Virginia

Virginia was one of the original 13 colonies of the British Empire and the birthplace of four of the first five Presidents of the United States. Virginia joined the Union in June 1788. The state did not participate in the 1864 and 1868 elections as it had withdrawn from the Union.

From the post-Civil War Reconstruction Era—a period during which the US was dealing with the consequences of the abolition of slavery—until 1948, Virginia largely voted for the Democratic Party in presidential elections. This changed in 1952 when the state began to support Republican candidates, except in 1964, when Virginians voted for Democrat Lyndon Johnson over Republican Barry Goldwater.

Population growth around Washington, DC, made Virginia a key battleground in the elections starting in the 1990s. The Democrats struggled to win the state until 2008, when Barack Obama won Virginia. In 2020, Joe Biden defeated Donald Trump by 10 points.

The state currently has 13 Electoral College votes.