Virginia's 8th congressional district is a U.S. congressional district located just across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C. It comprises several populous cities and suburbs in Northern Virginia, including all of Alexandria, Arlington, and Falls Church, as well as parts of eastern Fairfax County. It has been represented by Democrat Don Beyer since 2015. With a Cook Partisan Voting Index rating of D+26, it is the most Democratic district in Virginia.
The 8th district is heavily influenced by the federal government in neighboring Washington, with nearly a quarter of its working population employed in the public sector. Though commuting into the nation's capital for work is common, several government agencies have their headquarters in the 8th district. The most prominent of these are the United States Department of Defense (located in the Pentagon) and the Central Intelligence Agency. Their presence has established a flourishing aerospace and defense industry in the area, with Northrop Grumman being one of the district's top private sector employers. Other major corporations are also located within its boundaries, most notably AES.
The seat has long been a liberal stronghold, having backed every Democratic presidential nominee since 1992. However, those margins have grown dramatically; in 2020, Joe Biden carried the 8th district by over 55 points. Once a popular destination for white flight, the district has seen an influx of Asian, Black, and Hispanic residents in recent years and is now majority nonwhite. It also has the nation's fifth-highest share of individuals with a bachelor's degree or higher, in large part due to the nearby government presence.
As of 2000, the district has 643,503 residents, 13.7% are African American, 9.5% are Asian, 16.4% are Hispanic and 64.5% are white.
Virginia's eighth congressional district is traditionally a Democratic stronghold, most notably in the urban communities of Arlington and Alexandria.
For the 118th and successive Congresses (based on redistricting following the 2020 census), the district contains all or portions of the following counties and communities:
Arlington County (1)
Fairfax County (24)
The Virginia Eighth District started in 1788 covering the counties of Norfolk, Accomack, Northampton, Princess Anne, Nansemond, Isle of Wight, Surry and Southampton.