What caused Virginia to swing so heavily Democratic over the last 10 years?

[Cyrusman]

For decades Virginia was a solid Republican state. Bush defeated Kerry rather easily in 2004. What made the state swing SO heavily towards the Democrats so quickly in which it’s not even a swing state anymore? I understand northern Virginia’s population grew but is everyone that moved their a Democrat? I’m sure it was still very populated in 2004, right?
There’s got to me more to it than just that.
What were the reasons?

[TML]

The fastest growing region in VA is Northern Virginia (the area just outside DC). This area has gone from mostly Republican to mostly Democratic within the last two decades. It has become increasingly diverse - more than 40% of this area's population is non-white, and over half of the population has higher education. These factors combine to produce decisive Democratic margins. Similar patterns can be observed in the suburban areas around Richmond.

On the flip side, Southwest VA has gone from a Democratic stronghold to a Republican stronghold within the last several decades. This area is part of Appalachia, and has most of the state's coal mines. Just like neighboring West Virginia and Kentucky, this area has seen its population stagnate and/or decline, so its Republican shift isn't anywhere near enough to offset the Democratic shift of suburban/urban areas elsewhere in the state.

[Cyrusman]

The fastest growing region in VA is Northern Virginia (the area just outside DC). This area has gone from mostly Republican to mostly Democratic within the last two decades. It has become increasingly diverse - more than 40% of this area's population is non-white, and over half of the population has higher education. These factors combine to produce decisive Democratic margins. Similar patterns can be observed in the suburban areas around Richmond.

On the flip side, Southwest VA has gone from a Democratic stronghold to a Republican stronghold within the last several decades. This area is part of Appalachia, and has most of the state's coal mines. Just like neighboring West Virginia and Kentucky, this area has seen its population stagnate and/or decline, so its Republican shift isn't anywhere near enough to offset the Democratic shift of suburban/urban areas elsewhere in the state.

What caused northern Virginia to go mostly republican to mostly Democrat?

[TML]

The fastest growing region in VA is Northern Virginia (the area just outside DC). This area has gone from mostly Republican to mostly Democratic within the last two decades. It has become increasingly diverse - more than 40% of this area's population is non-white, and over half of the population has higher education. These factors combine to produce decisive Democratic margins. Similar patterns can be observed in the suburban areas around Richmond.

On the flip side, Southwest VA has gone from a Democratic stronghold to a Republican stronghold within the last several decades. This area is part of Appalachia, and has most of the state's coal mines. Just like neighboring West Virginia and Kentucky, this area has seen its population stagnate and/or decline, so its Republican shift isn't anywhere near enough to offset the Democratic shift of suburban/urban areas elsewhere in the state.

What caused northern Virginia to go mostly republican to mostly Democrat?

The increase in (1) people of minority races and (2) people with higher education, both of which are groups which favor Democrats.

[Wazza [INACTIVE]]

Also because College grads and postgrads in general have trended Dem post Bush Jr.

[Tekken_Guy]

1. Virginia is becoming increasingly dominated by metro areas like the Northern VA area. Urban areas favor Democrats.
2. The state is getting very diverse with heavy black populations in certain areas.
3. Colleges-educated voters are going Dem, and this constituency is growing fast thanks to young people.

[pbrower2a]

Government employees. Even if they have incomes easy to tax and are heavily taxed, directly or indirectly, they are more concerned with getting income than shielding it from the taxing authorities.

Virginia has lots of people paying heavy rents, and the landlord is rarely anyone's favorite capitalist. Landlords are often seen as collectors of easy money and not at all innovators. Other capitalists are likely to respond to shortages by lengthening production lines; landlords are more likely to exploit housing shortages by raising the rent.

Government employees are generally well-educated professionals, and the GOP has been going anti-intellectual, disparaging formal education as elitist and 'sissy'...

[538Electoral]

Most of their population growth is around the Washington D.C suburbs and the population has gotten a lot more diverse. There you go.

[brucejoel99]

Most of their population growth is around the Washington D.C suburbs and the population has gotten a lot more diverse. There you go.

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

West Virginia movt to right and Dems moving from Maryland into Va

[Politician]

Liberals from the Northeast moving to NoVA.

[DabbingSanta]

2008 trend:


2016 trend:


You can see that it was not solely the D.C. suburbs or Richmond that helped Obama win the state in 2008. But you can argue that suburbs are responsible for keeping Virginia in the Democrat column in 2016. Despite losing support in rural areas, Clinton held on to Virginia by 5 points by improving her performance in suburban areas. I can't see Republicans winning this state for a while barring a modern landslide victory.

[Agonized-Statism]

Aside from the growth of D.C., I chalk it up to the candidates. The GOP ran an unpopular Arizonan in 2008, a New England Mormon in 2012, and a New York City liberal in 2016. Federalist, Federalist, Federalist. I bet a charismatic southerner from the religious right could have done it back when that faction still existed.