CQPolitics

Rich in Civil War landmarks, the 5th extends from the central part of Virginia just north of Charlottesville to the south-central border with North Carolina, an area known as Southside.

The mostly rural 5th is relatively poor, and the district relies heavily on agriculture and textiles. Known as the heart of tobacco country, the 5th has suffered a decline in the industry, which led to above-average unemployment in the district’s southwestern corner. Recently, manufacturing has taken a more prominent role, and the 5th has seen new industries move in and existing operations expand. Danville, the district’s largest city, is a tobacco and textile center on the North Carolina border, and just to the west is Martinsville, a textile and furniture town. Charlottesville, in the northern part of the district, has seen a higher rate of job growth than the state average, due in part to a growing public sector there. The district’s northern tip also has several wineries.

While the district is reliably conservative, party labels hold little meaning here, as evidenced by Rep. Goode’s ability to switch parties and maintain his 5th District dominance. Democrats as well as independents hold some state House seats, and while Democrat Tim Kaine was unable to replicate his predecessor Mark Warner’s success in the district, he was able to capture several counties here in the 2005 gubernatorial race.

One notable exception to the 5th’s conservative posture is the city of Charlottesville, home to the University of Virginia, which almost always backs Democrats. Charlottesville gave John Kerry 72 percent of its vote in the 2004 presidential election — his second-best showing in the state. Overall, George W. Bush took 56 percent of the 5th’s 2004 presidential vote, slightly ahead of his statewide percentage.

Major Industry

Agriculture, tobacco, manufacturing, textiles, service

Cities

Danville, 48,411; Charlottesville, 45,049; Martinsville, 15,416

Notable

Appomattox Court House, now a National Park Service site, was where Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee surrendered to end the Civil War; Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello estate is south of Charlottesville; The National D-Day Memorial is in Bedford, which had more residents killed per capita during the Normandy invasion than any other U.S. locality.