Virginia House of Delegates seat · lines in effect since 2023

Virginia House District 79

A district of about 90,000 people, 59% Black, 35% of adults with a bachelor's degree. It votes D+82.5 relative to the nation for president.

2025 election

Nov 4, 2025
  1. Rae Cousins (D) · won92.2%
  2. Kelsey M. Linnehan (R)7.6%

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.

D+82.51st most
Democratic
Most DemocraticMost Republican50th seat · the majority lineDistrict 79

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. District numbers are redrawn after each census: each group is one set of lines.

YearWinnerRunner-upWon by
Lines first used in 2023
2025Rae Cousins (D)Kelsey M. Linnehan (R)84.6
2023Rae Cousins (D)—Unopposed
Lines first used in 2012
2021Nadarius Clark (D)Lawrence Joseph Mason (R)12.4
2019Steve E. Heretick (D)—Unopposed
2017Steve E. Heretick (D)—Unopposed
2015Steve E. Heretick (D)—Unopposed
2013John S. Joannou (D)—Unopposed
Lines first used in 2002
2011John S. Joannou (D)—Unopposed
2009John S. Joannou (D)—Unopposed
2007John S. Joannou (D)—Unopposed
2005John S. Joannou (D)—Unopposed
2003John S. Joannou (D)—Unopposed
Lines first used in 1992
2001John S. Joannou (D)R. W. McCreary Jr. (R)35.4
1999John S. Joannou (D)—Unopposed
1997John S. Joannou (D)D. R. Evans (R)5.8
1995W. S. Moore Jr. (D)D. R. Evans (R)25.3
1993W. S. Moore Jr. (D)Caroline Marie Barnes (R)44.1
Lines first used in 1982
1991W. S. Moore Jr. (D)—Unopposed
1989W. S. Moore Jr. (D)Thomas A. S. Perry (I)32.3
1987W. S. Moore Jr. (D)—Unopposed
1985W. S. Moore Jr. (D)—Unopposed
1983W. S. Moore Jr. (D)George E. Talbot Jr. (R)42.3
1982John S. Joannou (D)James N. Garrett Jr. (R)29.4

Primaries: 2015 Democratic primary · 1983 Democratic primary

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 79

The state's districts in other chambers that share residents with this one, and the share of District 79's area in each.

U.S. House
VA-4 100%
Virginia State Senate
SD-14 78%, SD-15 22%

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
PresidentD+78.9
U.S. SenateD+80.8

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 79.

Adults with a bachelor's degree35% 43rd pct · 57th of 99 in VA

Lower than 57% of seats.

White adults without a degree9% 5th pct · 94th of 99 in VA

Lower than 95% of seats.

Hispanic residents7% 41st pct · 59th of 99 in VA

Lower than 59% of seats.

Black residents59% 100th pct · 1st of 99 in VA

Highest of 99 seats.

Asian residents2% 24th pct · 75th of 99 in VA

Lower than 76% of seats.

People per square mile3,906 86th pct · 15th of 99 in VA

Denser than 86% of seats.

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