Virginia House of Delegates seat · lines in effect since 2023

Virginia House District 72

A district of about 91,000 people, 40% of adults with a bachelor's degree. It votes R+24.2 relative to the nation for president.

Lee Ware (R) · since Nov 2, 1999Next election Nov 2, 2027

2025 election

Nov 4, 2025
  1. Lee Ware (R) · won61.6%
  2. Randolph T. Critzer Jr. (D)36.1%
  3. Kristin A. Farry (OTH)1.9%

Full results →

Source: Virginia Department of ElectionsUpdated Sep 30, 2026, 12:45 PM ET

Where it sits among all 99 seats

Every Virginia House of Delegates seat by partisan lean, from most Democratic to most Republican. Lean is the seat's presidential vote on current lines, relative to the nation.

R+24.282nd most
Democratic
Most DemocraticMost Republican50th seat · the majority lineDistrict 72

Source: 99chambers: 2024 and 2020 presidential results on current lines, relative to the nation (2024 weighted 3:1)Updated Oct 16, 2026, 5:19 AM ET

Every election for this seat

23 races since 1982; the seat changed party 2 times. District numbers are redrawn after each census: each group is one set of lines.

YearWinnerRunner-upWon by
Lines first used in 2023
2025Lee Ware (R)Randolph T. Critzer Jr. (D)25.5
2023Lee Ware (R)Bilal Z. Raychouni (D)36.3
Lines first used in 2012
2021Schuyler VanValkenburg (D)Christopher Thomas Holmes (R)6.1
2019Schuyler VanValkenburg (D)Gay Donna Vandergriff (R)6.6
2017Schuyler VanValkenburg (D)FlipEdward S. Whitlock III (R)5.7
2015Jimmie P. Massie III (R)—Unopposed
2013Jimmie P. Massie III (R)—Unopposed
Lines first used in 2002
2011Jimmie P. Massie III (R)—Unopposed
2009Jimmie P. Massie III (R)—Unopposed
2007Jimmie P. Massie III (R)Tom F. Herbert (D)34.5
2005John S. Reid (R)—Unopposed
2003John S. Reid (R)—Unopposed
Lines first used in 1992
2001John S. Reid (R)—Unopposed
1999John S. Reid (R)J. H. Girardeau III (I)65.7
1997John S. Reid (R)Shelby F. McCurrin (I)43.8
1995John S. Reid (R)N. S. Finch (D)17.8
1993John S. Reid (R)—Unopposed
Lines first used in 1982
1991John S. Reid (R)—Unopposed
1989John S. Reid (R)FlipArchibald Wallace III (D)24.8
1987Ralph L. Axselle Jr. (D)—Unopposed
1985Ralph L. Axselle Jr. (D)—Unopposed
1983Ralph L. Axselle Jr. (D)—Unopposed
1982Ralph L. Axselle Jr. (D)—Unopposed

Won by: the winner's lead over the runner-up, in points of the vote. Source: 99chambers results archive (MEDSL, Klarner, state election offices)

Districts that overlap District 72

The state's districts in other chambers that share residents with this one, and the share of District 72's area in each.

U.S. House
VA-5 98%
Virginia State Senate
SD-10 65%, SD-9 33%

Every race on these lines

Results recomputed from precinct returns as if today's boundaries had always existed, so years compare like for like.

2024
PresidentR+23.5
U.S. SenateR+22.3

Outlined: the race for this seat itselfBlank: no race that year

Source: 99chambers results archive: precinct results allocated to current lines; 2026: civicAPIUpdated Nov 8, 2026, 7:01 PM ET

Who lives here, compared

Grey bars show the spread of all 99 seats. Small marks are other seats in Virginia. The black marker is District 72.

Adults with a bachelor's degree40% 55th pct · 45th of 99 in VA

Higher than 55% of seats.

White adults without a degree43% 70th pct · 30th of 99 in VA

Higher than 70% of seats.

Hispanic residents5% 16th pct · 83rd of 99 in VA

Lower than 84% of seats.

Black residents14% 51st pct · 49th of 99 in VA

Higher than 51% of seats.

Asian residents2% 31st pct · 69th of 99 in VA

Lower than 69% of seats.

People per square mile95 18th pct · 81st of 99 in VA

Less dense than 82% of seats.

Source: Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates, allocated to current linesUpdated Oct 13, 2026, 5:06 AM ET