Virginia's seventh state senate district is vacant. It was last represented by Republican Senator Frank Wagner.

As of the 2011 redistricting, a total of 199,020 civilians reside within Virginia's seventh state senate district. Virginia state senators represent an average of 200,026 residents. After the 2000 Census, each member represented 176,963 residents.

About the office

Members of the Virginia State Senate serve four-year terms and are not subject to term limits. Virginia legislators assume office the second Wednesday in January after the election.

Qualifications

Senators must be at least 21 years of age at the time of the election, residents of the district they represent, and qualified to vote for members of the Virginia General Assembly.

Salaries

Vacancies

If there is a vacancy in the Virginia General Assembly, a special election must be conducted to fill the vacant seat. If the vacancy occurs while the legislature is in session, the presiding officer of the house in which the vacancy happens must call for a special election. If the vacancy occurs while the legislature is in recess, the governor shall call the special election. All special elections must be held promptly. However, no special election can be held if it occurs less than 55 days before any statewide primary or general election or if there are fewer than 75 days remaining in the vacated term.

Elections

2019

Elections for the Virginia State Senate took place in 2019. The primary was on June 11, 2019, and the general election was on November 5. The filing deadline for candidates was March 28, 2019.

2015

Elections for the Virginia State Senate took place in 2015. A primary election was held on June 9, 2015. The general election took place on November 3, 2015. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was March 26, 2015. Gary McCollum was unopposed in the Democratic primary. Incumbent Frank Wagner was unopposed in the Republican primary. Wagner defeated McCollum in the general election.

Race snapshot

The contest was marked by several controversies. In September, McCollum's campaign admitted it had incorrectly represented him as an active major in the U.S. Army Reserve; records show that he was discharged in September 2001. The Republican Party of Virginia called on McCollum to drop out of the race, calling the misrepresentation "an insult to veterans and automatic disqualification for public office."

Wagner also came under fire that month after making remarks at an event held at the Princess Anne Country Club in Virginia Beach; noting that his district includes "very, very high income [properties] right on down to... rent-assisted places," he said that "I wish sometimes I represented this half, but I've very, very happy to represent the folks I have." McCollum said in a statement, "Unlike Frank, I'm running to represent all the people of the 7th District. No matter their income." The Virginia Legislative Black Caucus inquired as to the intent of Wagner's comments. Wagner's campaign responded that he was joking in reference to Republican supporters in general, not the wealthy. State Sen. Mamie Locke (D), the chair of the Black Caucus, countered, "If you wanted to say 'I wanted to have more Republicans in my district,' that is what you would have said."

Both candidates were accused of filing incomplete campaign finance reports. On September 22, the Virginia Republican Party filed a campaign finance complaint against McCollum. As a senior executive of Cox Communications' Virginia operations, McCollum had been paid while on leave to campaign, something the GOP said should have been reported as a donation. Cox has since dismissed McCollum from the company. On September 25, the Virginia Democratic Party filed its own complaint, claiming that Wagner had filed a statement without the names of his campaign workers. The Wagner campaign responded that the omission was a simple mistake brought on by a change in software. Fines for offenses in incomplete reports are $100 for the first and $1,000 thereafter.

In mid-October, McCollum's campaign released a television advertisement claiming that Davis Boat Works, a shipyard Wagner owned until this year, fraudulently billed the U.S. Navy in the late 1990s "to line his own pockets." The company settled a lawsuit by a former accountant for $400,000 after Wagner won election to the Senate in 2000. The accountant claimed that she left the company in 1998 after Wagner demanded that she file false bills. In 2001, Wagner said that he settled in order to maintain Davis' government relations. Following the advertisement, Wagner maintained his innocence, saying that a trial would have cost double the amount of the settlement, and that McCollum was looking to mislead voters.

The race attracted the attention of Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D), who was set to helm a canvassing kickoff on October 24.

Virginia State Senate, District 7 General Election, 2015

2011

Elections for the office of Virginia State Senate consisted of a primary election on August 23, 2011, and a general election on November 8, 2011. Republican incumbent Frank Wagner was unchallenged in the general election. Wagner was unopposed in the Republican primary election.

Campaign contributions

From 2003 to 2011, candidates for Virginia State Senate District 7 raised a total of $940,579. Candidates who raised money in contributions earned $235,145 on average. All figures come from Follow the Money.

Campaign contributions, Virginia State Senate District 7