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Virginia's 5th Congressional District election, 2020

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Virginia's 5th Congressional District
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Democratic primary
Republican primary
General election
Election details
Filing deadline: March 26, 2020
Primary: June 23, 2020
General: November 3, 2020
Pre-election incumbent:
Denver Riggleman (Republican)
How to vote
Poll times: 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Voting in Virginia
Race ratings
Cook Political Report: Toss-up
Inside Elections: Toss-up
Sabato's Crystal Ball: Lean Republican
Ballotpedia analysis
U.S. Senate battlegrounds
U.S. House battlegrounds
Federal and state primary competitiveness
Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2020
See also
Virginia's 5th Congressional District
U.S. Senate • 1st • 2nd • 3rd • 4th • 5th • 6th • 7th • 8th • 9th • 10th • 11th
Virginia elections, 2020
U.S. Congress elections, 2020
U.S. Senate elections, 2020
U.S. House elections, 2020

Bob Good (R) defeated Cameron Webb (D) in the general election for Virginia's 5th Congressional District on November 3, 2020. Incumbent Denver Riggleman (R) lost the Republican nomination to Good at the party's district convention.

Both the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) and the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) targeted this race. The DCCC named Virginia’s 5th a target district and added Webb to its Red to Blue program, while the NRCC added Good to its Young Guns program.[1][2] Additionally, Webb was endorsed by former President Barack Obama (D) and Good was endorsed by President Donald Trump (R).[3][4]

In 2018, Riggleman won by a margin of 6 percentage points. In 2016, Tom Garrett (R) won by a margin of 16.6 percentage points. Donald Trump (R) also won this district in the 2016 presidential election, defeating Hillary Clinton (D) by a margin 11.1 percentage points.[5]

The outcome of this race affected partisan control of the U.S. House of Representatives in the 117th Congress. All 435 seats in the House were up for election. At the time of the election, Democrats had a 232 to 198 majority over Republicans. The Libertarian Party had one seat. Four seats were vacant. Democrats defended 30 districts Donald Trump (R) won in 2016. Republicans defended five districts Hillary Clinton (D) won in 2016.

Virginia's 5th Congressional District is located in the central portion of the state, stretching vertically across the state. It includes Albermarle, Appomattox, Brunswick, Buckingham, Campbell, Charlotte, Cumberland, Fluvanna, Franklin, Greene, Halifax, Lunenburg, Madison, Mecklenburg, Nelson, Pittsylvania, Prince Edward, and Rappahannock counties. Portions of Bedford, Fauquier, and Henry counties along with all of Charlottesville city are also included in the district.[6] Two of these counties, Buckingham and Nelson, were pivot counties that voted for Obama in 2012 and Trump in 2016.

This race was one of 89 congressional races that were decided by 10 percent or less in 2020.

Post-election analysis

The table below compares the vote totals in the 2020 presidential election and 2020 U.S. House election for this district. The presidential election data was compiled by Daily Kos.

Presidential and congressional election results, Virginia's 5th Congressional District, 2020
Race Presidential U.S. House
Democratic candidate Democratic Party 45.1 47.3
Republican candidate Republican Party 53.6 52.4
Difference 8.5 5.1

Election procedure changes in 2020

See also: Changes to election dates, procedures, and administration in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020

Ballotpedia provided comprehensive coverage of how election dates and procedures changed in 2020. While the majority of changes occurred as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, some changes occurred for other reasons.

Virginia modified its absentee/mail-in voting and candidate filing procedures for the November 3, 2020, general election as follows:

  • Absentee/mail-in voting: Drop-boxes to return absentee and mail-in ballots were used for the general election. The witness requirement for absentee voting was suspended, and all absentee and mail-in ballots had prepaid return postage.
  • Voter registration: The state's voter registration deadline was extended from October 13, 2020, to October 15, 2020.[7]
  • Candidate filing procedures: Petition signature requirements for unaffiliated and minor-party candidates for federal office in Virginia were reduced as follows: 2,500 signatures for presidential candidates; 3,500 signatures for U.S. Senate candidates; and 350 signatures for U.S. House candidates. The filing deadline for unaffiliated and minor-party congressional candidates was extended to August 1.

For a full timeline about election modifications made in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, click here.

Candidates and election results

General election

General election for U.S. House Virginia District 5

Bob Good defeated Cameron Webb in the general election for U.S. House Virginia District 5 on November 3, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Bob Good
Bob Good (R)
 
52.4
 
210,988
Image of Cameron Webb
Cameron Webb (D)
 
47.3
 
190,315
 Other/Write-in votes
 
0.3
 
1,014

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 402,317
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Virginia District 5

Cameron Webb defeated Claire Russo, Roger Dean Huffstetler, and John Lesinski in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Virginia District 5 on June 23, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Cameron Webb
Cameron Webb
 
66.6
 
35,965
Image of Claire Russo
Claire Russo
 
18.2
 
9,833
Image of Roger Dean Huffstetler
Roger Dean Huffstetler
 
9.9
 
5,337
Image of John Lesinski
John Lesinski Candidate Connection
 
5.4
 
2,902

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 54,037
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Republican convention

Republican convention for U.S. House Virginia District 5

Bob Good defeated incumbent Denver Lee Riggleman III in the Republican convention for U.S. House Virginia District 5 on June 13, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Bob Good
Bob Good (R)
 
59.8
 
1,517
Image of Denver Lee Riggleman III
Denver Lee Riggleman III (R)
 
40.2
 
1,020

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 2,537
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Candidate profiles

This section includes candidate profiles created in one of two ways. Either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey or Ballotpedia staff created a profile after identifying the candidate as noteworthy.[8] Ballotpedia staff compiled profiles based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements.

Cameron Webb

Image of Cameron Webb

WebsiteFacebookTwitterYouTube

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Biography:  Webb received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia, a law degree from Loyola University Chicago, and a medical degree from Wake Forest University. He served as a White House Fellow under Presidents Obama and Trump, and later worked as a physician and director of health policy and equity at the University of Virginia’s School of Medicine.


Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.

Webb said his parents’ work for public schools and the DEA inspired him to serve people as a doctor and a healthcare policy adivsor.

Webb said access to healthcare was a defining issue for his campaign. He said he would support a public health insurance option, reduce the cost of prescription drugs, and expand access to mental healthcare services.

Webb said that during his time working in the White House he witnessed dysfunction due to partisan politics. In light of this experience, he said he would work across party lines to improve healthcare, support police officers, and expand access to skills training.

Show sources

Sources: YouTube, "Be There for People," September 19, 2019; Cameron Webb's 2020 campaign website, "Dr. Cameron Webb," accessed September 20, 2020; Cameron Webb's 2020 campaign website, "Health and Healthcare," accessed September 20, 2020; YouTube, "Look Out," September 17, 2020; YouTube, "Safe," September 8, 2020; LinkedIn, "Bryant Cameron Webb, MD, JD," accessed September 20, 2020; Cameron Webb's 2020 campaign website, "Meet Cam," accessed September 20, 2020

This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. House Virginia District 5 in 2020.

Bob Good

Image of Bob Good

WebsiteFacebookTwitter

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: 

  • Campbell County Board of Supervisors (2015-2019)

Biography:  Good received a bachelor’s degree in finance and a master’s degree in leadership from Liberty University. He worked at CitiFinancial as a branch manager, area training director, and district manager from 1988 to 2005, after which he began working as a senior associate athletic director for development and executive director of the Flames Club at Liberty University.


Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.

Good said he represented the principles of conservative government, which he said included reducing taxes, supporting funding for police, and encouraging economic growth.

While serving on the Campbell County Board of Supervisors, Good said he supported firearm ownership, opposed abortion, and opposed sanctuary cities.

Good praised Donald Trump’s (R) economic policy and said he supported President Trump’s agenda.

Show sources

Sources: Bob Good's 2020 campaign website, "Bob Good's Proven Record in Campbell County," accessed September 20, 2020; Vimeo, "Bob Good Announcement," accessed September 20, 2020; Bob Good's 2020 campaign website, "Good for Congress, Better for Us," accessed September 20, 2020; Bob Good's 2020 campaign website, "Meet Bob," accessed September 20, 2020

This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. House Virginia District 5 in 2020.

Polls

See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls

If you are aware of polls conducted in this race, please email us.

Campaign finance

The chart below contains data from financial reports submitted to the Federal Election Commission.

Name Party Receipts* Disbursements** Cash on hand Date
Cameron Webb Democratic Party $5,787,797 $5,782,804 $4,993 As of December 31, 2020
Bob Good Republican Party $1,379,029 $1,328,693 $50,336 As of December 31, 2020

Source: Federal Elections Commission, "Campaign finance data," 2020. This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).

* According to the FEC, "Receipts are anything of value (money, goods, services or property) received by a political committee."
** According to the FEC, a disbursement "is a purchase, payment, distribution, loan, advance, deposit or gift of money or anything of value to influence a federal election," plus other kinds of payments not made to influence a federal election.

District analysis

See also: The Cook Political Report's Partisan Voter Index
See also: FiveThirtyEight's elasticity scores

The 2017 Cook Partisan Voter Index for this district was R+6, meaning that in the previous two presidential elections, this district's results were 6 percentage points more Republican than the national average. This made Virginia's 5th Congressional District the 179th most Republican nationally.[9]

FiveThirtyEight's September 2018 elasticity score for states and congressional districts measured "how sensitive it is to changes in the national political environment." This district's elasticity score was 0.95. This means that for every 1 point the national political mood moved toward a party, the district was expected to move 0.95 points toward that party.[10]

Race ratings

See also: Race rating definitions and methods

Ballotpedia provides race ratings from four outlets: The Cook Political Report, Inside Elections, Sabato's Crystal Ball, and DDHQ/The Hill. Each race rating indicates if one party is perceived to have an advantage in the race and, if so, the degree of advantage:

  • Safe and Solid ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge and the race is not competitive.
  • Likely ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge, but an upset is possible.
  • Lean ratings indicate that one party has a small edge, but the race is competitive.[11]
  • Toss-up ratings indicate that neither party has an advantage.

Race ratings are informed by a number of factors, including polling, candidate quality, and election result history in the race's district or state.[12][13][14]

Race ratings: Virginia's 5th Congressional District election, 2020
Race trackerRace ratings
November 3, 2020October 27, 2020October 20, 2020October 13, 2020
The Cook Political ReportToss-upToss-upToss-upToss-up
Inside Elections with Nathan L. GonzalesToss-upTilt RepublicanTilt RepublicanLean Republican
Larry J. Sabato's Crystal BallLean RepublicanToss-upToss-upToss-up
Note: Ballotpedia updates external race ratings every week throughout the election season.

Noteworthy endorsements

See also: Ballotpedia: Our approach to covering endorsements

This section lists noteworthy endorsements issued in this election, including those made by high-profile individuals and organizations, cross-party endorsements, and endorsements made by newspaper editorial boards. It also includes a bulleted list of links to official lists of endorsements for any candidates who published that information on their campaign websites. Please note that this list is not exhaustive. If you are aware of endorsements that should be included, please click here.

Click the links below to see endorsement lists published on candidate campaign websites, if available.

Noteworthy endorsements
Endorsement Webb (D) Good (R)
Newspapers and editorials
The Cavalier Daily[15] ✔
The Daily Progress[16] ✔
Mecklenburg Sun[17] ✔
Elected officials
Sen. Kamala Harris (D)[4] ✔
President Donald Trump (R)[3] ✔
Individuals
Former Vice President Joe Biden (D)[18] ✔
Former Rep. Tom Garrett (R)[3] ✔
Former Rep. Virgil Goode (R)[3] ✔
Former President Barack Obama (D)[4] ✔
Former Rep. Tom Perriello (D)[4] ✔

Timeline

2020

Campaign advertisements

This section shows advertisements released in this race. Ads released by campaigns and, if applicable, satellite groups are embedded or linked below. If you are aware of advertisements that should be included, please email us.

Democratic Party Cameron Webb

Supporting Webb

"Look Out" - Webb campaign ad, released September 17, 2020
"Ask Me" - Webb campaign ad, released September 8, 2020
"Centered" - Webb campaign ad, released August 24, 2020
"Page" - Webb campaign ad, released June 4, 2020
"Coat" - Webb campaign ad, released May 20, 2020
"Tough" - Webb campaign ad, released April 18, 2020
"Be There for Us" - Webb campaign ad, released September 19, 2019


Opposing Good

"Bad News" - Webb campaign ad, released October 11, 2020
"Safe" - Webb campaign ad, released September 8, 2020

Republican Party Bob Good

Supporting Good


Opposing Webb

Satellite group ads

Opposing Good

"Wrestling" - Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee ad, released October 8, 2020

Campaign themes

See also: Campaign themes

Democratic Party Cameron Webb

Webb’s campaign website stated the following:

“

COVID-19 RECOVERY
My perspective on our current coronavirus pandemic comes from the frontlines, caring for COVID-19 patients in the hospital. It is my duty as a doctor, first and foremost, to face this challenge with an emphasis on service, diligence, and following the emerging science. Still, this experience has made even more clear the importance of having experts in the room in our highest levels of government. Times like these help illustrate why it would be helpful to have a doctor in the House.

Patients walk into hospitals sick, scared and alone. My colleagues around the country show up for work each day ready to serve, but worried about resources and support. Every day, my wife, Leigh-Ann—an emergency room doctor—and I talk about how we will keep our kids safe after coming home from caring for our community in this pandemic.

Our current leaders have failed. Both in their preparation for this crisis and in the execution of their response to it.

This virus has laid bare inequities our society has faced for decades. Many students in rural areas lack the access to broadband internet to allow them to continue learning online while schools are closed. Tens of thousands of residents of this district who were already food insecure face an even bigger challenge as the suddenly increased demand has lines for food banks stretching endlessly. Issues with housing affordability for individuals and families make it harder to physically isolate for some who are most at-risk for the most severe health outcomes in this pandemic. Poor air quality—more common in low-income and minorities communities due to environmental injustice—has been correlated to more deaths from COVID.

Add to those challenges the unique dynamics of this pandemic and its economic crisis. How many of our most “essential” workers are the least paid, most at risk for the virus, and sometimes do not even have health insurance. How recently laid off employees are forced to navigate a complex and overrun unemployment system, rather than having access to paid leave that could keep them employed. How some workers have no choice but to go to work sick—even now—because they are not given sick leave, they have bills to pay, and they don’t qualify for any of the current economic stimulus programs. Or how small businesses are unable to get relief from the Payment Protection Program while large corporations are able to take advantage of loopholes and close relationships to big banks.

We must address the immediate health crisis, put in place wrap-around support systems that keep our communities housed and fed, and listen to the guidance of public health experts to re-open gradually when it is safe. This economic crisis we’re facing is not a typical recession. Instead, the threat of the virus required that authorities essentially shut down large swaths of the economy. As we neutralize that threat, we must keep households and small businesses afloat so that we have an economy to restart on the other side of this crisis.

OUR COLLECTIVE RECOVERY
Our collective recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic should include the following:
1. Enable people to make safe decisions by ensuring that nobody has to choose between going to work sick or paying their bills.

  • Enact recurring direct stimulus payments to individuals through the COVID-19 crisis.
  • Expand eligibility and offerings in the Medicaid and SNAP programs, while also eliminating all work requirements for these programs, providing access to food.
  • Protect people from eviction and from mortgage or student loan default if they cannot work because of COVID.
  • Mandate at least 12 weeks of paid sick, medical, and family leave for all employees.

2. Make sure our healthcare system is prepared for ongoing infections and the inevitable second wave.

  • Scale up our testing capacity to the size of the crisis.
  • Efficiently trace contacts to minimize the spread of disease.
  • Ensure an adequate supply of personal protective equipment to protect our healthcare and essential workers.
  • Adhere to best practices in identifying and disseminating therapies and technologies to improve outcomes—from drugs to ventilators.
  • Provide adequate financial support for hospitals around the country to ensure that our healthcare infrastructure is not decimated by the cost of managing COVID-19.

3. Plan for maintaining business continuity and employment relationships until it is safe for people to resume normal participation in the economy.

  • Ensure robust funding of forgivable, emergency loans to small businesses—including local, minority-owned, and women-owned small businesses—to support this backbone of our economy.
  • Impose a national moratorium on small business debt collections.
  • Close the loopholes that allow large corporations to avoid taxes and take advantage of federal dollars they don’t need.
  • Put in place oversight and accountability mechanisms for corporations who receive bailouts. No CEO who received government money should be getting a raise this year, and they must be held accountable for protecting jobs.

HEALTH AND HEALTH CARE We need a healthcare system that is accountable to people, not pharmaceutical companies or insurance companies. We need a system that is fair and provides the opportunity for access to all. We stand in a moment where our healthcare system requires transformation in order to serve its purpose, and we must deliver the thoughtful, equitable, and sustainable reform that Americans deserve.

I grew up wanting to be a doctor because I wanted to help people in my community. I wanted to make sure that everyone could get and stay healthy. I learned early on that there were lots of dynamics—both in our healthcare system, our politics, and in our communities at large—that stand in the way of people having access to healthcare.

As an internal medicine doctor, I take care of the residents of this community every time that I work in the hospital. I know, intimately well, the health care challenges that people all across this Commonwealth are facing. I know that health insurance options are too few and premiums are too high. I know that the growing unaffordability of prescription drugs makes people choose between food and medicine. I know that mental health services and long term care and reproductive health services remain inaccessible for too many who need them. I know that too many people are hurting because of the flaws in our healthcare system; flaws so entrenched in our systems and politics that I also earned a law degree to help my patients navigate them.

But even as a doctor and a lawyer, I still could not solve the problems that I see my patients struggle with. I went searching for more ways to help.

I worked on President Obama’s White House Healthcare Team, helping to increase access to affordable care and make insurance companies accountable for quality coverage. I was appointed by Governor Northam to Virginia’s Board of Medical Assistance Services—the board with oversight of Virginia’s Medicaid Program. Here at the University of Virginia, in addition to my duties as a doctor, I serve as the Director of Health Policy and Equity for the School of Medicine, where I teach and lead research. But, again, it is still not enough. My patients are still suffering, and there is more I need to do to help them.

And that is why I am now running for Congress. We need to redesign our system so that it prioritizes patients over profits. We need to ensure that every person in this country is safe from the risk of financial ruin when they seek the care that they need. *We need to recognize that the Affordable Care Act was a good start, but we have a long way to go before we deliver quality coverage for all Americans. And that’s where I can help. We must:

  • Establish a public health insurance option—offering comprehensive healthcare benefits and is available to anyone who wishes to choose it but allows others to keep private insurance if they want to.
  • Reduce the cost of prescription drugs by allowing Medicare to negotiate prices for certain drugs, extending those prices to all patients, closing anti-competitive loopholes exploited by drug companies, and establishing a cap for out-of-pocket drug costs.
  • Expand access to mental health services
  • Restore and increase funding to help ensure access to the critical reproductive health services provided by organizations like Planned Parenthood
  • Invest in true health access in rural, low-income, and underserved communities
  • Support disabled Americans’ ability to live and thrive in their own communities
  • Advocate for long-term care policies that integrate public and private financing options to ensure that individuals and families can reasonably meet their long-term care needs

I believe that these are the correct next steps in fixing American healthcare, and I know that I have the background, the credibility, and the drive to help deliver on our hope for the future of American healthcare.

PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT
Climate change is one of the greatest challenges facing our nation and our planet. Four years ago, the Paris climate agreement went into effect because the science was clear that global warming of 2°C above pre-industrial levels would be incredibly damaging to live on this planet. Two years ago, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released a report showing us how critical it is that we in fact limit global warming to 1.5°C rather than 2°C. With thousands of scientists weighing in from over 40 countries, the weight of the evidence is clear—we must make massive and unprecedented changes to global energy infrastructure to limit global warming to the goal of 1.5°C.

Without decisive and appropriate action, there’s so much at stake. We risk droughts and precipitation deficits, rising sea levels and species loss and extinction. There are climate-related risks to health, livelihoods, food security, water supply, human security and economic growth. Unsurprisingly, the populations at highest risk are disadvantaged populations. From the proposed compressor station for the Atlantic Coast Pipeline in Union Hill to the proposed Green Ridge Recycling and Disposal Facility in Cumberland, the threats to the environment—and to environmental justice—here in VA-05 come from so many different angles.

But climate change isn’t just a threat to the health of our planet—it’s also a threat to the health of our communities across Virginia every day. My colleagues and I see this each and every day in the hospital, as tick-borne illnesses like Lyme Disease spread farther and faster, the allergy season gets longer and worse, and rates of asthma among children continue to rise.

Staying at or below a temperature rise of 1.5°C requires slashing global greenhouse gas emissions 45 percent below 2010 levels by 2030 and reaching net zero by 2050. Meeting this goal demands significant shifts in our approach to transportation; in energy, land, and building infrastructure; and in industrial systems. It means reducing our current coal consumption by one-third. It also demands a vast scale-up of emerging technologies, such as those that remove carbon dioxide directly from the air. And while it will be extremely challenging to reach that goal, we absolutely must try. Every extra bit of warming makes a difference. We cannot let our kids and grandchildren pay the price for these decisions.

I will protect the health of our planet the same way I work to protect the health of my patients—by following the science and making evidenced-based decisions. This will not only improve the health of our environment, but also the health of our 21st century economy.

In Congress, I will work to ensure the same ambitious action that we’ve seen here in Virginia to transition to a clean energy economy as soon as possible—and certainly no later than mid-century. I will work to establish a clean energy standard that urgently requires 100% of U.S. electricity from clean and renewable sources. I will invest in programs to eliminate carbon emissions in agriculture and land use through reforming economic support programs for farms to meet climate goals. Finally, I will help make sure that we can keep the jobs created by a 100% clean energy future right here in Virginia.

STRENGTHENING EDUCATION
My mom has worked as a public school teacher for over 30 years. Through her experiences, I know how important it is for schools to be able to attract and retain dedicated education professionals who can help equip our students with the tools they need. Through my mom, I learned that no kid succeeds in their education without having critical dynamics around them that can support that success.

Thoughtful and comprehensive approaches to education will make a world of difference for our students. I know that from my time working on education policy in the Obama White House as part of President Obama’s My Brother’s Keeper (MBK) initiative. From MBK, I saw firsthand how we need both the resources and the will to address factors within students, classrooms, schools, homes, families, communities and society at-large that cause the widespread achievement gaps among rural, minority and economically disadvantaged students.

Every kid across Central and Southside Virginia deserves the opportunity to reach their full potential through their education. That’s every…single...kid—from Fauquier down to Danville. So whether they want to go to college or career school—if they want to go to community college or apprenticeship—I want to help make sure that there is a true path for them to their goals.

We need thoughtful and equitable—and long overdue—updates to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act to make that goal a reality. We need to improve our standardized testing paradigms so that school districts are able to reliably assess and respond to their students’ needs. We need to incorporate planning for educational equity and standardized reporting to close achievement gaps. We must close the digital divide through ensuring access to broadband internet and necessary electronic devices to deliver on the promise of educational equity.

Here in VA-05—when it comes to higher education—just under 30 percent of adults have a bachelor’s degree or higher. For many of those individuals, the costs incurred to obtain that degree can limit their opportunities for success today. We need to modernize the Higher Education Act to support opportunities for many more in our district. We must streamline the FAFSA process so that it works for more people, maximize the value of the Federal Pell Grant program, and leverage loan forgiveness programs to make school more affordable.

Finally, I support efforts to make community colleges and public colleges/universities tuition-free for lower-income individuals. We should also extend this support to other post-secondary opportunities—like career school, technical education, and apprenticeships—so that we’re truly unlocking the potential for everyone’s future success.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING Among the social factors that impact health, I have seen few with as strong and as direct an impact as housing. Too often, I see how poor-quality housing is connected to increased rates of chronic disease, injury and poor mental health. Too often, I see how unaffordable housing destroys a family’s ability to meet all of the other critical needs that they have. For many of my patients, concerns about keeping up with doctor appointments or medications are often overshadowed by the pressure of making their next rent payment or finding safe and stable housing.

Thing is, access to fair and affordable housing is a necessity for folks to have opportunities for success. Beyond enabling them to meet their healthcare needs, it connects people to opportunity through access to good schools, jobs and transit—all of which are the foundation for a healthy, productive life.

Throughout the 5th Congressional District, people talk to me about challenges in housing. From the lack of affordable housing in Charlottesville to the aging housing stock and excess inventory in Danville, these issues are real—and they’re having a serious impact on communities.

In Congress, I will make it a priority to address these concerns. I support refundable tax credits to rent-burdened individuals, so that nobody is left to spend too much of their income on their rent payments. Also, to address the gaps in homeownership we should target tax subsidies toward lower-income, first-time homeowners, not to mention lower-income renters. With smart tax credits and thoughtful incentives, we can help families by making it easier to cover the bills and get or stay in a home that works for them.

Additionally, we need strong policies that put an end to the exclusionary zoning that maintains the legacy of redlining. We must incentivize the construction of affordable housing units to address our severe affordable housing shortage. We need to support and strengthen fair housing rules. We need to live—and govern—with the belief that everyone deserves access to a safe, affordable home.

Still, one of the great travesties in our society is how many people live each day without any place at all to call home. We have to do better. Homelessness doesn’t always look like people sleeping in the streets—especially for children and families—and that invisible reality has led to a focus on solutions that don’t fully address the range of issues at hand. We can fully address our homelessness crisis through supportive housing, rapid rehousing, more funding for case management, mental health services, crisis response systems and yes, affordable housing.

These challenges are large and they look different in different parts of our district. We need dynamic solutions that can be implemented all over and create fair opportunities for everyone.

JOBS AND THE ECONOMY
The public health crisis we are living in has devastated our economy and devastated the financial well-being of too many families. Long before COVID-19, though, our communities were facing significant challenges in the economy. And while President Trump and his administration spent a lot of time over the past few years praising jobs reports, the reality is that there are vast inequities that continue to define the U.S. economy. We deserve an economy that works for everyone regardless of race, economic background or zip code.

While working in the White House for President Obama on his My Brother’s Keeper initiative, I got a unique perspective on how opportunities for good jobs are critical to shaping broader life outcomes for individuals. Over the past decade, layoffs and the closing of large factories and plants across the district has had a big impact on local economies. For our future, though, I believe the keys to creating and maintaining jobs here in VA-05 are building rural broadband infrastructure, encouraging entrepreneurship, allowing small businesses to grow and investing in a clean economy.

I will work to address the factors that make it hard for entrepreneurs and small businesses to thrive. From difficulties related to access to capital (particularly challenges encountered by underserved populations, minorities, and women) to record levels of student loan debt, I will be a strong advocate for job growth across VA-05. Congress will need to navigate the risk-aversion that is sure to follow this coronavirus recession with thoughtful fiscal policy, and I will advocate for oversight to ensure equitable support in the recovery to come.

The availability of jobs is a critical step, but jobs can only meet people’s needs in our society if they pay a living wage. Today, the federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour—the same as it was in 2009. I support efforts to achieve a national $15 minimum wage in the next five years to ensure that low-wage workers share the benefits of economic growth. When we pass this $15 minimum wage, over 100,000 workers in VA-05 would see an increase in their wages, with an average increase in annual wages of $3,100.

We cannot address rising income inequality and responsibly meet the needs of our nation’s most vulnerable citizens without significant tax reform. With the wealthiest one percent of Americans owning as much wealth as the bottom 90 percent and with total wealth among those highest earners continuing to rise but wages stagnating for the majority of Americans, we must act to right the ship. We must raise the tax rate on top earners and increase the capital gains tax. We must close loopholes that allow corporations to avoid paying taxes and increase the number of IRS auditors to hold them accountable. Corporations absolutely must pay their fair share for our society to thrive.

WOMEN'S EQUALITY
As a physician, I see far, far too many women who have been told that the pain they are experiencing – the tightness in their chest, the aching, the elevated heart rate – is just anxiety. I’ve seen times when women were instructed to go home and relax rather than listened to, evaluated and treated for the heart attack they’ve experienced. And—for as tragic as this is in healthcare settings—the unfortunate truth is women’s words and experiences have all too often been ignored across our society.

Here in Virginia’s 5th Congressional District, women earn, on average, just 86 cents for every $1 earned by men. The wage gap is even larger for most women of color. The combination of occupational segregation, the lack of paid family leave, disproportionate responsibility for caregiving and other unpaid obligations and outright discrimination are major drivers of this gender wage gap. I will advocate for robust work-family policies like paid sick leave and paid family and medical leave, comprehensive equal pay legislation, and other anti-discriminatory policies to speed the closing of the gender wage gap and dismantle this form of systematic disadvantage.

I will not just support the Equal Rights Amendment, I will use my platform in Congress to advocate on its behalf so that other states will follow Virginia’s lead and help guarantee the same legal rights for all Americans, regardless of gender. And I will use my experience in the Obama White House and on Virginia’s Medicaid Board to ensure that every woman in our commonwealth, regardless of race, income, or ZIP Code has access to quality healthcare including access to reproductive care.

It is completely unacceptable that the Violence Against Women Act has been expired since February of last year. It is unconscionable that this legislation is being held up by the Senate, and that the law’s current unauthorized status threatens the health, well-being, support and protection of millions of women. We must reauthorize VAWA, including provisions to close the boyfriend loophole, ensure protections for LGBTQ+ victims of domestic abuse, and address the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women.

As a physician, I know how fundamental the notion of bodily autonomy is for everyone. I believe deeply in the notion of self governance over one’s own body without external influence or coercion. To me, it is a matter of equity and human rights that we protect a woman’s right to choose when, with whom and under what circumstances to start a family. I believe that we must act urgently and decisively to protect women’s fundamental health and human right to choose.

I’m not committed to women’s rights because I love my mom and my three sisters. It’s not because I respect my wife and believe that she deserves the dignity of fair treatment. It’s not even because I want my daughter to have every opportunity for a fair shake as she grows older. Each of their experiences and outlooks sharpen my perspective as a man engaging these issues, but I’m committed to women’s rights because it is equitable and just. It’s because I believe that our society should be fair for everyone, and I know it is all of our responsibility to advocate for that future.

REFORMING CRIMINAL JUSTICE
The most basic tenet of our criminal justice system is supposed to be “equal justice under law.” Our Pledge of Allegiance even speaks to our nation’s promise of “justice for all.” But our epidemic of mass incarceration and the disproportionality experienced by communities of color regarding criminal justice highlights the dire need of reform at every step: policing, prosecution, adjudication, sentencing and corrections.

The FIRST STEP Act of 2018 laid a critical foundation for the necessary reform. It gave judges more latitude in imposing mandatory minimum sentences, increased programming to reduce recidivism, and expanded opportunities for inmate placement into residential reentry centers or home confinement. As a bipartisan effort to move toward reform in criminal justice, it was truly an important first step—but only that.

Building upon the FIRST STEP Act, additional sentencing and prison reform is necessary to truly press toward justice. I support further reducing mandatory minimum sentences for nonviolent drug offenses and eliminating the discrepancy between crack and powder cocaine sentences. I support continuing oversight and improvement regarding prison conditions, healthcare access and rehabilitative offerings. Finally, I am in favor of phasing out detention centers and private prisons—certainly for federal prisoners.

In Congress, I will work to eliminate the school-to-prison pipeline which results in marginalized youth constituencies being over-disciplined resulting in higher drop-out rates and more justice involvement. I will work to end our system of cash bail that places those in poverty at the highest risk of remaining in contact with the criminal justice system. I will support efforts to decriminalize mental health crises and to legalize marijuana. These are the tools that have been used to create our system of mass incarceration, and I intend to fight to disassemble them.

Finally, It is critical that we legislate reforms to help ensure a positive path forward for reentering citizens. I will support a federal “ban-the-box” law that would update the hiring practices of federal agencies and contractors. I will work for the removal of barriers for formerly incarcerated to fully reintegrate into society, including eliminating restrictions on housing, occupational licensing and formally reversing the federal ineligibility for food stamps for individuals with drug-related felonies. I support restoring the voting rights for citizens with past criminal convictions. I firmly believe that once people have paid their debt to society through incarceration, they should not continue paying it for the rest of their lives.

INFRASTRUCTURE
Among the biggest barriers to the development of thriving local economies in Virginia’s 5th District are deficiencies in the local infrastructure. Just as is the case across the Commonwealth, our district is home to aging highways, roads and bridges, old and crumbling school facilities, and aging drinking water, wastewater, and irrigation systems. Investing in the repair of Virginia’s infrastructure is not only the right thing to do because it is the lifeblood of the district’s businesses and families, but also because this work creates jobs across the district.

From my in-laws in Appomattox to my patients across the district, I know that one of our most critical infrastructure needs is rural broadband access. The lack of broadband access and resulting digital divide has a significant impact on driving inequities in education, healthcare, job availability and growth potential for local businesses. In fact, no one in the modern economy can survive without it. I will support ongoing and coordinated efforts in the Virginia delegation to get the necessary funding for broadband internet access through USDA’s ReConnect program, and fight to make sure we can deliver on this critical infrastructure.

Finally, I am committed to ensuring significant investment in historically marginalized communities as a means to redress historical injustices. From increased resources for transportation planning to investments in rebuilding and reconnecting historically underserved areas, I hope to make sure that all of our communities in VA-05 are connected to opportunity. [26]

”
—Cameron Webb’s campaign website (2020)[27]


Republican Party Bob Good

Good’s campaign website stated the following:

“

Bob Good’s Proven Record in Campbell County

Fighting for Lower Taxes
Never voted for a tax increase – led the fight against the 2019 meals tax and real estate tax hikes.

Defending the 2nd Amendment
Made Campbell County one of the first 2nd Amendment Sanctuaries in Virginia

Trimming Government Spending
Reduced non-essential spending and grew net revenue by $5 million over three years without raising taxes

Fighting for the Unborn
Defended Virginia’s pro-life laws from attacks by Democrats

Strong on Immigration
Opposed creating “sanctuary cities” for illegal aliens

Defending Traditional Values
Fought the “transgender bathroom mandate” for public schools

Supporting Homeschoolers Advocated for the “Tebow Law” permitting homeschool children to participate in athletics & extra-curricular activities [26]

”
—Bob Good’s campaign website (2020)[28]


Pivot Counties

See also: Pivot Counties by state

Five of 133 Virginia counties—3.8 percent—are Pivot Counties. Pivot Counties are counties that voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and for Donald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 Pivot Counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states.

Counties won by Trump in 2016 and Obama in 2012 and 2008
County Trump margin of victory in 2016 Obama margin of victory in 2012 Obama margin of victory in 2008
Buckingham County, Virginia 11.28% 2.43% 0.87%
Caroline County, Virginia 5.02% 8.24% 11.97%
Essex County, Virginia 2.14% 7.30% 10.35%
Nelson County, Virginia 5.59% 2.72% 9.15%
Westmoreland County, Virginia 7.14% 6.95% 10.24%

Note: Although it is highlighted in the map above, the city of Chesapeake is not considered a county and not included in our calculations as such.

In the 2016 presidential election, Virginia was a battleground state. Hillary Clinton (D) won Virginia with 49.7 percent of the vote. Donald Trump (R) received 44.4 percent. In presidential elections between 1900 and 2016, Virginia voted Democratic 56.67 percent of the time and Republican 43.33 percent of the time. In the five presidential elections between 2000 and 2016, Virginia voted Democratic three times (2008, 2012, and 2016) and Republican two times (2000 and 2004).


Candidate ballot access

The table below details filing requirements for 5th Congressional District candidates in Virginia in the 2020 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Virginia, click here.

Filing requirements, 2020
State Office Party Signatures required Signature formula Filing fee Filing fee formula Filing deadline Source
Virginia 5th Congressional District Qualified party 1,000 Fixed number $3,480.00 2% of annual salary 3/26/2020 Source
Virginia 5th Congressional District Unaffiliated 350 Fixed number (reduced by court order) N/A N/A 8/1/2020 Source

District election history

2018

See also: Virginia's 5th Congressional District election, 2018

General election

General election for U.S. House Virginia District 5

Denver Lee Riggleman III defeated Leslie Cockburn in the general election for U.S. House Virginia District 5 on November 6, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Denver Lee Riggleman III
Denver Lee Riggleman III (R)
 
53.2
 
165,339
Image of Leslie Cockburn
Leslie Cockburn (D)
 
46.6
 
145,040
 Other/Write-in votes
 
0.2
 
547

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 310,926
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

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Democratic primary election

The Democratic primary election was canceled. Leslie Cockburn advanced from the Democratic primary for U.S. House Virginia District 5.

Republican primary election

The Republican primary election was canceled. Denver Lee Riggleman III advanced from the Republican primary for U.S. House Virginia District 5.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

2016

See also: Virginia's 5th Congressional District election, 2016

Heading into the election, Ballotpedia rated this race as safely Republican. Tom Garrett (R) defeated Jane Dittmar (D) in the general election on November 8, 2016. Garrett defeated Jim McKelvey, Michael Del Rosso, and Joe Whited at the Republican convention on May 14, 2016.[29][30]

U.S. House, Virginia District 5 General Election, 2016
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngTom Garrett 58.2% 207,758
     Democratic Jane Dittmar 41.6% 148,339
     N/A Write-in 0.2% 659
Total Votes 356,756
Source: Virginia Department of Elections

2014

See also: Virginia's 5th Congressional District elections, 2014

Incumbent Robert Hurt won re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives on November 4, 2014. He defeated Lawrence Gaughan (D), Libertarian Paul Jones and Green Party candidate Kenneth Hildebrandt in the general election.

U.S. House, Virginia District 5 General Election, 2014
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngRobert Hurt Incumbent 60.9% 124,735
     Democratic Lawrence Gaughan 35.9% 73,482
     Libertarian Paul Jones 2.1% 4,298
     Green Kenneth Hildebrandt 1.1% 2,209
     N/A Write-in 0.1% 221
Total Votes 204,945
Source: Virginia Department of Elections

State profile

See also: Virginia and Virginia elections, 2020
USA Virginia location map.svg

Partisan data

The information in this section was current as of June 29, 2020.

Presidential voting pattern

Congressional delegation

State executives

State legislature

Virginia Party Control: 1992-2025
Four years of Democratic trifectas  •  Four years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.

Year 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
Governor D D R R R R R R R R D D D D D D D D R R R R D D D D D D D D R R R R
Senate D D D D S S R R R R R R R R R R D D D D R R D R R R R R D D D D D D
House D D D D D D S S R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R D D R R D D

Virginia quick stats
  • Became a state in 1788
  • 10th state admitted to the United States
  • The Virginia General Assembly is the oldest continuous law-making body in the New World.
  • Members of the Virginia State Senate: 40
  • Members of the Virginia House of Delegates: 100
  • U.S. senators: 2
  • U.S. representatives: 11
More Virginia coverage on Ballotpedia:


Demographic data for Virginia
 VirginiaU.S.
Total population:8,367,587316,515,021
Land area (sq mi):39,4903,531,905
Race and ethnicity**
White:69%73.6%
Black/African American:19.2%12.6%
Asian:6%5.1%
Native American:0.3%0.8%
Pacific Islander:0.1%0.2%
Two or more:3.2%3%
Hispanic/Latino:8.6%17.1%
Education
High school graduation rate:88.3%86.7%
College graduation rate:36.3%29.8%
Income
Median household income:$65,015$53,889
Persons below poverty level:13%11.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015)
Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Virginia.
**Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.


See also

External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ DCCC, "Red to Blue," accessed September 21, 2020
  2. ↑ GOP Young Guns, "Young Guns," accessed September 21, 2020
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Bob Good's 2020 campaign website, "Who’s Supporting Bob," accessed September 20, 2020
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Cameron Webb's 2020 campaign website, "Team Webb Supporters," accessed September 20, 2020
  5. ↑ The Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' presidential results by congressional district for 2016, 2012, and 2008," accessed September 21, 2020
  6. ↑ United States Census Bureau, "Counties by Congressional Districts," accessed June 8, 2016
  7. ↑ This change was not due to COVID-19. This deadline was extended after the state's voter registration website crashed.
  8. ↑ Candidate Connection surveys completed before September 26, 2019, were not used to generate candidate profiles. In battleground primaries, Ballotpedia based its selection of noteworthy candidates on polling, fundraising, and noteworthy endorsements. In battleground general elections, all major party candidates and any other candidates with the potential to impact the outcome of the race were included.
  9. ↑ Cook Political Report, "Introducing the 2017 Cook Political Report Partisan Voter Index," April 7, 2017
  10. ↑ FiveThirtyEight, "Election Update: The Most (And Least) Elastic States And Districts," September 6, 2018
  11. ↑ Inside Elections also uses Tilt ratings to indicate an even smaller advantage and greater competitiveness.
  12. ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Nathan Gonzalez," April 19, 2018
  13. ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Kyle Kondik," April 19, 2018
  14. ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Charlie Cook," April 22, 2018
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 "The Cavalier Daily, "EDITORIAL: The Cavalier Daily endorses Dr. Cameron Webb for Congress," November 2, 2020
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 "The Daily Progress, "Opinion/Editorial: Webb is good pick for district," October 30, 2020
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 "Mecklenburg Sun, "Cameron Webb for 5th District Congress," October 21, 2020
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 Rappahannock News, "Biden endorses Cameron Webb," September 25, 2020
  19. ↑ Sabato's Crystal Ball, "2020 Rating Changes," November 2, 2020
  20. ↑ Twitter, "Jacob Rubashkin on October 28, 2020," accessed October 29, 2020
  21. ↑ Twitter, "Jacob Rubashkin on October 16, 2020," accessed October 22, 2020
  22. ↑ Sabato's Crystal Ball, "2020 Rating Changes," accessed October 8, 2020
  23. ↑ Twitter, "Jacob Rubashkin on October 2, 2020," accessed October 8, 2020
  24. ↑ Twitter, "Donald Trump on September 18, 2020," accessed September 21, 2020
  25. ↑ The Cook Political Report, "Rating Change: Republicans Sound Alarm, Riggleman's VA-05 Moves to Toss Up," September 18, 2020
  26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
  27. ↑ Cameron Webb’s campaign website, “Priorities,” accessed September 20, 2020
  28. ↑ Bob Good’s campaign website, “Issues,” accessed September 20, 2020
  29. ↑ Richmond Times-Dispatch, "Garrett wins GOP nomination in 5th Congressional District," May 14, 2016
  30. ↑ Virginia Department of Elections, "List of Candidates," accessed September 8, 2016


Virginia's current delegation to the United States Congress
Senators
Tim Kaine (D)
Mark Warner (D)
Representatives
District 1
District 2
District 3
District 4
District 5
District 6
District 7
District 8
District 9
District 10
District 11
Democratic Party (8)
Republican Party (5)


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