/d_05.htm . dead .
17. Web site: General Election – November 2, 2004 . Virginia State Board of Elections . September 15, 2013 . December 29, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121229001211/http://www.sbe.virginia.gov/ElectionResults/2004/Nov2004/d_01.htm . dead .
18. Web site: November 2008 Official Results . Virginia State Board of Elections . September 15, 2013 . March 4, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304000450/https://www.voterinfo.sbe.virginia.gov/election/DATA/2008/07261AFC-9ED3-410F-B07D-84D014AB2C6B/Official/1_d_89BE12EC-7BBF-479C-935A-9B8C51DD3524_s.shtml . dead .
19. Web site: November 2012 Official Results . Virginia State Board of Elections . September 15, 2013 . August 9, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160809052651/https://www.voterinfo.sbe.virginia.gov/election/DATA/2012/68C30477-AAF2-46DD-994E-5D3BE8A89C9B/Official/1_d_1323CEA4-0C91-4BA4-BEC1-ECF0B10F499F_s.shtml . dead .
20. Web site: Governor>Votes by District. November 2013 General Election Official Results. Virginia State Board of Elections. 2020-07-05.
21. Web site: Lieutenant Governor>Votes by District . November 2013 General Election Official Results . Virginia State Board of Elections. 2020-07-05.
22. Web site: Attorney General>Votes by District . November 2013 General Election Official Results . Virginia State Board of Elections. 2020-07-05.
23. Web site: Turnout by Congressional District. The Virginia Public Access Project. en. 2020-07-04.
24. Web site: 2017 Governor's Election Results by Congressional District. The Virginia Public Access Project. en. 2018-06-16.
25. Web site: 2018 U.S. Senate Results by Congressional District. The Virginia Public Access Project. en. 2018-06-16.
26. Web site: Daily Kos Elections' presidential results by congressional district for 2020, 2016, and 2012 .
27. 1460659975093686275. greggiroux. Certified results of Virginia governor's election by current congressional district:. November 16, 2021.
28. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=nyp.33433081883278&seq=658 Statute of 20 November 1788