United States presidential election in Virginia, 2008
Encyclopedia
The 2008 United States presidential election in Virginia took place on November 4, 2008 throughout all 50 states and D.C., which was part of the 2008 United States presidential election
. Voters chose 13 representatives, or electors to the Electoral College, who voted for President
and Vice President
.
Virginia
was won by Democratic nominee Barack Obama
by a 6.3% margin of victory. Prior to the election, all 17 news organizations considered this a state Obama would win, or otherwise considered as a blue state, despite the fact that initially Virginia was a swing state
that both campaigns targeted heavily in 2008 and that Virginia was once one of the most reliable red states in the nation. The financial meltdown, the changing demographics, and the population increases in voter rich Northern Virginia
gave Obama the edge as he was projected the winner in the Old Dominion State. It was the first time in over 40 years that Virginia voted for a Democratic presidential nominee since Lyndon B. Johnson
, in his landslide election victory of 1964
.
states to break away from its traditional Democratic roots. It voted for Dwight Eisenhower by a convincing margin in 1952, and had voted for every Republican nominee since then save for Johnson's massive landslide in 1964.
However, the Democrats have made strong gains in the past years with winning two gubernatorial races in a row, regaining control of the Virginia Senate, and electing Democrat Jim Webb
to the U.S. Senate
in 2006 over incumbent Republican George Allen
. Democrats have been able to make such gains in Virginia due in large part to the ever-expanding Northern Virginia
, particularly the suburbs surrounding Washington, D.C.
Historically, this area had been strongly Republican. However, in recent years it has been dominated by white liberals
who tend to vote Democratic. It was, ultimately, this rapid demographic change that provided a huge new influx of Democratic voters to Virginia.
Both presidential campaigns and the mainstream media treated Virginia as a swing state for most of the campaign. Obama campaigned extensively in Virginia and counted on the booming northern parts of the state for a Democratic victory. Victory for McCain would have been extremely difficult without Virginia; he would have had to win every swing state as well as at least one Democratic-leaning state.
went bankrupt, Obama took a wide lead in the polls. In October, Obama won every single poll taken, and reached over 50% in most of them. The final three polls averaged Obama leading 52% to 46%.
Obama did extremely well throughout the most populous regions of the state. Northern Virginia overwhelmingly supported Obama. Fairfax County and Arlington counties, traditionally the most Democratic counties in the region, gave Obama over 70% of the vote. Moreover, Loudoun
and Prince William
counties, normally the more conservative counties in the region, voted Democratic for the first time since LBJ's 1964 landslide.
The two other major metropolitan areas in the eastern part of the state, Richmond
and Hampton Roads, are somewhat less Democratic than Northern Virginia. In both areas, Obama improved significantly on John Kerry
's performance. While Obama easily won Richmond itself (which is 57% African American), he also made significant inroads into Richmond's traditionally heavily Republican suburbs. He carried Henrico County
with 57 percent of the vote; that county last supported a Democrat with Harry S. Truman
in 1948
. In Chesterfield County
, Obama did almost 20 points better than Kerry. Both counties have historically been strongly Republican, although Henrico is something of a swing county at state-level elections.
Obama also did very well in Hampton Roads. The four Democratic-leaning cities along the harbor - Hampton
, Newport News
, Norfolk
, and Portsmouth
- gave him margins exceeding 60%. Obama also split the Republican-leaning cities of Chesapeake
and Virginia Beach
; he barely won the former and barely lost the latter. Obama's strong performance in the area likely contributed to Democrat Glenn Nye
unseating two-term Republican incumbent Thelma Drake
in the , a heavy military district which includes all of Virginia Beach and large portions of Norfolk and Hampton.
Obama also significantly outperformed Kerry in Western Virginia, an area where the national Democratic Party has historically not done well. Danville
and Roanoke
, usually the most Democratic cities in this region, gave him moderate support. He also had a major breakthrough in the Shenandoah Valley
, historically one of the most Republican areas of the state. He won Harrisonburg
, the largest city in the region, with a resounding 57 percent of the vote. He also won the second-largest city in the area, Staunton
, albeit more narrowly. The Shenandoah Valley had been among the first regions of the state to turn Republican; the old Byrd Democrats
in this region started splitting their tickets as early as the 1930s. Several rural counties in Eastern Virginia with high African-American populations voted for Obama as well.
In contrast to Obama, McCain did well throughout rural Virginia. He won the vast majority of its counties. In the part of Virginia protruding out west, Obama ran roughly even with Kerry, even though he comfortably won the election and Kerry lost. This area, save for one county and a few small towns, uniformly supported McCain. In addition, a number of unionized, Appalachian counties located next to Kentucky voted Republican; they had cast strong ballots for Bill Clinton. This was not surprising as this part of Virginia is a part of Appalachia
, a region in which Obama consistently struggled during the course of the Democratic primary.
The Republican base in Virginia consists of the state's traditional Republican heartland in the Blue Ridge Mountains
, social conservatives in the Shenandoah Valley and and suburbanites in the east. McCain closely matched George W. Bush
's numbers among the first group and only did slightly worse than Bush amongst the second group. However, in 2008, suburbanites in Northern Virginia and in the Richmond/Hampton Roads areas abandoned the Republican Party in droves, and it was simply impossible for McCain to win the state without their support.
During the same election, former Democratic Governor
Mark Warner
solidly defeated former Governor (and his predecessor) Republican Jim Gilmore
by a two-to-one margin for the open U.S. Senate
seat vacated by incumbent Republican John Warner
(no relation to Mark Warner). Warner received 65.03% of the vote while Gilmore took in 33.73%. Warner won all but five counties in the state. Democrats also picked up three seats in the U.S. House of Representatives
. At the state level, Democrats picked up one seat in the Virginia House of Delegates
.
and 2 senators. All candidates who appear on the ballot or qualify to receive write-in votes must submit a list of 13 electors, who pledge to vote for their candidate and his or her running mate. Whoever wins the majority of votes in the state is awarded all 13 electoral votes. Their chosen electors then vote for President and Vice President. Although electors are pledged to their candidate and running mate, they are not obligated to vote for them. An elector who votes for someone other than his or her candidate is known as a faithless elector
.
The electors of each state and the District of Columbia met on December 15, 2008 to cast their votes for President and Vice President. The Electoral College itself never meets as one body. Instead the electors from each state and the District of Columbia met in their respective capitols.
The following were the members of the Electoral College from the state. All 13 were pledged to Barack Obama
and Joe Biden
:
United States presidential election, 2008
The United States presidential election of 2008 was the 56th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on November 4, 2008. Democrat Barack Obama, then the junior United States Senator from Illinois, defeated Republican John McCain, the senior U.S. Senator from Arizona. Obama received 365...
. Voters chose 13 representatives, or electors to the Electoral College, who voted for President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
and Vice President
Vice President of the United States
The Vice President of the United States is the holder of a public office created by the United States Constitution. The Vice President, together with the President of the United States, is indirectly elected by the people, through the Electoral College, to a four-year term...
.
Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
was won by Democratic nominee Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
by a 6.3% margin of victory. Prior to the election, all 17 news organizations considered this a state Obama would win, or otherwise considered as a blue state, despite the fact that initially Virginia was a swing state
Swing state
In United States presidential politics, a swing state is a state in which no single candidate or party has overwhelming support in securing that state's electoral college votes...
that both campaigns targeted heavily in 2008 and that Virginia was once one of the most reliable red states in the nation. The financial meltdown, the changing demographics, and the population increases in voter rich Northern Virginia
Northern Virginia
Northern Virginia consists of several counties and independent cities in the Commonwealth of Virginia, in a widespread region generally radiating southerly and westward from Washington, D.C...
gave Obama the edge as he was projected the winner in the Old Dominion State. It was the first time in over 40 years that Virginia voted for a Democratic presidential nominee since Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon Baines Johnson , often referred to as LBJ, was the 36th President of the United States after his service as the 37th Vice President of the United States...
, in his landslide election victory of 1964
United States presidential election, 1964
The United States presidential election of 1964 was held on November 3, 1964. Incumbent President Lyndon B. Johnson had come to office less than a year earlier following the assassination of his predecessor, John F. Kennedy. Johnson, who had successfully associated himself with Kennedy's...
.
Campaign
Virginia was one of the first SouthernSouthern United States
The Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...
states to break away from its traditional Democratic roots. It voted for Dwight Eisenhower by a convincing margin in 1952, and had voted for every Republican nominee since then save for Johnson's massive landslide in 1964.
However, the Democrats have made strong gains in the past years with winning two gubernatorial races in a row, regaining control of the Virginia Senate, and electing Democrat Jim Webb
Jim Webb
James Henry "Jim" Webb, Jr. is the senior United States Senator from Virginia. He is also an author and a former Secretary of the Navy. He is a member of the Democratic Party....
to the U.S. Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
in 2006 over incumbent Republican George Allen
George Allen (U.S. politician)
George Felix Allen is a former United States Senator from the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the son of former NFL head coach George Allen. Allen served Virginia in the state legislature, as the 67th Governor, and in both bodies of the U.S. Congress, winning election to the Senate in 2000...
. Democrats have been able to make such gains in Virginia due in large part to the ever-expanding Northern Virginia
Northern Virginia
Northern Virginia consists of several counties and independent cities in the Commonwealth of Virginia, in a widespread region generally radiating southerly and westward from Washington, D.C...
, particularly the suburbs surrounding Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
Historically, this area had been strongly Republican. However, in recent years it has been dominated by white liberals
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
who tend to vote Democratic. It was, ultimately, this rapid demographic change that provided a huge new influx of Democratic voters to Virginia.
Both presidential campaigns and the mainstream media treated Virginia as a swing state for most of the campaign. Obama campaigned extensively in Virginia and counted on the booming northern parts of the state for a Democratic victory. Victory for McCain would have been extremely difficult without Virginia; he would have had to win every swing state as well as at least one Democratic-leaning state.
Predictions
There were 17 news organizations who made state by state predictions of the election. Here are there last predictions before election day:- D.C. Political Report: Democrat
- Cook Political ReportCook Political ReportThe Cook Political Report is an independent, non-partisan online newsletter that analyzes elections and campaigns for the United States House of Representatives, the United States Senate, Governor's offices and the American Presidency. The Cook Political Report is led by a staff of five...
: Leaning Democrat - Takeaway: Leaning Obama
- Election Projection: Leaning Obama
- Electoral-vote.comElectoral-vote.comElectoral-Vote.com is the website of computer scientist Andrew S. Tanenbaum. The site's primary content is poll analysis to project the outcome of U.S. elections. The site also includes commentary on related news stories. Well known for its color-coded electoral map of the United States, the...
: Leaning Democrat - Washington Post: Leaning Obama
- PoliticoPolitico (newspaper)The Politico is an American political journalism organization based in Arlington, Virginia, that distributes its content via television, the Internet, newspaper, and radio. Its coverage of Washington, D.C., includes the U.S. Congress, lobbying, media and the Presidency...
: Leaning Obama - Real Clear Politics: Leaning Obama
- FiveThirtyEight.comFiveThirtyEight.comFiveThirtyEight is a polling aggregation website with a blog created by Nate Silver. Sometimes colloquially referred to as 538 dot com or just 538, the website takes its name from the number of electors in the United States electoral college...
: Leaning Obama - CQ Politics: Leaning Democrat
- New York Times: Leaning Democrat
- CNNCNNCable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
: Leaning Democrat - NPRNPRNPR, formerly National Public Radio, is a privately and publicly funded non-profit membership media organization that serves as a national syndicator to a network of 900 public radio stations in the United States. NPR was created in 1970, following congressional passage of the Public Broadcasting...
: Leaning Obama - MSNBCMSNBCMSNBC is a cable news channel based in the United States available in the US, Germany , South Africa, the Middle East and Canada...
: Leaning Obama - Fox News: Democrat
- Associated PressAssociated PressThe Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
: Democrat - Rasmussen ReportsRasmussen ReportsRasmussen Reports is an American media company that publishes and distributes information based on public opinion polling. Founded by pollster Scott Rasmussen in 2003, the company updates daily indexes including the President's job approval rating, and provides public opinion data, analysis, and...
: Leaning Democrat
Polling
After McCain clinched the Republican Party nomination in early March, he took a wide lead in polls against Obama, averaging almost 50%. But through the summer, polling was dead even. After the Lehman BrothersLehman Brothers
Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. was a global financial services firm. Before declaring bankruptcy in 2008, Lehman was the fourth largest investment bank in the USA , doing business in investment banking, equity and fixed-income sales and trading Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. (former NYSE ticker...
went bankrupt, Obama took a wide lead in the polls. In October, Obama won every single poll taken, and reached over 50% in most of them. The final three polls averaged Obama leading 52% to 46%.
Spending and visits
Obama spent over $26 million to McCain spending just $14 million. The Obama-Biden ticket visited the state 19 times compared to just 10 times for McCain-Palin.Analysis
On Election Day, early returns showed McCain ahead. This was due in large part to the fact that many of the rural areas began to report first. However, Obama swamped McCain by scoring a near-sweep in Northern Virginia, which reported its returns last.Obama did extremely well throughout the most populous regions of the state. Northern Virginia overwhelmingly supported Obama. Fairfax County and Arlington counties, traditionally the most Democratic counties in the region, gave Obama over 70% of the vote. Moreover, Loudoun
Loudoun County, Virginia
Loudoun County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and is part of the Washington Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the county is estimated to be home to 312,311 people, an 84 percent increase over the 2000 figure of 169,599. That increase makes the county the fourth...
and Prince William
Prince William County, Virginia
-National protected areas:* Featherstone National Wildlife Refuge* Manassas National Battlefield Park* Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge* Prince William Forest Park-Government and politics:...
counties, normally the more conservative counties in the region, voted Democratic for the first time since LBJ's 1964 landslide.
The two other major metropolitan areas in the eastern part of the state, Richmond
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
and Hampton Roads, are somewhat less Democratic than Northern Virginia. In both areas, Obama improved significantly on John Kerry
John Kerry
John Forbes Kerry is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts, the 10th most senior U.S. Senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2004 presidential election, but lost to former President George W...
's performance. While Obama easily won Richmond itself (which is 57% African American), he also made significant inroads into Richmond's traditionally heavily Republican suburbs. He carried Henrico County
Henrico County, Virginia
Henrico is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, a state of the United States. As of 2010, Henrico was home to 306,935 people. It is located in the Richmond-Petersburg region and is a portion of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area...
with 57 percent of the vote; that county last supported a Democrat with Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman was the 33rd President of the United States . As President Franklin D. Roosevelt's third vice president and the 34th Vice President of the United States , he succeeded to the presidency on April 12, 1945, when President Roosevelt died less than three months after beginning his...
in 1948
United States presidential election, 1948
The United States presidential election of 1948 is considered by most historians as the greatest election upset in American history. Virtually every prediction indicated that incumbent President Harry S. Truman would be defeated by Republican Thomas E. Dewey. Truman won, overcoming a three-way...
. In Chesterfield County
Chesterfield County, Virginia
Chesterfield County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, a state of the United States. In 2010, its population was estimated to be 316,236. Chesterfield County is now the fourth-largest municipality in Virginia . Its county seat is Chesterfield...
, Obama did almost 20 points better than Kerry. Both counties have historically been strongly Republican, although Henrico is something of a swing county at state-level elections.
Obama also did very well in Hampton Roads. The four Democratic-leaning cities along the harbor - Hampton
Hampton, Virginia
Hampton is an independent city that is not part of any county in Southeast Virginia. Its population is 137,436. As one of the seven major cities that compose the Hampton Roads metropolitan area, it is on the southeastern end of the Virginia Peninsula. Located on the Hampton Roads Beltway, it hosts...
, Newport News
Newport News, Virginia
Newport News is an independent city located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of Virginia. It is at the southeastern end of the Virginia Peninsula, on the north shore of the James River extending southeast from Skiffe's Creek along many miles of waterfront to the river's mouth at Newport News...
, Norfolk
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
, and Portsmouth
Portsmouth, Virginia
Portsmouth is located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of the U.S. Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2010, the city had a total population of 95,535.The Norfolk Naval Shipyard, often called the Norfolk Navy Yard, is a historic and active U.S...
- gave him margins exceeding 60%. Obama also split the Republican-leaning cities of Chesapeake
Chesapeake, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 199,184 people, 69,900 households, and 54,172 families residing in the city. The population density was 584.6 people per square mile . There were 72,672 housing units at an average density of 213.3 per square mile...
and Virginia Beach
Virginia Beach, Virginia
Virginia Beach is an independent city located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of Virginia, on the Atlantic Ocean at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay...
; he barely won the former and barely lost the latter. Obama's strong performance in the area likely contributed to Democrat Glenn Nye
Glenn Nye
Glenn Carlyle Nye III is the former U.S. Representative for , serving from 2009 until 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party...
unseating two-term Republican incumbent Thelma Drake
Thelma Drake
Thelma D. Drake was a Member of Congress of the Republican party from the state of Virginia. She was first elected to the United States House of Representatives in November 2004 to represent . She was defeated by Democrat Glenn Nye in 2008.Thelma Drake grew up in Ohio and attended Elyria High School...
in the , a heavy military district which includes all of Virginia Beach and large portions of Norfolk and Hampton.
Obama also significantly outperformed Kerry in Western Virginia, an area where the national Democratic Party has historically not done well. Danville
Danville, Virginia
Danville is an independent city in Virginia, United States, bounded by Pittsylvania County, Virginia and Caswell County, North Carolina. It was the last capital of the Confederate States of America. The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the city of Danville with Pittsylvania county for...
and Roanoke
Roanoke, Virginia
Roanoke is an independent city in the Mid-Atlantic U.S. state of Virginia and is the tenth-largest city in the Commonwealth. It is located in the Roanoke Valley of the Roanoke Region of Virginia. The population within the city limits was 97,032 as of 2010...
, usually the most Democratic cities in this region, gave him moderate support. He also had a major breakthrough in the Shenandoah Valley
Shenandoah Valley
The Shenandoah Valley is both a geographic valley and cultural region of western Virginia and West Virginia in the United States. The valley is bounded to the east by the Blue Ridge Mountains, to the west by the eastern front of the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians , to the north by the Potomac River...
, historically one of the most Republican areas of the state. He won Harrisonburg
Harrisonburg, Virginia
Harrisonburg is an independent city in the Shenandoah Valley region of Virginia in the United States. Its population as of 2010 is 48,914, and at the 2000 census, 40,468. Harrisonburg is the county seat of Rockingham County and the core city of the Harrisonburg, Virginia Metropolitan Statistical...
, the largest city in the region, with a resounding 57 percent of the vote. He also won the second-largest city in the area, Staunton
Staunton, Virginia
Staunton is an independent city within the confines of Augusta County in the commonwealth of Virginia. The population was 23,746 as of 2010. It is the county seat of Augusta County....
, albeit more narrowly. The Shenandoah Valley had been among the first regions of the state to turn Republican; the old Byrd Democrats
Byrd Organization
The Byrd Organization was a political machine led by former Governor and U.S. Senator Harry F. Byrd, Sr. that dominated Virginia politics for much of the middle portion of the 20th century...
in this region started splitting their tickets as early as the 1930s. Several rural counties in Eastern Virginia with high African-American populations voted for Obama as well.
In contrast to Obama, McCain did well throughout rural Virginia. He won the vast majority of its counties. In the part of Virginia protruding out west, Obama ran roughly even with Kerry, even though he comfortably won the election and Kerry lost. This area, save for one county and a few small towns, uniformly supported McCain. In addition, a number of unionized, Appalachian counties located next to Kentucky voted Republican; they had cast strong ballots for Bill Clinton. This was not surprising as this part of Virginia is a part of Appalachia
Appalachia
Appalachia is a term used to describe a cultural region in the eastern United States that stretches from the Southern Tier of New York state to northern Alabama, Mississippi, and Georgia. While the Appalachian Mountains stretch from Belle Isle in Canada to Cheaha Mountain in the U.S...
, a region in which Obama consistently struggled during the course of the Democratic primary.
The Republican base in Virginia consists of the state's traditional Republican heartland in the Blue Ridge Mountains
Blue Ridge Mountains
The Blue Ridge Mountains are a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian Mountains range. This province consists of northern and southern physiographic regions, which divide near the Roanoke River gap. The mountain range is located in the eastern United States, starting at its southern-most...
, social conservatives in the Shenandoah Valley and and suburbanites in the east. McCain closely matched George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
's numbers among the first group and only did slightly worse than Bush amongst the second group. However, in 2008, suburbanites in Northern Virginia and in the Richmond/Hampton Roads areas abandoned the Republican Party in droves, and it was simply impossible for McCain to win the state without their support.
During the same election, former Democratic Governor
Governor of Virginia
The governor of Virginia serves as the chief executive of the Commonwealth of Virginia for a four-year term. The position is currently held by Republican Bob McDonnell, who was inaugurated on January 16, 2010, as the 71st governor of Virginia....
Mark Warner
Mark Warner
Mark Robert Warner is an American politician and businessman, currently serving in the United States Senate as the junior senator from the Commonwealth of Virginia. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Warner was the 69th governor of Virginia from 2002 to 2006 and is the honorary chairman of...
solidly defeated former Governor (and his predecessor) Republican Jim Gilmore
Jim Gilmore
James Stuart "Jim" Gilmore III is an American politician from the Commonwealth of Virginia, former 68th Governor of Virginia, and a member of the Republican Party. A native Virginian, Gilmore studied at the University of Virginia, and then served in the U.S. Army as a counterintelligence agent...
by a two-to-one margin for the open U.S. Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
seat vacated by incumbent Republican John Warner
John Warner
John William Warner, KBE is an American Republican politician who served as Secretary of the Navy from 1972 to 1974 and as a five-term United States Senator from Virginia from January 2, 1979, to January 3, 2009...
(no relation to Mark Warner). Warner received 65.03% of the vote while Gilmore took in 33.73%. Warner won all but five counties in the state. Democrats also picked up three seats in the U.S. House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
. At the state level, Democrats picked up one seat in the Virginia House of Delegates
Virginia House of Delegates
The Virginia House of Delegates is the lower house of the Virginia General Assembly. It has 100 members elected for terms of two years; unlike most states, these elections take place during odd-numbered years. The House is presided over by the Speaker of the House, who is elected from among the...
.
Results
| United States presidential election in Virginia, 2008 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Running mate | Votes | Percentage | Electoral votes | |
| Democratic Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous... |
Barack Obama Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in... |
Joe Biden Joe Biden Joseph Robinette "Joe" Biden, Jr. is the 47th and current Vice President of the United States, serving under President Barack Obama... |
1,959,532 | 52.63% | 13 | |
| Republican Republican Party (United States) The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S... |
John McCain John McCain John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election.... |
Sarah Palin Sarah Palin Sarah Louise Palin is an American politician, commentator and author. As the Republican Party nominee for Vice President in the 2008 presidential election, she was the first Alaskan on the national ticket of a major party and first Republican woman nominated for the vice-presidency.She was... |
1,725,005 | 46.33% | 0 | |
| Independent Independent (politician) In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do... |
Ralph Nader Ralph Nader Ralph Nader is an American political activist, as well as an author, lecturer, and attorney. Areas of particular concern to Nader include consumer protection, humanitarianism, environmentalism, and democratic government.... |
Matt Gonzalez Matt Gonzalez Matthew Edward Gonzalez is an American politician, lawyer, and activist prominent in San Francisco politics. He currently serves as chief attorney in the San Francisco Public Defender's office.... |
11,483 | 0.31% | 0 | |
| Libertarian Libertarian Party (United States) The Libertarian Party is the third largest and fastest growing political party in the United States. The political platform of the Libertarian Party reflects its brand of libertarianism, favoring minimally regulated, laissez-faire markets, strong civil liberties, minimally regulated migration... |
Bob Barr Bob Barr Robert Laurence "Bob" Barr, Jr. is a former federal prosecutorand a former member of the United States House of Representatives. He represented Georgia's 7th congressional district as a Republican from 1995 to 2003. Barr attained national prominence as one of the leaders of the impeachment of... |
Wayne Allyn Root Wayne Allyn Root Wayne Allyn Root is an American politician, entrepreneur, television and radio personality, author and political commentator. He was the 2008 Libertarian Party vice-presidential nominee. In June 2009 Richard Winger wrote he was the front runner for the 2012 Libertarian Presidential nomination... |
11,067 | 0.30% | 0 | |
| Constitution Constitution Party (United States) The Constitution Party is a paleoconservative political party in the United States. It was founded as the U.S. Taxpayers' Party by Howard Philips in 1991. Phillips was the party's candidate in the 1992, 1996 and 2000 presidential elections... |
Chuck Baldwin Chuck Baldwin Charles Obadiah "Chuck" Baldwin is an American politician and founder-pastor of Crossroad Baptist Church in Pensacola, Florida. He was the presidential nominee of the Constitution Party for the 2008 U.S. presidential election and had previously been its nominee for U.S. vice president in 2004... |
Darrell Castle Darrell Castle Darrell Castle is an American political figure, activist and attorney from Memphis, Tennessee, and was the vice presidential candidate of the Constitution Party in the 2008 United States presidential election.-Early life and education:... |
7,474 | 0.20% | 0 | |
| Write-ins | Write-ins | 6,304 | 0.17% | 0 | ||
| Green Green Party (United States) The Green Party of the United States is a nationally recognized political party which officially formed in 1991. It is a voluntary association of state green parties. Prior to national formation, many state affiliates had already formed and were recognized by other state parties... |
Cynthia McKinney Cynthia McKinney Cynthia Ann McKinney is a former US Congresswoman and a member of the Green Party since 2007. As a member of the Democratic Party, she served six terms as a member of the United States House of Representatives. In 2008, the Green Party nominated McKinney for President of the United States... |
Rosa Clemente Rosa Clemente Rosa Alicia Clemente is a United States community organizer, independent journalist and hip-hop activist. She was the vice presidential running mate of 2008 Green Party Presidential candidate Cynthia McKinney in the 2008 U.S. Presidential election.Clemente was born and raised in South Bronx, New... |
2,344 | 0.06% | 0 | |
| Others | Others | 51 | 0.00% | 0 | ||
| Totals | 3,723,260 | 100.00% | 13 | |||
| Voter turnout (Voting age population) | 65.1% | |||||
By county
| County | Obama% | Obama# | McCain% | McCain# |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accomack Accomack County, Virginia As of the census of 2010, there were 33,164 people, 15,299 households, and 10,388 families residing in the county. The population density was 84 people per square mile . There were 19,550 housing units at an average density of 43 per square mile... |
49.27% | 7607 | 50.73% | 7833 |
| Albemarle Albemarle County, Virginia As of the census of 2000, there were 79,236 people, 31,876 households, and 21,070 families residing in the county. The population density was 110 people per square mile . There were 33,720 housing units at an average density of 47 per square mile... |
59.15% | 29792 | 40.85% | 20576 |
| Alleghany Alleghany County, Virginia As of the census of 2000, there were 12,926 people, 5,149 households, and 3,866 families residing in the county. The population density was 29 people per square mile . There were 5,812 housing units at an average density of 13 per square mile... |
48.89% | 3553 | 51.11% | 3715 |
| Amelia Amelia County, Virginia As of the census of 2000, there were 11,400 people, 4,240 households, and 3,175 families residing in the county. The population density was 32 people per square mile . There were 4,609 housing units at an average density of 13 per square mile... |
38.53% | 2488 | 61.47% | 3970 |
| Amherst Amherst County, Virginia As of the census of 2000, there were 31,894 people, 11,941 households, and 8,645 families residing in the county. The population density was 67 people per square mile . There were 12,958 housing units at an average density of 27 per square mile... |
41.84% | 6094 | 58.16% | 8470 |
| Appomattox Appomattox County, Virginia Appomattox County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2010, the population was 14,973. Its county seat is Appomattox. For a long time, Appomattox was a prohibition or dry county... |
35.01% | 2641 | 64.99% | 4903 |
| Arlington Arlington County, Virginia Arlington County is a county in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The land that became Arlington was originally donated by Virginia to the United States government to form part of the new federal capital district. On February 27, 1801, the United States Congress organized the area as a subdivision of... |
72.56% | 78994 | 27.44% | 29876 |
| Augusta Augusta County, Virginia As of the census of 2000, there were 65,615 people, 24,818 households, and 18,911 families residing in the county. The population density was 68 people per square mile . There were 26,738 housing units at an average density of 28 per square mile... |
29.82% | 9825 | 70.18% | 23120 |
| Bath Bath County, Virginia As of the census of 2000, there were 5,048 people, 2,053 households, and 1,451 families residing in the county. The population density was 10 people per square mile . There were 2,896 housing units at an average density of 5 per square mile... |
43.60% | 1043 | 56.40% | 1349 |
| Bedford Bedford County, Virginia As of the census of 2000, there were 60,371 people, 23,838 households, and 18,164 families residing in the county. The population density was 80 people per square mile . There were 26,841 housing units at an average density of 36 per square mile... |
31.09% | 11017 | 68.91% | 24420 |
| Bland Bland County, Virginia As of the census of 2000, there were 6,871 people, 2,568 households, and 1,908 families residing in the county. The population density was 19 people per square mile . There were 3,161 housing units at an average density of 9 per square mile... |
29.84% | 864 | 70.16% | 2031 |
| Botetourt Botetourt County, Virginia As of the census of 2000, there were 30,496 people, 11,700 households, and 9,114 families residing in the county. The population density was 56 people per square mile . There were 12,571 housing units at an average density of 23 per square mile... |
33.17% | 5693 | 66.83% | 11471 |
| Brunswick Brunswick County, Virginia As of the census of 2000, there were 18,419 people, 6,277 households, and 4,312 families residing in the county. The population density was 32 people per square mile . There were 7,541 housing units at an average density of 13 per square mile... |
63.35% | 4973 | 36.65% | 2877 |
| Buchanan Buchanan County, Virginia As of the census of 2000, there were 26,978 people, 10,464 households, and 7,900 families residing in the county. The population density was 54 people per square mile . There were 11,887 housing units at an average density of 24 per square mile... |
47.22% | 4063 | 52.78% | 4541 |
| Buckingham | 50.44% | 3489 | 49.56% | 3428 |
| Campbell Campbell County, Virginia As of the census of 2000, there were 51,078 people, 20,639 households, and 14,694 families residing in the county. The population density was 101 people per square mile . There were 22,088 housing units at an average density of 44 per square mile... |
31.69% | 8091 | 68.31% | 17444 |
| Caroline Caroline County, Virginia Caroline County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2010, the population was 28,545. Its county seat is Bowling Green. Caroline County is also home to The Meadow stables, the birthplace of the renowned racehorse Secretariat, winner of the 1973 Kentucky Derby, Preakness and... |
56.05% | 7163 | 43.95% | 5617 |
| Carroll Carroll County, Virginia As of the census of 2000, there were 29,245 people, 12,186 households, and 8,786 families residing in the county. The population density was 61 people per square mile . There were 14,680 housing units at an average density of 31 per square mile... |
33.41% | 4108 | 66.59% | 8186 |
| Charlotte Charlotte County, Virginia As of the census of 2000, there were 12,472 people, 4,951 households, and 3,435 families residing in the county. The population density was 26 people per square mile . There were 5,734 housing units at an average density of 12 per square mile... |
44.51% | 2705 | 55.49% | 3372 |
| Chesterfield Chesterfield County, Virginia Chesterfield County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, a state of the United States. In 2010, its population was estimated to be 316,236. Chesterfield County is now the fourth-largest municipality in Virginia . Its county seat is Chesterfield... |
46.23% | 74310 | 53.77% | 86413 |
| Clarke Clarke County, Virginia Clarke County is a county in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2010, the population was 14,034. Its county seat is Berryville.-History:Clarke County was established in 1836 by Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron who built a home, Greenway Court, on part of his 5 million acre property,... |
47.38% | 3457 | 52.62% | 3840 |
| Craig Craig County, Virginia As of the census of 2000, there were 5,091 people, 2,060 households, and 1,507 families residing in the county. The population density was 15 people per square mile . There were 2,554 housing units at an average density of 8 per square mile... |
34.07% | 876 | 65.93% | 1695 |
| Culpeper Culpeper County, Virginia As of the census of 2000, there were 34,262 people, 12,141 households, and 9,045 families residing in the county. The population density was 90 people per square mile . There were 12,871 housing units at an average density of 34 per square mile... |
45.11% | 8802 | 54.89% | 10711 |
| Cumberland Cumberland County, Virginia As of the census of 2000, there were 9,017 people, 3,528 households, and 2,487 families residing in the county. The population density was 30 people per square mile . There were 4,085 housing units at an average density of 14 per square mile... |
48.26% | 2255 | 51.74% | 2418 |
| Dickenson Dickenson County, Virginia As of the census of 2000, there were 16,395 people, 6,732 households, and 4,887 families residing in the county. The population density was 49 people per square mile . There were 7,684 housing units at an average density of 23 per square mile... |
49.65% | 3278 | 50.35% | 3324 |
| Dinwiddle Dinwiddie County, Virginia Dinwiddie County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2010, the population was 28,001. Its county seat is Dinwiddie.- History :... |
48.90% | 6246 | 51.10% | 6526 |
| Emporia Emporia, Virginia Emporia is an independent city located within the confines of Greensville County, Virginia, United States. The population was estimated to be 5,927 in 2010. The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the city of Emporia with surrounding Greensville county for statistical purposes... |
65.49% | 1702 | 34.51% | 897 |
| Essex Essex County, Virginia As of the census of 2000, there were 9,989 people, 3,995 households, and 2,740 families residing in the county. The population density was 39 people per square mile . There were 4,926 housing units at an average density of 19 per square mile... |
55.22% | 2934 | 44.78% | 2379 |
| Fairfax Fairfax County, Virginia Fairfax County is a county in Virginia, in the United States. Per the 2010 Census, the population of the county is 1,081,726, making it the most populous jurisdiction in the Commonwealth of Virginia, with 13.5% of Virginia's population... |
60.69% | 310359 | 39.31% | 200994 |
| Fairfax Fairfax, Virginia The City of Fairfax is an independent city forming an enclave within the confines of Fairfax County, in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. Although politically independent of the surrounding county, the City is nevertheless the county seat.... |
58.37% | 6571 | 41.63% | 4686 |
| Falls Church | 70.44% | 4695 | 29.56% | 1970 |
| Fauquier Fauquier County, Virginia As of the census of 2000, there were 55,139 people, 19,842 households, and 15,139 families residing in the county. The population density was 85 people per square mile . There were 21,046 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile... |
43.19% | 14616 | 56.81% | 19227 |
| Floyd Floyd County, Virginia As of the census of 2000, there were 13,874 people, 5,791 households, and 4,157 families residing in the county. The population density was 36 people per square mile . There were 6,763 housing units at an average density of 18 per square mile... |
39.81% | 2937 | 60.19% | 4441 |
| Fluvanna | 49.07% | 6185 | 50.93% | 6420 |
| Franklin | 38.42% | 9618 | 61.58% | 15414 |
| Franklin City | 64.14% | 2817 | 35.86% | 1575 |
| Franklin | 39.15% | 12961 | 60.85% | 20149 |
| Fredericksburg | 64.33% | 6155 | 35.67% | 3413 |
| Galax | 44.41% | 1052 | 55.59% | 1317 |
| Giles | 41.70% | 3192 | 58.30% | 4462 |
| Gloucester | 36.39% | 6916 | 63.61% | 12089 |
| Goochland | 38.64% | 4813 | 61.36% | 7643 |
| Grayson | 35.33% | 2480 | 64.67% | 4540 |
| Greene | 38.93% | 3174 | 61.07% | 4980 |
| Greensville | 64.36% | 3122 | 35.64% | 1729 |
| Halifax | 48.58% | 8126 | 51.42% | 8600 |
| Hampton | 69.62% | 46917 | 30.38% | 20476 |
| Hanover | 33.06% | 18447 | 66.94% | 37344 |
| Harrisonburg | 58.27% | 8444 | 41.73% | 6048 |
| Henrico | 56.16% | 86262 | 43.84% | 67340 |
| Henry | 44.69% | 11118 | 55.31% | 13758 |
| Highland | 38.82% | 590 | 61.18% | 930 |
| Hopewell | 56.02% | 5285 | 43.98% | 4149 |
| Isle of Wight | 43.23% | 8573 | 56.77% | 11258 |
| James City | 45.35% | 17352 | 54.65% | 20912 |
| King and Queen | 52.11% | 1918 | 47.89% | 1763 |
| King George | 43.17% | 4473 | 56.83% | 5888 |
| King William | 40.24% | 3344 | 59.76% | 4966 |
| Lancaster | 47.01% | 3235 | 52.99% | 3647 |
| Lee | 35.59% | 3219 | 64.41% | 5825 |
| Lexington | 62.75% | 1540 | 37.25% | 914 |
| Loudoun | 54.09% | 74607 | 45.91% | 63328 |
| Louisa | 46.03% | 6978 | 53.97% | 8182 |
| Lunenburg | 48.24% | 2703 | 51.76% | 2900 |
| Lynchburg | 47.98% | 16269 | 52.02% | 17638 |
| Madison | 43.23% | 2862 | 56.77% | 3758 |
| Manassas | 55.72% | 7518 | 44.28% | 5975 |
| Manassas Park | 60.12% | 2463 | 39.88% | 1634 |
| Martinsville | 64.17% | 4139 | 35.83% | 2311 |
| Mathews | 35.99% | 1943 | 64.01% | 3456 |
| Mecklenburg | 47.69% | 7127 | 52.31% | 7817 |
| Middlesex | 40.28% | 2391 | 59.72% | 3545 |
| Montgomery | 52.50% | 21027 | 47.50% | 19026 |
| Nelson | 54.63% | 4391 | 45.37% | 3647 |
| New Kent | 35.36% | 3493 | 64.64% | 6385 |
| Newport News | 64.45% | 51972 | 35.55% | 28667 |
| Norfolk | 71.68% | 62819 | 28.32% | 24814 |
| Northampton | 58.34% | 3800 | 41.66% | 2713 |
| Norton | 49.97% | 743 | 50.03% | 744 |
| Nottoway Nottoway County, Virginia As of the census of 2000, there were 15,725 people, 5,664 households, and 3,885 families residing in the county. The population density was 50 people per square mile . There were 6,373 housing units at an average density of 20 per square mile... |
49.38% | 3413 | 50.62% | 3499 |
| Page Page County, Virginia As of the census of 2000, there were 23,177 people, 9,305 households, and 6,634 families residing in the county. The population density was 74 people per square mile . There were 10,557 housing units at an average density of 34 per square mile... |
41.21% | 4235 | 58.79% | 6041 |
| Patrick Patrick County, Virginia Patrick County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2010, the population was 18,490. Its county seat is Stuart. It is located within both the rolling hills and valleys of the Piedmont Region of Virginia and mountainous Southwest Virginia.... |
34.40% | 2879 | 65.60% | 5491 |
| Pittsylvania Pittsylvania County, Virginia As of the census of 2000, there were 61,745 people, 24,684 households, and 18,216 families residing in the county. The population density was 64 people per square mile . There were 28,011 housing units at an average density of 29 per square mile... |
37.85% | 11401 | 62.15% | 18724 |
| Powhatan Powhatan County, Virginia As of the census of 2000, there were 22,377 people, 7,258 households, and 5,900 families residing in the county. The population density was 86 people per square mile . There were 7,509 housing units at an average density of 29 per square mile... |
29.58% | 4237 | 70.42% | 10088 |
| Prince George Prince George County, Virginia As of the census of 2000, there were 33,047 people, 10,159 households, and 8,096 families residing in the county. The population density was 124 people per square mile . There were 10,726 housing units at an average density of 40 per square mile... |
44.89% | 7130 | 55.11% | 8752 |
| Prince William Prince William County, Virginia -National protected areas:* Featherstone National Wildlife Refuge* Manassas National Battlefield Park* Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge* Prince William Forest Park-Government and politics:... |
58.01% | 93386 | 41.99% | 67589 |
| Pulaski Pulaski County, Virginia As of the census of 2000, there were 35,127 people, 14,643 households, and 10,147 families residing in the county. The population density was 110 people per square mile . There were 16,325 housing units at an average density of 51 per square mile... |
40.05% | 5918 | 59.95% | 8857 |
| Rappahannock Rappahannock County, Virginia As of the census of 2010, there were 7,373 people, 2,788 households, and 2,004 families residing in the county. The population density was 26 people per square mile . There were 3,303 housing units at an average density of 12 per square mile... |
48.59% | 2105 | 51.41% | 2227 |
| Richmond Richmond County, Virginia Richmond County is a county located on the Northern Neck in the Commonwealth of Virginia, a state in the United States. As of 2010, the population was 9,254. Its county seat is Warsaw. The rural county should not be confused with the large city and state capital Richmond, Virginia, which is over... |
43.61% | 1618 | 56.39% | 2092 |
| Roanoke Roanoke County, Virginia Roanoke County is a county located in the U.S. state of the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is part of the Roanoke Metropolitan Statistical Area and located within the Roanoke Region of Virginia. As of the 2000 census, the population was 85,778. As of 2010, the population was 92,376... |
39.32% | 19812 | 60.68% | 30571 |
| Rockbridge Rockbridge County, Virginia As of the census of 2000, there were 20,808 people, 8,486 households, and 6,075 families residing in the county. The population density was 35 people per square mile . There were 9,550 housing units at an average density of 16 per square mile... |
43.13% | 4347 | 56.87% | 5732 |
| Rockingham Rockingham County, Virginia As of the census of 2000, there were 67,725 people, 25,355 households, and 18,889 families residing in the county. The population density was 80 people per square mile . There were 27,328 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile... |
31.75% | 10453 | 68.25% | 22468 |
| Russell Russell County, Virginia As of the census of 2000, there were 30,308 people, 11,789 households, and 8,818 families residing in the county. The population density was 64 people per square mile . There were 13,191 housing units at an average density of 28 per square mile... |
43.56% | 4931 | 56.44% | 6389 |
| Scott Scott County, Virginia As of the census of 2000, there were 23,403 people, 9,795 households, and 7,023 families residing in the county. The population density was 44 people per square mile . There were 11,355 housing units at an average density of 21 per square mile... |
28.08% | 2725 | 71.92% | 6980 |
| Shenandoah Shenandoah County, Virginia As of the census of 2000, there were 35,075 people, 14,296 households, and 10,064 families residing in the county. The population density was 68 people per square mile . There were 16,709 housing units at an average density of 33 per square mile... |
36.53% | 6903 | 63.47% | 11995 |
| Smyth Smyth County, Virginia As of the census of 2000, there were 33,081 people, 13,493 households, and 9,607 families residing in the county. The population density was 73 people per square mile . There were 15,111 housing units at an average density of 33 per square mile... |
35.16% | 4239 | 64.84% | 7817 |
| Southampton Southampton County, Virginia As of the census of 2010, there were 18,570 people, 6,279 households, and 4,502 families residing in the county. The population density was 29 people per square mile . There were 7,058 housing units at an average density of 12 per square mile... |
48.99% | 4402 | 51.01% | 4583 |
| Spotsylvania Spotsylvania County, Virginia As of the census of 2000, there were 90,395 people, 31,308 households, and 24,639 families residing in the county. The population density was 226 people per square mile . There were 33,329 housing units at an average density of 83 per square mile... |
46.53% | 24897 | 53.47% | 28610 |
| Stafford Stafford County, Virginia Stafford County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, a U.S. state, and just across the Rappahannock River from the City of Fredericksburg. As of the 2000 census, the population was 92,446, increasing to 128,961 in 2010.. Its county seat is Stafford. In 2006, and again in 2009,... |
46.81% | 25716 | 53.19% | 29221 |
| Surry Surry County, Virginia As of the census of 2010, there were 7,058 people, 2,619 households, and 1,917 families residing in the county. The population density was 24 people per square mile . There were 3,294 housing units at an average density of 12 per square mile... |
61.23% | 2626 | 38.77% | 1663 |
| Sussex Sussex County, Virginia As of the census of 2000, there were 12,504 people, 4,126 households, and 2,809 families residing in the county. The population density was 26 people per square mile . There were 4,653 housing units at an average density of 10 per square mile... |
61.97% | 3301 | 38.03% | 2026 |
| Tazewell Tazewell County, Virginia As of the census of 2000, there were 44,598 people, 18,277 households and 13,232 families residing in the county. The population density was 86 people per square mile . There were 20,390 housing units at an average density of 39 per square mile... |
33.32% | 5596 | 66.68% | 11201 |
| Warren Warren County, Virginia As of the census of 2000, there were 31,584 people, 12,087 households, and 8,521 families residing in the county. The population density was 148 people per square mile . There were 13,299 housing units at an average density of 62 per square mile... |
44.07% | 6997 | 55.93% | 8879 |
| Washington Washington County, Virginia As of the census of 2000, there were 51,103 people, 21,056 households, and 14,949 families residing in the county. The population density was 91 people per square mile . There were 22,985 housing units at an average density of 41 per square mile... |
33.40% | 8063 | 66.60% | 16077 |
| Westmoreland Westmoreland County, Virginia As of the census of 2000, there were 16,718 people, 6,846 households, and 4,689 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 9,286 housing units at an average density of... |
55.17% | 4577 | 44.83% | 3719 |
By congressional district
Barack Obama carried six of the state’s 11 congressional districts, including two districts held by Republicans. John McCain carried five districts, two of which are held by Democrats.| District | McCain | Obama | Representative |
|---|---|---|---|
| 51.35% | 47.67% | Jo Ann Davis Jo Ann Davis Jo Ann Davis was a Representative in the U.S. Congress. A member of the Republican Party from the United States Commonwealth of Virginia, she represented the state's from 2001 until her death in 2007. She was the second woman—after Leslie L... (110th Congress 110th United States Congress The One Hundred Tenth United States Congress was the meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, between January 3, 2007, and January 3, 2009, during the last two years of the second term of President George W. Bush. It was composed of the Senate and the House of... ) |
|
| Robert J. Wittman (111th Congress 111th United States Congress The One Hundred Eleventh United States Congress was the meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government from January 3, 2009 until January 3, 2011. It began during the last two weeks of the George W. Bush administration, with the remainder spanning the first two years of... ) |
|||
| 48.48% | 50.45% | Thelma Drake Thelma Drake Thelma D. Drake was a Member of Congress of the Republican party from the state of Virginia. She was first elected to the United States House of Representatives in November 2004 to represent . She was defeated by Democrat Glenn Nye in 2008.Thelma Drake grew up in Ohio and attended Elyria High School... (110th Congress 110th United States Congress The One Hundred Tenth United States Congress was the meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, between January 3, 2007, and January 3, 2009, during the last two years of the second term of President George W. Bush. It was composed of the Senate and the House of... ) |
|
| Glenn Nye Glenn Nye Glenn Carlyle Nye III is the former U.S. Representative for , serving from 2009 until 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party... (111th Congress 111th United States Congress The One Hundred Eleventh United States Congress was the meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government from January 3, 2009 until January 3, 2011. It began during the last two weeks of the George W. Bush administration, with the remainder spanning the first two years of... ) |
|||
| 23.74% | 75.52% | Robert C. Scott Robert C. Scott Robert Cortez "Bobby" Scott is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1993. He is a member of the Democratic Party.... |
|
| 48.80% | 50.33% | Randy Forbes Randy Forbes James Randy Forbes is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2001. He is a member of the Republican Party.-Early life, education and career:... |
|
| 50.59% | 48.29% | Virgil Goode Virgil Goode Virgil Hamlin Goode, Jr. , is an American politician, last serving as a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives. He represented the 5th congressional district of Virginia from 1997 to 2009... (110th Congress 110th United States Congress The One Hundred Tenth United States Congress was the meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, between January 3, 2007, and January 3, 2009, during the last two years of the second term of President George W. Bush. It was composed of the Senate and the House of... ) |
|
| Tom Perriello Tom Perriello Thomas Stuart Price "Tom" Perriello is the former U.S. Representative for , serving from 2009 until 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district includes much of Southside Virginia and stretches north to Charlottesville.... (111th Congress 111th United States Congress The One Hundred Eleventh United States Congress was the meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government from January 3, 2009 until January 3, 2011. It began during the last two weeks of the George W. Bush administration, with the remainder spanning the first two years of... ) |
|||
| 56.93% | 41.85% | Bob Goodlatte Bob Goodlatte Robert William "Bob" Goodlatte is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1993. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district is based in Roanoke and also includes Lynchburg, Harrisonburg and Staunton.-Early life, education and career:... |
|
| 53.16% | 45.89% | Eric Cantor Eric Cantor Eric Ivan Cantor is the U.S. Representative for Virginia's 7th congressional district, serving since 2001. A member of the Republican Party, he became House Majority Leader when the 112th Congress convened on January 3, 2011... |
|
| 29.65% | 69.28% | Jim Moran Jim Moran James Patrick "Jim" Moran, Jr. is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1991. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district is located in Northern Virginia and includes the cities of Falls Church and Alexandria, all of Arlington County, and a portion of Fairfax County.Jim Moran was... |
|
| 58.71% | 39.60% | Rick Boucher Rick Boucher Frederick Carlyle "Rick" Boucher is the former U.S. Representative for , serving from 1983 until 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party.-Early life, education and career:... |
|
| 46.06% | 52.90% | Frank Wolf | |
| 42.06% | 57.01% | Thomas M. Davis Thomas M. Davis Thomas Milburn "Tom" Davis III was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives, representing Virginia's 11th congressional district in Northern Virginia. Davis was considering a run for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by five-term incumbent and fellow Republican John... (110th Congress 110th United States Congress The One Hundred Tenth United States Congress was the meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, between January 3, 2007, and January 3, 2009, during the last two years of the second term of President George W. Bush. It was composed of the Senate and the House of... ) |
|
| Gerry Connolly Gerry Connolly Gerald E. 'Gerry' Connolly is a member of the United States House of Representatives from Virginia's 11th congressional district. He was first elected in 2008. Connolly is a member of the Democratic Party.... (111th Congress 111th United States Congress The One Hundred Eleventh United States Congress was the meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government from January 3, 2009 until January 3, 2011. It began during the last two weeks of the George W. Bush administration, with the remainder spanning the first two years of... ) |
Electors
Technically the voters of Virginia cast their ballots for electors: representatives to the Electoral College. Virginia is allocated 13 electors because it has 11 congressional districtsVirginia's congressional districts
The Commonwealth of Virginia has 11 congressional districts, down from its early 19th century peak of 23.-Apportionment:Elections held in the year of a census use the apportionment determined by the previous census....
and 2 senators. All candidates who appear on the ballot or qualify to receive write-in votes must submit a list of 13 electors, who pledge to vote for their candidate and his or her running mate. Whoever wins the majority of votes in the state is awarded all 13 electoral votes. Their chosen electors then vote for President and Vice President. Although electors are pledged to their candidate and running mate, they are not obligated to vote for them. An elector who votes for someone other than his or her candidate is known as a faithless elector
Faithless elector
In United States presidential elections, a faithless elector is a member of the Electoral College who does not vote for the candidate they have pledged to vote for...
.
The electors of each state and the District of Columbia met on December 15, 2008 to cast their votes for President and Vice President. The Electoral College itself never meets as one body. Instead the electors from each state and the District of Columbia met in their respective capitols.
The following were the members of the Electoral College from the state. All 13 were pledged to Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
and Joe Biden
Joe Biden
Joseph Robinette "Joe" Biden, Jr. is the 47th and current Vice President of the United States, serving under President Barack Obama...
:
- Christia Rey
- Sandra Brandt
- Betty Squire
- Susan Johnston Rowland
- Marc Finney
- Dorothy Blackwell
- James Harold Allen Boyd
- Marian Van Landingham
- Robert Edgar Childress
- Rolland Winter
- Janet Carver
- Michael Jon
- Sophie Ann Salley