2016 United States House of Representatives elections in Virginia

The 2016 United States House of Representatives elections in Virginia were held on November 8, 2016, to elect a U.S. representative from each of Virginia's 11 congressional districts. The elections coincided with the 2016 U.S. presidential election, as well as House of Representatives elections in other states, U.S. Senate elections and various state and local elections. The primaries were held on June 14.

Virginia was one of two states in which the party that won the state's popular vote did not win a majority of seats in 2016, the other state being Wisconsin. As of 2026, this is the last time the Republicans won a majority of House seats in Virginia.

This image shows the 2016-2020 court-ordered VA Congressional districts.

In October 2013, three voters from Virginia's Third Congressional District filed a lawsuit challenging Governor Bob McDonnell's 2012 congressional redistricting plan. The plaintiffs argued that the map violated the Constitution by concentrating Black voters disproportionately within the district, a practice known as racial gerrymandering.

On October 7, 2014, a three-judge panel in the United States District Court ruled that the map was unconstitutional and violated the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th amendment. Despite this ruling, the court allowed the existing map to be used for the 2014 House Elections and ordered the Virginia General Assembly to redraw the districts by April 1, 2015.

In response, ten current and former Republican members of the House of Representatives appealed the decision to the Supreme Court, seeking to overturn the lower court's ruling. However, the Supreme Court remanded the case to the District Court for reconsideration in light of its recent decision in Alabama Legislative Black Caucus v. Alabama, a case involving racial gerrymandering.

On June 5, 2015, the District Court reaffirmed its previous ruling that the congressional map was unconstitutional and required the General Assembly to redraw the districts by September 1, 2015. However, the General Assembly failed to meet the deadline. Consequently, the District Court appointed a special master to create a new redistricting plan, which was approved on January 7, 2016.

The Republican House members subsequently petitioned the Supreme Court to pause the implementation of the new map, arguing that the original appeal regarding jurisdiction had not yet been resolved. The Supreme Court denied the request, allowing for the revised map to be used for the 2016 House primaries and general election. On March 21, 2016, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments on the appeal but ultimately dismissed it, ruling that the Republican House members lacked standing under Article III of the Constitution.

Following the Supreme Court's decision, some Republican members of the House filed another lawsuit challenging the District Court's revised map. Only three of the ten plaintiffs appeared before the Supreme Court, with Representative Randy Forbes arguing that the new map would alter the Fourth District from a Republican-leaning to a Democratic-leaning constituency, potentially jeopardizing his reelection. The plaintiffs contended that the new map unfairly disadvantaged incumbents. However, the Supreme Court upheld the District Court's redistricting plan, affirming its constitutionality.

Republican Rob Wittman had represented Virginia's 1st congressional district since 2007. He was re-elected in 2014 with 63% of the vote.

Wittman announced that he intended to run for governor in 2017, but would still run for re-election in 2016.

• Rob Wittman, incumbent U.S. Representative

A convention was scheduled for May 21 to select a nominee, with a filing deadline of May 7. Bowling Green Town Councilman Matt Rowe was the only candidate to file before the deadline and was thus automatically nominated.

• Matt Rowe, Bowling Green Town Councilman

Independent candidate Gail Parker also ran.

Republican Scott Rigell was the incumbent of the 2nd district, which had a PVI of R+2. He was first elected in 2010. He declined to seek re-election. The district encompassed Virginia Beach and surrounding areas.

• Scott Taylor, state delegate, candidate for this seat in 2010 and candidate for Mayor of Virginia Beach in 2008

• Pat Cardwell, attorney

• Randy Forbes, incumbent U.S. Representative for Virginia's 4th congressional district

• Glenn Davis, state delegate

• Bill DeSteph, state senator

• Ben Loyola, defense contractor, candidate for the seat in 2010 and nominee for state senate in 2011

• Jeff McWaters, former state senator and founder and former CEO of Amerigroup

• Jason Miyares, state delegate

• Bert Mizusawa, Army Reserve major general and candidate for the seat in 2010

• Chris Stolle, state delegate

• Frank Wagner, state senator

County and independent city results   Taylor   50–60%   Forbes   50–60%  60–70%

Scott Rigell's retirement was expected to make the race competitive, with the Rothenberg & Gonzales Political Report immediately changing the rating from Safe to Lean Republican. However, due to the perceived strength of Congressman Forbes's entry into the race, Shaun Brown, a community activist in Hampton, VA who had originally planned to primary US Representative Bobby Scott (D) for the 3rd district, ended up being the only candidate to file for the primary, making her automatically the nominee.

• Shaun Brown, community activist

• Dave Belote, chair of the Virginia Beach Democratic Committee, retired Air Force colonel, former Nellis Air Force Base installation commander and 2015 state senate candidate

• Paul Hirschbiel, nominee in 2012

• Lynwood Lewis, state senator

• Andria McClellan, businesswoman, state senate candidate in 2013 and Norfolk City councilwoman

• Jody Wagner, former State Treasurer, former State Secretary of Finance, nominee in 2000 and nominee for lieutenant governor in 2009

Democrat Bobby Scott had represented Virginia's 3rd congressional district since 1993. He was re-elected in 2014 with 94% of the vote, but the district was made slightly more competitive following the court-ordered redistricting when all of its Richmond and Petersburg constituents were moved into the 4th district.

• Bobby Scott, incumbent U.S. Representative

• Marty Williams, former president of the Virginia State Fraternal Order of Police and chairman of the Chesapeake Planning Commission

A debate was scheduled for October 25, but was canceled after the debate questions were leaked to both campaigns.

Republican Randy Forbes, first elected in 2001, was the incumbent of the 4th district, but attempted to seek re-election in the 2nd district. The 4th district was changed from a Hampton Roads centered district to a Richmond-centered district following the court's redistricting. Notably, it gained heavily Democratic, black-majority Richmond and Petersburg, which was enough to turn the district into a strongly Democratic district on paper. The old 4th had a PVI of R+4, while the new 4th had a PVI of D+10. The district was considered a Safe Gain for the Democrats by many political analysts, including Larry Sabato's Crystal Ball.

• Mike Wade, Henrico County Sheriff

• Jackee Gonzalez

• Randy Forbes, incumbent U.S. Representative (running for VA-02)

• Suzy Kelly, Chesapeake City Councilwoman

• Donald McEachin, state senator and nominee for attorney general in 2001

• Ella Ward, Chesapeake city councilwoman and nominee in 2012

• Lamont Bagby, state delegate

• Elliott Fausz, nominee in 2014

• Jennifer McClellan, state delegate

• Levar Stoney, Secretary of the Commonwealth of Virginia

Incumbent Republican Robert Hurt, first elected in 2010, retired in 2016. The 5th district, which has a PVI of R+5, is the largest district in the state and stretches from Virginia's southern border to the exurbs of Washington, D.C.

The Republican party selected State Senator Tom Garrett as its nominee at a convention on May 14, with a filing deadline of March 31.

• Tom Garrett, state senator

• Michael Del Rosso, technology executive

• Jim McKelvey, real estate developer, candidate in 2010 and state delegate candidate in 2013

• Joe Whited, congressional intelligence advisor

• Andrew Griffin, former congressional staffer

The Democratic party had scheduled a convention on May 7 to select a nominee. Jane Dittmar, the former chair of the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors, was the only candidate to file by the filing deadline and so was declared the Democratic nominee.

• Jane Dittmar, former chair of the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors (2014–15) and Supervisor for Scottsville Magisterial District (2013–15)

• Ericke Cage, former congressional aide

• Ward Armstrong, former House Minority Leader

• Todd Haymore, Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry and former congressional aide

Republican Bob Goodlatte had represented Virginia's 6th congressional district since 1993. He was re-elected with 75% of the vote in 2014.

Harry Griego, a pilot and Air Force veteran who made a 2015 primary challenge of State Delegate Chris Head, challenged Goodlatte for the Republican nomination.

• Bob Goodlatte, incumbent U.S. Representative

• Harry Griego, pilot and Air Force veteran

In 2014, Democratic candidate Bruce Elder, a Staunton City Councilman, had to end his campaign after being diagnosed with cancer. Democrats did not field any candidates to challenge Goodlatte for that year's election.

No Democratic candidates announced in the early part of 2016, but Chris Hurst, a reporter for WDBJ in Roanoke who was the boyfriend of murdered reporter Alison Parker, had reportedly met with the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee to discuss a potential campaign for this district. By late May, the only declared Democratic candidate was Warren County Democratic Party Chair Tom Howarth. However, citing health issues, Howarth withdrew. Kai Degner, a member of the Harrisonburg City Council and former mayor of the city, became the nominee by acclamation in early June.

• Kai Degner, former mayor of Harrisonburg

• Tom Howarth, Warren County Democratic Party Chair

• Chris Hurst, reporter for WDBJ

Republican Dave Brat had represented Virginia's 7th congressional district since 2014. He was elected in 2014 with 61% of the vote.

• Dave Brat, incumbent U.S. Representative

• Mike Wade, Henrico County Sheriff

• Eileen Bedell, small business owner and attorney

Democrat Don Beyer had represented Virginia's 8th congressional district since 2015. He was elected in 2014 with 63% of the vote.

The Republican Party selected a nominee at a convention on May 7.

Two candidates sought the Republican nomination: Charles Hernick, an environmental consultant, and Mike Webb, a retired Army officer. Hernick defeated Webb to become the nominee.

• Charles Hernick, environmental consultant

• Mike Webb, retired Army officer

Independent candidate Julio Gracia also ran.

Republican Morgan Griffith represented Virginia's 9th congressional district since 2011. He won re-election to a third term in 2014 with 72% of the vote.

• Morgan Griffith, incumbent U.S. Representative

The Democratic party selected retired Army veteran Derek Kitts as the nominee in a May 21 convention.

• Derek Kitts, retired Army veteran

• Bill Bunch, farmer and retired postal worker

• David Bowers, Mayor of Roanoke

Independent candidate Janice Boyd also ran.

Republican Barbara Comstock was the incumbent in the 10th district. In 2015, she succeeded Republican Frank Wolf, who served for 17 terms before choosing to not seek re-election 2014. The 10th district, which has a PVI of D+1, consists of the northernmost portions of the state. Comstock ran for re-election.

• Barbara Comstock, incumbent U.S. Representative

• LuAnn Bennett, real estate executive and ex-wife of former 8th District Congressman Jim Moran

Libertarian candidate JD Thorpe ran as a write-in candidate.

Due to the competitiveness of the district and the ability of both candidates to raise large amounts of money, the race was expected to be one of the most heavily contested in the country. Democratic strategist Ellen Qualls said the 10th District is "essentially the swingiest district in the swingiest state."

In the first three weeks of her campaign, Bennett raised $281,000, while Comstock raised $2 million overall since January 2015.

Comstock was re-elected even though her district voted for Clinton by 10 percentage points in the presidential race.

Democrat Gerry Connolly had represented Virginia's 11th congressional district since 2009. He was re-elected in 2014 with 57% of the vote. He was the only candidate on the ballot for the seat in 2016.

• Gerry Connolly, incumbent U.S. Representative

One person, John Wolfe, filed for the Republican nomination, which was to be decided at a convention on May 14, 2016. However, Wolfe did not campaign or even attend the convention, so the convention delegates rejected his nomination by a 3-to-1 margin. The 11th District Republican Committee searched for a new candidate, but ultimately decided no viable candidate was available and opted to focus on the presidential race and on defeating the Fairfax County meals tax referendum.

One person, Daniel Mittereder, filed for the Libertarian nomination and was accepted. However, he suffered a severe strep throat infection shortly afterward which required a tonsillectomy and was forced to withdraw his candidacy.

• U.S. House elections in Virginia, 2016 at Ballotpedia
• Campaign contributions at OpenSecrets