Virginia's 7th congressional district election, 2008
Encyclopedia
The Virginia 7th congressional district election, 2008 was held on November 4, 2008. This was the same day as the United States presidential election, 2008
.
The 7th District includes western parts of Richmond
, as well as its nearby suburbs in Henrico County, but otherwise is largely rural. CQ Politics rates the seat "Safe Republican". The Cook Political Report
rates it "Solid Republican".
was the Republican
nominee. He has held the seat since January 2001, having won in the U.S. House Elections of 2000 to succeed retiring Congressman Thomas J. Bliley, Jr.
. Cantor won the district in 2006 by 64% to 34%. Eric Cantor won the election, keeping this seat under republican control.
candidate. Mrs. Hartke, 48, is a resident of Amissville, Virginia
in Culpeper County, though the town is primarily located in neighboring Rappahannock County. She is the daughter of the three-term US Senator from Indiana
, Vance Hartke
. Her stated positions include improvements on the National Energy Policy by investing in alternative energy
in order to reduce the use of foreign oil and fossil fuels. She believes that this would create more jobs that could not be outsourced
while simulataneously fighting global warming
. She also supports universal health care
. Concerning the Iraq War, Hartke supports a gradual withdrawal of troops, stating that a brigade
should be brought home every month. She supports reform of the controversial No Child Left Behind Act
and increasing funding to the public school system. She also hopes to end student college loan rates in excess of 20%.
United States presidential election, 2008
The United States presidential election of 2008 was the 56th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on November 4, 2008. Democrat Barack Obama, then the junior United States Senator from Illinois, defeated Republican John McCain, the senior U.S. Senator from Arizona. Obama received 365...
.
The 7th District includes western parts of Richmond
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
, as well as its nearby suburbs in Henrico County, but otherwise is largely rural. CQ Politics rates the seat "Safe Republican". The Cook Political Report
Cook Political Report
The Cook Political Report is an independent, non-partisan online newsletter that analyzes elections and campaigns for the United States House of Representatives, the United States Senate, Governor's offices and the American Presidency. The Cook Political Report is led by a staff of five...
rates it "Solid Republican".
Republican
Incumbent Eric CantorEric Cantor
Eric Ivan Cantor is the U.S. Representative for Virginia's 7th congressional district, serving since 2001. A member of the Republican Party, he became House Majority Leader when the 112th Congress convened on January 3, 2011...
was the Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
nominee. He has held the seat since January 2001, having won in the U.S. House Elections of 2000 to succeed retiring Congressman Thomas J. Bliley, Jr.
Thomas J. Bliley, Jr.
Thomas Jerome "Tom" Bliley, Jr. is a United States Republican politician and former U.S. Representative from the state of Virginia.-Background:...
. Cantor won the district in 2006 by 64% to 34%. Eric Cantor won the election, keeping this seat under republican control.
Democratic
Anita Hartke was the DemocraticDemocratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
candidate. Mrs. Hartke, 48, is a resident of Amissville, Virginia
Amissville, Virginia
Amissville is an unincorporated community in Rappahannock County in the U.S. state of Virginia. It is located on U.S. Route 211 about halfway between Warrenton and the small town of Washington, Virginia. Amissville was first settled by French Huguenots and the English. In about 1763, Thomas...
in Culpeper County, though the town is primarily located in neighboring Rappahannock County. She is the daughter of the three-term US Senator from Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, Vance Hartke
Vance Hartke
Rupert Vance Hartke was a Democratic United States Senator from Indiana from 1959 until 1977.-Early life, education, military service:...
. Her stated positions include improvements on the National Energy Policy by investing in alternative energy
Alternative energy
Alternative energy is an umbrella term that refers to any source of usable energy intended to replace fuel sources without the undesired consequences of the replaced fuels....
in order to reduce the use of foreign oil and fossil fuels. She believes that this would create more jobs that could not be outsourced
Outsourcing
Outsourcing is the process of contracting a business function to someone else.-Overview:The term outsourcing is used inconsistently but usually involves the contracting out of a business function - commonly one previously performed in-house - to an external provider...
while simulataneously fighting global warming
Global warming
Global warming refers to the rising average temperature of Earth's atmosphere and oceans and its projected continuation. In the last 100 years, Earth's average surface temperature increased by about with about two thirds of the increase occurring over just the last three decades...
. She also supports universal health care
Universal health care
Universal health care is a term referring to organized health care systems built around the principle of universal coverage for all members of society, combining mechanisms for health financing and service provision.-History:...
. Concerning the Iraq War, Hartke supports a gradual withdrawal of troops, stating that a brigade
Brigade
A brigade is a major tactical military formation that is typically composed of two to five battalions, plus supporting elements depending on the era and nationality of a given army and could be perceived as an enlarged/reinforced regiment...
should be brought home every month. She supports reform of the controversial No Child Left Behind Act
No Child Left Behind Act
The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 is a United States Act of Congress concerning the education of children in public schools.NCLB was originally proposed by the administration of George W. Bush immediately after he took office...
and increasing funding to the public school system. She also hopes to end student college loan rates in excess of 20%.
See also
- Virginia's 7th congressional districtVirginia's 7th congressional districtVirginia's Seventh Congressional District is a U.S. congressional district in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The district is currently represented by Republican Congressman Eric Cantor, the current House majority leader, first elected in 2000.-Voting:...
- United States House of Representatives elections in Virginia, 2008United States House of Representatives elections in Virginia, 2008The 2008 congressional elections in Virginia were held on November 4, 2008 to determine who would represent the state of Virginia in the United States House of Representatives, coinciding with the presidential and senatorial elections...
External links
- Campaign contributions from OpenSecrets.orgCenter for Responsive PoliticsThe Center for Responsive Politics is a non-profit, nonpartisan research group based in Washington, D.C. that tracks money in politics and the effect of money and lobbying activity on elections and public policy and maintains a public online database of its information.Their database...
- Official campaign websites
- Anita Hartke Democratic
- Eric Cantor Republican