2008 United States House of Representatives elections in Virginia

The 2008 congressional elections in Virginia were held on November 4, 2008, to determine who would represent the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States House of Representatives, coinciding with the presidential and senatorial elections. Representatives were elected for two-year terms in the 111th Congress from January 3, 2009, until January 3, 2011. Primary elections were held on June 10, 2008.

Virginia had eleven seats in the House, apportioned according to the 2000 United States census. Democrats flipped the 2nd, 5th, and 11th districts, flipping their 3–8 deficit into a 6–5 majority, their first since 1998. As of 2024, this is the last time that Democrats were elected to the 5th or 9th congressional districts. This was also the last time until 2018 that Democrats won the majority of House seats in Virginia.

Overview Statewide PartyCandidatesVotesSeats %+/– %Democratic111,852,78853.015 354.55Republican91,590,68745.514 345.45Independent Greens214,1000.4000.0Independents213,8700.4000.0Libertarian15,2650.1500.0Write-in1118,6450.5300.0Total3,495,355100.011100.0

By district Results of the 2008 United States House of Representatives elections in Virginia by district: DistrictDemocraticRepublicanOthersTotalResult Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes %District 1 150,432 41.75% 203,839 56.58% 6,021 1.67% 360,292 100.0% Republican holdDistrict 2 141,857 52.40% 128,486 47.46% 368 0.14% 270,711 100.0% Democratic gainDistrict 3 239,911 97.02% 0 0.00% 7,377 2.98% 247,288 100.0% Democratic holdDistrict 4 135,041 40.37% 199,075 59.51% 405 0.12% 334,521 100.0% Republican holdDistrict 5 158,810 50.09% 158,083 49.86% 183 0.06% 317,076 100.0% Democratic gainDistrict 6 114,367 36.61% 192,350 61.57% 5,675 1.82% 312,392 100.0% Republican holdDistrict 7 138,123 37.10% 233,531 62.72% 683 0.18% 372,337 100.0% Republican holdDistrict 8 222,986 67.94% 97,425 29.68% 7,786 2.37% 328,197 100.0% Democratic holdDistrict 9 207,306 97.07% 0 0.00% 6,264 2.93% 213,570 100.0% Democratic holdDistrict 10 147,357 38.83% 223,140 58.80% 8,983 2.37% 379,480 100.0% Republican holdDistrict 11 196,598 54.69% 154,758 43.05% 8,135 2.26% 359,491 100.0% Democratic gainTotal 1,852,788 53.01% 1,590,687 45.51% 51,880 1.48% 3,495,355 100.0%

District 1

Incumbent Republican Rob Wittman, who had represented the district since 2007, ran for re-election. He was elected with 60.8% of the vote in 2007 and the district had a PVI of R+9.

Republican primary A Westmoreland County resident, former State Board of Health field director for the Division of Shellfish Sanitation and past member of the Virginia House of Delegates,http://www.dailypress.com/news/local/dp-local_housemoney_0617jun17,0,4378561.storyhe Wittman had only held the seat since January 2008, having won the special election to succeed deceased Congresswoman Jo Ann Davis. He had taken up many of her causes, including the FairTax, veterans' interests and getting rid of the remainder of the ghost fleet stationed at the James River. Like Davis, he is also introducing legislation to allow Virginia to regulate the importation of trash from other states.

Candidates Nominee Rob Wittman, incumbent U.S. Representative

Democratic primary The Democratic Party of Virginia held its convention on May 17 in Williamsburg, Virginia and selected Keith Hummel, the only person running for the Democratic nomination at the time. Only four votes were cast to not nominate anyone. A Westmoreland County physician and self-described "populist Democrat", Hummel also operates a farm and winery. The issues he was running on included enacting trade and tax policies to protect American jobs and American interests (rather than those of a few multinational corporations); using the military for defense rather than offensively; providing better health care and other benefits to veterans; and universal health care.Hummel for Congress official campaign website

Candidates Nominee Bill Day, mental health counselor and nominee for state delegate in 2007Bill Day Announcement Fred2Blue

Libertarian primary Anarcho-capitalist Catlett resident Nathan Larson, filed a declaration of candidacy on May 7, and was certified for the ballot on June 6. He was nominated by the Libertarian Party 1st Congressional District Convention on June 3 and endorsed by the Independent Greens of Virginia on June 12.

The main issues he was running on are free market roads and transit privatization, which he proposed as the solution to DC Metropolitan area traffic congestion, recently ranked the second-worst in the country. He supported auctioning off the Interstate Highway System and rail systems such as Amtrak to private investors. Larson also sought to dissolve the U.S. military and establish a competitive market for defense services.

Candidates Nominee Nathan Larson, accountant and cannabis reform activist

General election Campaign The candidates appeared on Cathy Lewis's TV program, What Matters, on October 15. The candidates held a spirited and well-attended debate on October 22 in which differing opinions on health care and the economy played a central role. Wittman defended his vote against the bailout package, while Day said he would have voted for it, and Larson said that it would have been better for the economy if the banks had been allowed to fail. On Medicare, Wittman advocated restructuring the system, while Day argued for expanding it and Larson shocked the audience by calling for its abolition.http://www.dailypress.com/news/local/dp-local_firstdistrict-vg_1102nov02,0,3738147.story

Endorsements

Predictions SourceRankingAs of The Cook Political Report November 6, 2008 Rothenberg November 2, 2008 Sabato's Crystal Ball November 6, 2008 Real Clear Politics November 7, 2008 CQ Politics November 6, 2008

Results Wittman won the election, 56.6 to 41.8.

District 2

The District includes Virginia's two largest cities--Norfolk and Virginia Beach, and the Virginia portion of the Eastern Shore. Incumbent Republican Thelma Drake, who had represented the district since 2005, ran for re-election. Official results. She was elected with 51.3% of the vote in 2006 and the district had a PVI of R+6.

In 2006, Drake survived a bid from Democrat Phil Kellam by only 51.27% to 48.45%. In 2004, Drake received 55% of the vote in this Virginia Beach-based district, which was won by George W. Bush with 57% to 42% for John Kerry in 2004. But in 2005 Democratic Governor Tim Kaine won the district by 50% to 47%. Official gubernatorial results by congressional district. In 2006, Drake may have been hurt by the downfall of Republican U.S. Senator George Allen, who narrowly lost to Democrat Jim Webb, an ex-Republican and former Navy Secretary under Ronald Reagan. (Allen carried the district 51%–48%. Official senatorial results by congressional district.)

Republican primary Candidates Nominee Thelma Drake, incumbent U.S. Representative

Democratic primary Candidates Nominee Glenn Nye, businessman and former foreign service officer

General election Endorsements

Polling Poll sourceDate(s)administeredSamplesizeMargin of errorThelmaDrake (R)GlennNye (D) Undecided Bennett, Petts & Normington (D–Nye)HRT October 14–15, 2008 400 (LV) ±4.9% 47% 42% 11% Research 2000 (Daily Kos) October 6–8, 2008 400 (LV) ±5.0% 51% 37% 12% Bennett, Petts & Normington (D–Nye)BPN Sep September 21–22, 2008 400 (LV) ±4.9% 45% 40% 15% Bennett, Petts & Normington (D–Nye)BPN May May 5–6, 2008 400 (LV) ±5.0% 48% 32% 20%

Results

District 3

The District runs from Hampton Roads to Richmond. Incumbent Democrat Bobby Scott, who had represented the district since 1993, ran for re-election. He was re-elected with 96.1% of the vote in 2006 and the district had a PVI of D+18. That year Democrat Webb carried 68% of the district in his Senate race. In 2005 Democrat Tim Kaine won the district by 71% to 27% in his gubernatorial race.

Democratic primary Candidates Nominee Bobby Scott, incumbent U.S. Representative

Republican primary No Republicans filed to run.

General election Endorsements

Results

Race ranking and details from CQ Politics Campaign contributions from OpenSecrets

District 4

The District lies in southeastern Virginia. Incumbent Republican Randy Forbes, who had represented the district since 2001, ran for re-election. He was re-elected with 76.1% of the vote in 2006 and the district had a PVI of R+5. In 2006 Democrat Webb lost the district 45%–54% in his Senate race. In 2005 Democrat Tim Kaine lost the district by 48.3% to 49.6% in his gubernatorial race.

Republican primary Candidates Nominee Randy Forbes, incumbent U.S. Representative

Democratic primary Candidates Nominee Andrea Miller, IT Director, digital strategist and former Regional Coordinator for Dennis Kucinich's presidential campaign

General election Endorsements

Results

Race ranking and details from CQ Politics Campaign contributions from OpenSecrets Miller campaign website

District 5

The District lies in southern and central Virginia. Incumbent Republican Virgil Goode, who had represented the district since 1997, ran for re-election. He was re-elected with 59.1% of the vote in 2006 and the district had a PVI of R+6. Democrat Webb lost the district 45%–54% in his Senate race. In 2005 Democrat Tim Kaine won the district by 49.6% to 48.4% in his gubernatorial race. Goode originally won his seat as a Democrat in 1996, voted for President Clinton's impeachment in 1998, became an Independent in 2000, and then joined the Republican Party in 2002. He became the first Republican to represent the district since 1889.

Republican primary Candidates Nominee Virgil Goode, incumbent U.S. Representative

Democratic primary Candidates Nominee Tom Perriello, attorney and diplomat

General election Campaign The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee considered Goode a "targeted Republican", based partly on Perriello's early fundraising. On August 1, the DCCC named Perriello as one of its Red to Blue candidates.

Endorsements

Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin oferrorVirgilGoode (R)TomPerriello (D)ShermanWichter (IG) Undecided SurveyUSA (WDBJ-TV)SUSA 3rd Nov October 30–November 2, 2006 640 (LV) ±4.0% 50% 47% – 3% Benenson Strategy Group (D–Perriello)BSG Oct October 7–9, 2006 400 (LV) ±4.9% 48% 40% – 12% SurveyUSA (WDBJ-TV)SUSA 7th Oct October 6–7, 2006 680 (LV) ±3.8% 55% 42% – 3% SurveyUSA (WDBJ-TV/WJLA-TV)SUSA 12th Aug August 10–12, 2006 615 (LV) ±3.9% 64% 30% 1% 5% Benenson Strategy Group (D–Perriello)DCPR VA July 7, 2006 ? (LV) ±4.9% 56% 31% – 13%

Results Democrat Perriello defeated Republican incumbent Goode 50.1% to 49.9%. A recount was conducted and Perriello was finally certified as the winner by 727 of 316,893 votes on December 17. This was the closest House race in 2008.

Race ranking and details from CQ Politics Campaign contributions from OpenSecrets Goode (R-i) vs Perriello (D) graph of poll results at Pollster.com

District 6

2008 United States House of Representatives elections in Virginia

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