The district was an open seat in 2018. In November 2017, Goodlatte announced that he would retire from Congress at the end of his current term, and would not seek re-election.[4]
Historically, the 6th district was one of the first areas of Virginia to turn Republican. Many of the old Byrd Democrats in the area began splitting their tickets and voting Republican at the national level as early as the 1930s. It was also one of the first areas of Virginia where Republicans were able to break the long Democratic dominance at the state and local level. The district itself was in Republican hands from 1953 to 1983. Democrat Jim Olin then won the seat in 1982, and held it for a decade before Goodlatte won it.
The Virginia Sixth District started in 1788 covering the counties of Campbell, Charlotte, Buckingham, Bedford, Prince Edward, Franklin, Henry, Pittsylvania and Halifax.[18]
^"Congressional Districts Relationship Files (state-based)". www.census.gov. US Census Bureau Geography. Retrieved April 10, 2018.
^"My Congressional District". www.census.gov. Center for New Media & Promotion (CNMP), US Census Bureau. Retrieved October 6, 2023.
^"2022 Cook PVI: District Map and List". Cook Political Report. Retrieved January 10, 2023.
^Forman, Carmen (November 9, 2017). "After nearly a quarter century in D.C., Rep. Bob Goodlatte of Roanoke County will not seek re-election". The Roanoke Times. Roanoke, VA. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
^Menendez, Albert J.; The Geography of Presidential Elections in the United States, 1868-2004; pp. 326-330 ISBN 0786422173
^ abcdefghij"Virginia's 6th Congressional District". Ballotpedia. Retrieved August 1, 2022.
^"Virginia Election Results: Sixth Congressional District". The New York Times. November 3, 2020.
^"Official Results/President". Commonwealth of Virginia/November 2nd – General Election. Virginia State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on December 29, 2012.
^"President>President And Vice President>Votes By District". November 2008 Official Results. Virginia State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016.
^"President>President And Vice President>Votes By District". November 6, 2012 General Election Official Results. Virginia State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on August 9, 2016.
^"Governor>Votes by District". November 2013 General Election Official Results. Virginia State Board of Elections. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
^"Lieutenant Governor>Votes by District". November 2013 General Election Official Results. Virginia State Board of Elections. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
^"Attorney General>Votes by District". November 2013 General Election Official Results. Virginia State Board of Elections. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
^"Turnout by Congressional District". The Virginia Public Access Project. Retrieved July 4, 2020.
^"2016 November General President". Archived from the original on December 23, 2016. Retrieved October 1, 2020.
^"2018 U.S. Senate Results by Congressional District". The Virginia Public Access Project. Retrieved June 16, 2018.
^"Daily Kos Elections' presidential results by congressional district for 2020, 2016, and 2012".