The virginia delegation
congressional officials …
Virginia has a somewhat diverse but electorally stable congressional delegation.
Of the 13 members in the 2022-2023 class, four are female, and 13 are male. Two are minority representation through the end of the year. Seven are lawyers, two are former governors, two are former lieutenant governors, several are business people, one is a former CIA officer, one was a former national party chair, and one is a former Ambassador. One member holds a doctorate, while five have Master’s degrees.
Harvard University has conferred four degrees - the highest received by any delegation member, while the University of Virginia and the University of Richmond conferred two degrees.
Several members of the Virginia congressional delegation are former military members. A few are authors.
The average tenure for the delegation is 4.7 terms, assuming everyone completes their service through the end of 2024. The longest-serving member has been in Congress for 16 terms.
Two members of the Virginia delegation are freshmen, and two have announced they are not seeking re-election in 2024.
When you look at these profiles, we have given each a letter grade for their effort this Congress, based on various factors, which you will find in What Is Thomas Looking For? These letter grades are probably pretty familiar to you if you have ever been a school student (we hope the answer to that is we all have!)
If you see a meager score for a particular member, it will probably be due to one or two key factors: ethics challenges or anti-democratic behavior.
Republicans have been hit hard on their lack of pushback on former President Trump and their support of election denying in the 2020 presidential campaign. The unanswered soaring deficit on their watch, the dismantling of allied relationships around the globe, and opposition to funding anti-authoritarian initiatives. The denial of climate change weighs heavily on us as well. We make no secret that transparency and Government in the Sunshine are vital to us, and we further argue that some have been awful stewards of this category. For example, four of the 11 Virginia delegation members voted to overturn the 2020 presidential election results the same evening as Trump supporters stormed the United States Capitol.
Democrats have been hit hard for their lack of progress on critical matters because they control the United States Senate and have a razor-close margin in the U.S. House of Representatives. They have not been innovative or necessarily insistent on finding rational, reasonable solutions to the problems plaguing the American public today. We want to see more and better.
Both have been dinged for being too partisan and not collaborative where evident. Congressman Good owns this category right now because he is too doctrinaire and an obstructionist to good government in the 21st century.
We also indicate what we believe might be the outcome of these Members’ 2024 elections today. The overwhelming majority of House members were re-elected in 2022, and one of the two United States Senators is up for re-election this season.
Our prospect ratings fall into three categories:
Safe Bet - which means what it means. These members of Congress are running strong and look to be overwhelming prospects for re-election at this time. However, we reserve the right to re-categorize their chances if necessary.
It’s A Race - means this race is too close to call, and we can not reasonably predict who will win this seat.
Nudging - means the seat is leaning one way or another for this candidate. We have just a small number of current members of Congress in this category. Senator Kaine is included since he has a race in 2024. Stay tuned!
So, would you like to meet these fascinating Virginians? If so, keep reading on!
what is thomas looking for?
Here are the vulnerable races we are watching in Virginia for 2024:
VA02 - Jen Kiggans’ seat (Incumbent R)
VA07 - Abigail Spanberger’s seat (Open currently D)
VA10 - Jennifer Wexton’s seat (Open currently D)
the senators
Credit: US Senator Mark Warner
United States Senator Mark warner (d)
Virginia’s senior senator, Mark Warner, is a three-term member of the U.S. Senate, having last been re-elected in 2020. He serves on the Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee; Budget Committee; Finance Committee; Rules and Administration Committee; and Chairs the Intelligence Committee. He also serves on the Joint Committee on the Library. A former governor of Virginia from 2002 to 2006, Warner is married with three children. He holds a law degree from Harvard University and an undergraduate degree from George Washington University.
Thomas Take: Not Up for Re-Election in 2024
Thomas Rank: A
Credit: US Senator Tim Kaine
United states senator tim kaine (D)
Virginia’s junior senator is completing his second term in the U.S. Senate. A former Lieutenant Governor of Virginia under now-senior U.S. Senator Mark Warner and former mayor of Richmond, Kaine was Governor of Virginia from 2006 to 2010 and the 2016 Democratic nominee for Vice President of the United States, running unsuccessfully with Hillary Clinton against Donald Trump. Kaine, who previously served as Chair of the Democratic National Committee from 2009 to 2011, presently serves on the Armed Services Committee; Foreign Relations Committee; Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee; and Budget Committee. Married with three children, Kaine earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Missouri and his law degree from Harvard University.
Thomas Take: Up For Re-Election in 2024 - Nudging Democrat
Thomas Rank: A
the representatives
Credit: US Rep. Robert Wittman
district 1 - u.s. rep. Robert Wittman (r)
Congressman Robert Wittman represents a district in the Richmond suburbs, including the Hampton Roads area. First elected in 2008, Wittman is serving his eighth term in Congress. The Congressman serves on the House Armed Services Committee and the Natural Resources Committee. He is a graduate of Virginia Tech and holds a Master’s degree from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. He earned his doctorate from Virginia Commonwealth University. Wittman is married and has two children.
Thomas Take: Safe Bet Republican
Thomas Rank: D
district 2 - U.S. Rep. Jen Kiggans (r)
Congresswoman Kiggans is completing her first term representing a district that stretches along the Virginia Beach area including the Eastern Shore. A former Navy helicopter pilot, Kiggans serves on the Armed Services Committee, the Natural Resources Committee, and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. She earned her undergraduate degree from Boston University, a BSN from Old Dominion University, and an MSN from Vanderbilt University School of Nursing. Kiggans is married and has four children.
Thomas Take: Nudging Republican
Thomas Rank: B
Credit: US Rep. Jen Kiggans
Credit: US Rep. Bobby Scott
District 3 - U.S. Rep. Bobby Scott (d)
Representing the Newport News/Hampton/Chesapeake communities of Virginia, Congressman Bobby Scott is dean of the delegation, serving his sixteenth term in the U.S. House of Representatives. Scott serves on the Education and the Workforce Committee and the Budget Committee. He holds a law degree from Boston College and his undergraduate degree from Harvard University.
Thomas Take: Safe Bet Democrat
Thomas Rank: B
District 4 - U.S. Rep. jennifer mcclellan (d)
Representing an area that stretches from Richmond to the North Carolina border, Rep. Jennifer McClellan is serving her first term in the U.S. House. A former member of the Virginia Senate, McClellan is a member of the Armed Services Committee and the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. Married with two children, Rep. McClellan holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Richmond and a law degree from the University of Virginia.
Thomas Take: Safe Bet Democrat
Thomas Rank: B
Credit: US Rep. Jennifer McClellan
Credit: US Rep. Bob Good
district 5 - U.S. rep. bob good (r)
Congressman Bob Good represents the district in and around Thomas Jefferson’s old stomping grounds in Charlottesville stretching over to Lynchburg. He is serving his second term in Congress on the Education and Labor Committee and the Budget Committee. Married and the father of three children, Congressman Good earned his undergraduate and MBA degrees from Liberty University.
Thomas Take: Lost his Primary Re-Election Race - (Open Seat) - Safe Bet Republican
Thomas Rank: F
district 6 - U.S. rep. ben cline (r)
The sixth district runs through the Shenandoah Valley region. It includes the city of Roanoke, which is represented by Congressman Ben Cline, a third-term member of the U.S. House. Congressman Cline serves on the House Appropriations Committee and the Budget Committee. His undergraduate degree is from Bates College, and he has a law degree from the University of Richmond. Representative Cline is married and the father of two.
Thomas Take: Safe Bet Republican
Thomas Rank: D
Credit: US Rep. Ben Cline
Credit: US Rep. Abigail Spanberger
district 7 - U.s. Rep. Abigail spanberger (d)
U.S. Representative Abigail Spanberger is a three-term member of Congress whose district runs from just outside the southeastern side of Washington to north of Fredericksburg over to Charlottesville to the south. A former CIA operations officer, Spanberger serves on the House Agriculture Committee and the Foreign Affairs Committee. Married and the mother of three, Rep. Spanberger holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Virginia and an MBA from Purdue University. The Congresswoman has announced that she will not seek re-election to Congress in 2024 and is running for Governor of Virginia in 2025
Thomas Take: Not Running for Re-Election in 2024 (Running for Governor - Open Seat) - Nudging Democrat
Thomas Rank: A
district 8 - U.S. Rep. don beyer (d)
Now in his fifth term in the U.S. House of Representatives, Congressman Don Beyer represents Northern Virginia, which comprises Alexandria, Falls Church, and the Arlington communities. A prominent local auto dealer and former Ambassador in the Obama Administration, he serves on the House Ways and Means Committee. A graduate of Williams College, Congressman Beyer is married and the father of four.
Thomas Take: Safe Bet Democrat
Thomas Rank: B
Credit: US Rep. Don Beyer
Credit: US Rep. Morgan Griffith
district 9 - U.S. rep. morgan griffith (R)
Congressman Morgan Griffith represents a district that comprises the southwesternmost parts of Virginia. Now serving his seventh term in Congress, Representative Griffith serves on the Energy and Commerce Committee. Married with two children, he earned his law degree from Washington and Lee University.
Thomas Take: Safe Bet Republican
Thomas Rank: D
district 10 - u.s. rep. jennifer wexton (d)
The three-term member of Congress represents the district on the outer most regions of Northern Virginia around Loudoun County and Prince William County, including Manassas. Representative Wexton has announced that she will not seek re-election in 2024 after having been diagnosed with Progressive Supranuclear Palsy. Wexton serves on the House Appropriations and Budget Committees. She is married, and the mother of two, and she holds a law degree from the College of William and Mary and an undergraduate degree from the University of Maryland.
Thomas Take: Not Running for Re-Election in 2024 (Open Seat) - Nudging Democrat
Thomas Rank: B
Credit: US Rep. Jennifer Wexton
Credit: US Rep. Gerry Connolly
district 11 - U.S. Rep. gerry connolly (D)
Congressman Gerry Connolly represents the Northern Virginia district that comprises Fairfax County. He is serving his eighth term in the U.S. House. Congressman Connolly serves on the Foreign Affairs Committee and the Oversight and Reform Committee. He earned his Bachelor’s degree from Maryknoll College and his MPA from Harvard University. Congressman Connolly is married and the father of one.
Thomas Take: Safe Bet Democrat
Thomas Rank: B