Virginia's 3rd congressional district

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Virginia's 3rd congressional district
Map
Interactive map of district boundaries since 2023
Representative
Distribution
  • 95.01% urban[1]
  • 4.99% rural
Population (2024)775,248[2]
Median household
income		$67,625[3]
Ethnicity
Cook PVID+18[4]
Virginia's 3rd congressional district from January 3, 2023

Virginia's third congressional district is a United States congressional district in the Commonwealth of Virginia, serving the independent cities of Norfolk, Newport News, Hampton and Portsmouth and part of the independent city of Chesapeake. It has been represented by Democrat Bobby Scott since 1993. The district is majority-minority, has a plurality black electorate, and is heavily Democratic.

In 1788, Virginia's 3rd congressional district consisted of all of modern Virginia including and west of the counties of Carroll, Floyd, Roanoke, Botetourt, Augusta and Rockingham. It also included what is today Pendleton County, West Virginia and also about the southern third of West Virginia, which in 1788 was all Greenbrier County. This area that is today about 48 counties and 13 independent cities was in 1788 only nine counties.[5]

In the 1790 census, this area had a population of 66,045.[6] For the 1792 congressional elections, the number of congressional districts in Virginia rose from 10 to 19. The only county that remained in the third district was Pendleton County. Harrison, Randolph, Hardy, Hampshire, Monongalia and Ohio Counties all now in West Virginia, were also in the district.[7] This was all of northern West Virginia except the far eastern panhandle area. The new district's 1790 population was 30,145.[8]

The 1800 census led to another increase in Virginia's congressional districts in 1802. The third district was again moved, this time to what was then Frederick and Shenandoah Counties in Virginia, which besides those counties also included the modern counties of Clarke and Warren and part of Page.[9] The new 3rd district had a population of 38,767 in 1800.[10]

For most of the time from the end of the Civil War to 1993, the 3rd district was a relatively compact district centered on Richmond. The district's current configuration dates to the 1992 election, when the Justice Department ordered Virginia to create a majority-minority district. At that time, portions of the old 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th districts were combined to create a new 3rd district.

The Virginia Legislature's 2012 redistricting was found unconstitutional, in part because of racial gerrymandering, and replaced was with a court-ordered map on January 16, 2016 for the 2016 elections.[11][12][13][14][15][16][17] From 1993 to 2016, the 3rd had covered most of the majority-black precincts in and around Hampton Roads and Richmond. The court-drawn map shifted the area near Richmond to the 4th district.

Recent election results from statewide races

[edit]
Year Office Results[18]
2008 President Obama 67% - 32%
Senate Warner 76% - 23%
2009 Governor Deeds 56% - 44%
Lt. Governor Wagner 59% - 41%
Attorney General Shannon 57% - 43%
2012 President Obama 68% - 31%
Senate Kaine 69% - 31%
2013 Governor McAuliffe 64% - 30%
Lt. Governor Northam 70% - 30%
Attorney General Herring 65% - 34%
2014 Senate Warner 65% - 32%
2016 President Clinton 64% - 31%
2017 Governor Northam 69% - 30%
Lt. Governor Fairfax 67% - 32%
Attorney General Herring 68% - 32%
2018 Senate Kaine 71% - 27%
2020 President Biden 68% - 30%
Senate Warner 70% - 30%
2021 Governor McAuliffe 63% - 35%
Lt. Governor Ayala 64% - 36%
Attorney General Herring 64% - 35%
2024 President Harris 66% - 32%
Senate Kaine 69% - 31%

Composition

[edit]

For the 118th and successive Congresses (based on redistricting following the 2020 census), the district contains all or portions of the following communities:[19]

Independent cities (5)

Chesapeake (part; also 2nd), Hampton, Newport News, Norfolk, Portsmouth

List of members representing the district

[edit]
Representative Party Term Cong
ress 		Electoral history
District established March 4, 1789

Andrew Moore
(Lexington) 		Anti-Administration March 4, 1789 –
March 3, 1793 		1st
2nd 		Elected in 1789.
Re-elected in 1790.
Redistricted to the 2nd district.
Joseph Neville
(Moorefield) 		Anti-Administration March 4, 1793 –
March 3, 1795 		3rd Elected in 1793.
Lost re-election.
George Jackson Democratic-Republican March 4, 1795 –
March 3, 1797 		4th Elected in 1795.
Lost re-election.

James Machir 		Federalist March 4, 1797 –
March 3, 1799 		5th Elected in 1797.
Retired.
George Jackson Democratic-Republican March 4, 1799 –
March 3, 1803 		6th
7th 		Elected in 1799.
Re-elected in 1801.
Redistricted to the 1st district and retired.

John Smith
(Winchester) 		Democratic-Republican March 4, 1803 –
March 3, 1815 		8th
9th
10th
11th
12th
13th 		Redistricted from the 1st district and re-elected in 1803.
Re-elected in 1805.
Re-elected in 1807.
Re-elected in 1809.
Re-elected in 1811.
Re-elected in 1813.
Retired.

Henry S. Tucker
(Winchester) 		Democratic-Republican March 4, 1815 –
March 3, 1819 		14th
15th 		Elected in 1815.
Re-elected in 1817.
Retired.
Jared Williams
(Newton) 		Democratic-Republican March 4, 1819 –
March 3, 1823 		16th
17th 		Elected in 1819.
Re-elected in 1821.
Redistricted to the 17th district.

William S. Archer
(Elk Hill) 		Democratic-Republican March 4, 1823 –
March 3, 1825 		18th
19th
20th
21st
22nd
23rd 		Redistricted from the 17th district and re-elected in 1823.
Re-elected in 1825.
Re-elected in 1827.
Re-elected in 1829.
Re-elected in 1831.
Re-elected in 1833.
Lost re-election.
Jacksonian March 4, 1825 –
March 3, 1835

John W. Jones
(Petersburg) 		Jacksonian March 4, 1835 –
March 3, 1837 		24th
25th
26th
27th 		Elected in 1835.
Re-elected in 1837.
Re-elected in 1839.
Re-elected in 1841.
Redistricted to the 6th district.
Democratic March 4, 1837 –
March 3, 1843
Walter Coles
(Robertsons Store) 		Democratic March 4, 1843 –
March 3, 1845 		28th Redistricted from the 6th district and re-elected in 1843.
Retired.
William M. Tredway
(Danville) 		Democratic March 4, 1845 –
March 3, 1847 		29th Elected in 1845.
Lost re-election.
Thomas S. Flournoy
(Halifax) 		Whig March 4, 1847 –
March 3, 1849 		30th Elected in 1847.
Lost re-election.
Thomas H. Averett
(Halifax) 		Democratic March 4, 1849 –
March 3, 1853 		31st
32nd 		Elected in 1849.
Re-elected in 1851.
Lost re-election.

John S. Caskie
(Richmond) 		Democratic March 4, 1853 –
March 3, 1859 		33rd
34th
35th 		Redistricted from the 6th district and re-elected in 1853.
Re-elected in 1855.
Re-elected in 1857.
Lost re-election.

Daniel C. DeJarnette Sr.
(Bowling Green) 		Independent Democratic March 4, 1859 –
March 3, 1861 		36th Elected in 1859.
Resigned.
District inactive March 4, 1861 –
January 27, 1870 		37th
38th
39th
40th 		Civil War and Reconstruction

Charles H. Porter
(Richmond) 		Republican January 27, 1870 –
March 3, 1873 		41st
42nd 		Elected in 1870.
Retired.

John A. Smith
(Richmond) 		Republican March 4, 1873 –
March 3, 1875 		43rd Elected in 1872.
Lost re-election.

Gilbert C. Walker
(Richmond) 		Democratic March 4, 1875 –
March 3, 1879 		44th
45th 		Elected in 1874.
Re-elected in 1876.
Retired.

Joseph E. Johnston
(Longwood) 		Democratic March 4, 1879 –
March 3, 1881 		46th Elected in 1878.
Retired.

George D. Wise
(Richmond) 		Democratic March 4, 1881 –
April 11, 1890 		47th
48th
49th
50th
51st 		Elected in 1880.
Re-elected in 1882.
Re-elected in 1884.
Re-elected in 1886.
Election invalidated.

Edmund Waddill Jr.
(Richmond) 		Republican April 12, 1890 –
March 3, 1891 		51st Elected in 1890.
Retired.

George D. Wise
(Richmond) 		Democratic March 4, 1891 –
March 3, 1895 		52nd
53rd 		Elected in 1890.
Re-elected in 1892.
Retired.

Tazewell Ellett
(Richmond) 		Democratic March 4, 1895 –
March 3, 1897 		54th Elected in 1894.
Lost re-election.

John Lamb
(Richmond) 		Democratic March 4, 1897 –
March 3, 1913 		55th
56th
57th
58th
59th
60th
61st
62nd 		Elected in 1896.
Re-elected in 1898.
Re-elected in 1900.
Re-elected in 1902.
Re-elected in 1904.
Re-elected in 1906.
Re-elected in 1908.
Re-elected in 1910.
Lost re-election.

Andrew J. Montague
(Richmond) 		Democratic March 4, 1913 –
March 3, 1933 		63rd
64th
65th
66th
67th
68th
69th
70th
71st
72nd 		Elected in 1912.
Re-elected in 1914.
Re-elected in 1916.
Re-elected in 1918.
Re-elected in 1920.
Re-elected in 1922.
Re-elected in 1924.
Re-elected in 1926.
Re-elected in 1928.
Re-elected in 1930.
Redistricted to the at-large seat.
District inactive March 4, 1933 –
January 3, 1935 		73rd

Andrew J. Montague
(Richmond) 		Democratic January 3, 1935 –
January 24, 1937 		74th
75th 		Elected in 1934.
Re-elected in 1936.
Died.
Vacant January 24, 1937 –
November 2, 1937 		75th

David E. Satterfield Jr.
(Richmond) 		Democratic November 2, 1937 –
February 15, 1945 		75th
76th
77th
78th
79th 		Elected to finish Montague's term.
Re-elected in 1938.
Re-elected in 1940.
Re-elected in 1942.
Resigned.
Vacant February 15, 1945 –
March 6, 1945 		79th

J. Vaughan Gary
(Richmond) 		Democratic March 6, 1945 –
January 3, 1965 		79th
80th
81st
82nd
83rd
84th
85th
86th
87th
88th 		Elected to finish Satterfield's term.
Re-elected in 1944.
Re-elected in 1946.
Re-elected in 1948.
Re-elected in 1950.
Re-elected in 1952.
Re-elected in 1954.
Re-elected in 1956.
Re-elected in 1958.
Re-elected in 1960.
Re-elected in 1962.
Retired.

David E. Satterfield III
(Richmond) 		Democratic January 3, 1965 –
January 3, 1981 		89th
90th
91st
92nd
93rd
94th
95th
96th 		Elected in 1964.
Re-elected in 1966.
Re-elected in 1968.
Re-elected in 1970.
Re-elected in 1972.
Re-elected in 1974.
Re-elected in 1976.
Re-elected in 1978.
Retired.

Thomas J. Bliley Jr.
(Richmond) 		Republican January 3, 1981 –
January 3, 1993 		97th
98th
99th
100th
101st
102nd 		Elected in 1980.
Re-elected in 1982.
Re-elected in 1984.
Re-elected in 1986.
Re-elected in 1988.
Re-elected in 1990.
Redistricted to the 7th district.

Robert C. Scott
(Newport News) 		Democratic January 3, 1993 –
present 		103rd
104th
105th
106th
107th
108th
109th
110th
111th
112th
113th
114th
115th
116th
117th
118th
119th 		Elected in 1992.
Re-elected in 1994.
Re-elected in 1996.
Re-elected in 1998.
Re-elected in 2000.
Re-elected in 2002.
Re-elected in 2004.
Re-elected in 2006.
Re-elected in 2008.
Re-elected in 2010.
Re-elected in 2012.
Re-elected in 2014.
Re-elected in 2016.
Re-elected in 2018.
Re-elected in 2020.
Re-elected in 2022.
Re-elected in 2024.

Election results

[edit]
Year Democratic Republican Independents
1970 David E. Satterfield, III: 73,104 J. Harvie Wilkinson, III: 35,229 Ulrich Troubetskoy: 371
1972 David E. Satterfield, III: 102,523  
1974 David E. Satterfield, III: 64,627 Alan Robert Ogden: 7,574
1976 David E. Satterfield, III: 129,066 Alan Robert Ogden: 17,503
1978 David E. Satterfield, III: 104,550 Alan Robert Ogden: 14,453
1980 John A. Mapp: 60,962 Thomas J. Bliley, Jr.: 96,524 Howard H. Carwile: 19,549
1982 John A. Waldrop, Jr.: 63,946 Thomas J. Bliley, Jr.: 92,928  
1984 Thomas J. Bliley, Jr.: 169,987 Roger L. Coffey: 28,556
1986 Kenneth E. Powell: 32,961 Thomas J. Bliley, Jr.: 74,525 J. Stephen Bodges: 3,675
1988 Thomas J. Bliley, Jr.: 187,354
1990 James A. Starke, Jr.: 36,253 Thomas J. Bliley, Jr.: 77,125 Rose L. Simpson: 4,317
1992 Robert C. Scott: 132,432 Daniel Jenkins: 35,780  
1994 Robert C. Scott: 108,532 Thomas E. Ward: 28,080  
1996 Robert C. Scott: 118,603 Elsie Goodwyn Holland: 25,781  
1998 Robert C. Scott: 48,129 R. S. Barnett: 14,453
2000 Robert C. Scott: 137,527  
2002 Robert C. Scott: 87,521  
2004 Robert C. Scott: 159,373 Winsome E. Sears: 70,194  
2006 Robert C. Scott: 133,546  
2008 Robert C. Scott: 239,911  
2010 Robert C. Scott: 114,754 C. L. Smith, Jr.: 44,553 John D. Kelly: 1,927
2012 Robert C. Scott: 259,199 Dean J. Longo: 58,931  
2014 Robert C. Scott: 139,197  
2016 Robert C. Scott: 208,337 Martin L. Williams: 103,289  
2018 Robert C. Scott: 198,615  
2020 Robert C. Scott: 233,326 John Collick: 107,299  
2022 Robert C. Scott: 139,659 Terry Namkung: 67,668  
2024 Robert C. Scott: 219,926 John Sitka III: 93,801 Write-in: 670

Historical district boundaries

[edit]

The Virginia Third District started in 1788, covering the counties of Botetourt, Rockbridge, Montgomery, Greenbrier, Washington, Augusta, Russell, Rockingham and Pendleton.[20]

2003–2013
2013–2017
2017–2023

See also

[edit]

Sources

[edit]
  1. ^ "Congressional Districts Relationship Files (state-based)". www.census.gov. US Census Bureau Geography. Retrieved April 9, 2018.
  2. ^ "My Congressional District". www.census.gov. Center for New Media & Promotion (CNMP), US Census Bureau. Retrieved September 14, 2025.
  3. ^ "My Congressional District".
  4. ^ "2025 Cook PVI℠: District Map and List (119th Congress)". Cook Political Report. April 3, 2025. Retrieved April 5, 2025.
  5. ^ Parsons, Stanley B, William W. Beach and Dan Hermann. United States Congressional Districts 1788-1841. (Westport: Greenwood Press, 1978) p. 29
  6. ^ Parsons. Congressional Districts. p. 28
  7. ^ Parsons. Congressional Districts. p. 71
  8. ^ Parsons. Congressional Districts. p. 70
  9. ^ Parsons. Congressional Districts. p. 129
  10. ^ Parsons. Congressional Districts. p. 128
  11. ^ "Court Ordered Redistricting". Redistricting.dls.virginia.gov. September 3, 2015. Archived from the original on June 5, 2016. Retrieved May 6, 2017.
  12. ^ "Gloria Personhuballah et al. v. James B. Alcorn, et al" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on June 13, 2018. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
  13. ^ "Supreme Court weighs legality of Virginia redistricting". The Hill. March 21, 2016. Retrieved May 6, 2017.
  14. ^ Lydia Wheeler (February 1, 2016). "Supreme Court Allows Virginia Redistricting to Stand in 2016". Rollcall.com. Retrieved May 6, 2017.
  15. ^ Andrew Cain (January 7, 2016). "Judges impose new Va. congressional map, redrawing 3rd, 4th Districts | Virginia Politics". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved May 6, 2017.
  16. ^ Weiner, Rachel (October 7, 2014). "Court declares Virginia's congressional map unconstitutional". The Washington Post. Retrieved May 6, 2017.
  17. ^ Farnsworth, Stephen J. (November 5, 2015). "The 2015 election in Virginia: A tribute to gerrymandering". The Washington Post. Retrieved May 6, 2017.
  18. ^ "Dra 2020".
  19. ^ "Virginia – Congressional District 3" (PDF). census.gov. 118th Congress of the United States. United States Census Bureau.
  20. ^ Statute of 20 November 1788

37°12′49″N 76°57′04″W / 37.21361°N 76.95111°W / 37.21361; -76.95111