Virginia's fifth congressional district is a United States congressional district in the commonwealth of Virginia. The 5th district includes the majority of rural Southside Virginia, though it stretches as far as the Richmond suburbs. Within the district are the cities of Charlottesville, Danville, and Lynchburg. It has been represented by Republican John McGuire since 2025.
The district's first representative in Congress was James Madison, who defeated James Monroe in the district's first congressional election. Madison and Monroe would go on to serve as the 4th and 5th Presidents of the United States. The current Congressman is Republican John McGuire.
Historically, the 5th was one of the first districts of Virginia to turn Republican in presidential elections. Southside was one of the fountainheads for the Byrd Organization, and the region's Democrats began splitting their tickets in presidential elections as early as the 1930s. Large portions of the area's limited and almost entirely white electorate who preferred conservative positions on black civil rights supported either Republicans or "States' Rights" nominees Strom Thurmond and Thomas Coleman Andrews. The district was to be one of two in Virginia which gave a plurality of the vote to segregationist George Wallace in 1968, and has never supported a Democrat for president since Harry S. Truman in 1948.
Despite this, the congressional seat remained in the hands of Democrats who were very conservative even by Virginia standards. This ended in 1999, when Virgil Goode became an independent; he became a Republican in 2002. In 2008, Democrat Tom Perriello defeated Goode with significant Democratic down-ballot coattails from the Obama campaign. Republican Robert Hurt defeated Perriello in 2010, going on to serve three terms. After Hurt left office, the district continued to elect Republicans, including Tom Garrett, Denver Riggleman, who both served one term, and Bob Good, who was re-elected in 2022. However, Republican State Senator John McGuire successfully primaried Good in June 2024 and won the general election.
Redistricting after the 2020 census added Lynchburg to the district; most of its suburbs have been in the 5th for decades. It was also pushed as far east as Hanover County on Richmond's northern fringe.
Demographics According to the APM Research Lab's Voter Profile Tools (featuring the U.S. Census Bureau's 2019 American Community Survey), the district contained about 580,000 potential voters (citizens, age 18+). Of these, 75% are White and 20% are Black. Immigrants make up 3% of the district's potential voters. Median income among households (with one or more potential voter) in the district is about $57,700, while 12% of households live below the poverty line. As for the educational attainment of potential voters in the district, 12% of those 25 and older have not earned a high school degree, while 27% hold a bachelor's or higher degree.
Area covered 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:
Albemarle County (15)
All 15 communities
Amelia County (1)
Amelia Court House
Amherst County (2)
Amherst, Madison Heights
Appomattox County (3)
All 3 communities
Bedford County (1)
Forest
Buckingham County (3)
All 3 communities
Campbell County (5)
All 5 communities
Charlotte County (4)
All 4 communities
Cumberland County (2)
Cumberland, Farmville (shared with Prince Edward County)
Fluvanna County (4)
All 4 communities
Goochland County (1)
Goochland
Halifax County (9)
All 9 communities
Hanover County (0)
No incorporated or census-recognized communities
Louisa County (3)
All 3 communities
Lunenberg County (3)
All 3 communities
Mecklenburg County (11)
All 11 communities
Nelson County (7)
All 7 communities
Nottoway County (4)
All 4 communities
Powhatan County (1)
Powhatan
Pittsylvania County (6)
All 6 communities
Prince Edward County (3)
All 3 communities
Independent cities (3)
Charlottesville, Danville, Lynchburg
Recent election results from statewide races Year Office Results2008 PresidentMcCain 52% - 47% SenateWarner 61% - 37%2009 GovernorMcDonnell 63% - 37% Lt. GovernorBolling 62% - 38% Attorney GeneralCuccinelli 63% - 37%2012 PresidentRomney 54% - 45% SenateAllen 54% - 46%2013 GovernorCuccinelli 52% - 40% Lt. GovernorJackson 51% - 48% Attorney GeneralObenshain 58% - 42%2014 SenateGillespie 54% - 43%2016 PresidentTrump 53% - 42%2017 GovernorGillespie 54% - 45% Lt. GovernorVogel 57% - 43% Attorney GeneralDonley Adams 56% - 44%2018 SenateStewart 50% - 48%2020 PresidentTrump 53% - 45% SenateGade 52% - 48%2021 GovernorYoungkin 60% - 39% Lt. GovernorEarle-Sears 60% - 40% Attorney GeneralMiyares 60% - 40%2024 PresidentTrump 55% - 43% SenateCao 55% - 45%2025 GovernorEarle-Sears 54% - 46% Lt. GovernorReid 55% - 45% Attorney GeneralMiyares 57% - 43%
Recent election results 2024 2024 Virginia's 5th congressional district election
Republican John McGuire III, who had ousted Bob Good in the Republican primary, defeated Democrat Gloria Witt in the November general election on Tuesday, November 5, 2024. Candidate Party Votes Percentage John McGuire IIIRepublican249,564 57.26% Gloria Witt Democratic184,22942.27%Write-in2,0460.47% Total votes cast 435,839 100.0%
2022 2022 Virginia's 5th congressional district election
Incumbent Bob Good defeated Josh Throneburg in the November general election on Tuesday, November 8, 2022. Candidate Party Votes Percentage Bob GoodRepublican177,191 57.57% Josh Throneburg Democratic129,99642.24%Write-in6030.20% Total votes cast 307,790 100.0%
2020 2020 Virginia's 5th congressional district election
Republican Bob Good defeated Dr. Cameron Webb in the November general election on Tuesday, November 3, 2020. Candidate Party Votes Percentage Bob GoodRepublican210,988 52.6% Cameron WebbDemocratic190,31547.4% Total votes cast 401,303 100.0%
2018 2018 Virginia's 5th congressional district election
Took place on Tuesday, November 6, 2018, with Republican Denver Riggleman winning the election. The incumbent, Tom Garrett, did not run for re-election.Virginia Department of Elections, Certified Candidates in Ballot Order for November 6, 2018 . Retrieved October 10, 2018. Candidate Party Votes Percentage Denver Riggleman Republican 165,339 53.18% Leslie Cockburn Democratic 145,040 46.65% All others Write In 547 0.18% Total votes cast 310,926 100.0%
2016 2016 Virginia's 5th congressional district election
Candidate Party Votes Percentage Tom Garrett Republican 207,758 58.2% Jane Dittmar Democratic 148,339 41.6% All others 668 0.2% Total votes cast 356,765100.0%
List of members representing the district