Virginia’s fifth congressional district is a United States congressional district in the commonwealth of Virginia. It is Virginia's largest district with an area of 10,181.03 square miles (26,368.7 km2) - 193 sq mi (500 km2), larger than New Jersey and Vermont.
The district’s first representative in Congress was James Madison, later the 4th President of the United States. The current Congressman is Republican Thomas Garrett, Jr..
Historically, the 5th was one of the first districts of Virginia to turn Republican â€" though unlike the 6th where the decisive factor was ticket-splitting by Byrd Organization Democrats, here the decisive factor was the growth of middle-class Republicanism in the Charlottesville metropolitan area. In the decade preceding the Voting Rights Act, these were joined by a significant proportion of Virginia’s limited and almost entirely white electorate who preferred GOP positions on black civil rights. The district was to be one of two in Virginia giving a plurality to segregationist George Wallace in 1968, and has never supported a Democrat for President since before 1964.
Area covered
It covers all or part of the following political subdivisions:
Counties
The entirety of:
- Albemarle County
- Appomattox County
- Brunswick County
- Buckingham County
- Campbell County
- Charlotte County
- Cumberland County
- Fauquier County
- Fluvanna County
- Franklin County
- Greene County
- Halifax County
- Lunenburg County
- Madison County
- Mecklenburg County
- Nelson County
- Pittsylvania County
- Prince Edward County
- Rappahannock County
Portions of:
- Bedford County
- Henry County
Cities
- Bedford
- Charlottesville (main site of the University of Virginia)
- Danville
Voting
2016 congressional race
2014 congressional race
2012 congressional race
2010 congressional race
List of representatives
Historical district boundaries
See also
- Virginia's congressional districts
- List of United States congressional districts
References
- Martis, Kenneth C. (1989). The Historical Atlas of Political Parties in the United States Congress. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.Â
- Martis, Kenneth C. (1982). The Historical Atlas of United States Congressional Districts. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.Â
- Congressional Biographical Directory of the United States 1774â€"present
External links
- Rep. Thomas Garrett's official House of Representatives website
- 5th CD Democratic Committee website
