Virginia House of Delegates District 2
Current incumbent	Mark Dudenhefer
Population	79,491
Race	94.7% White, 3.6% Black, 0.6% American Indian, 0.4% Asian, 0.0% Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, 0.6% Other, 0.1% Two or more races
Ethnicity	98.7% Not Hispanic, 1.3% Hispanic
Voting age	70.7% age 18 and over
Next general election	November 7, 2017

Virginia's second state house district is represented by Republican Representative Mark Dudenhefer. As of the 2010 census, a total of 79,491 civilians reside within Virginia's second state house district. Virginia's state delegates represent an average of 80,010 residents. After the 2000 Census, each member represented 70,785 residents.

About the office

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

Qualifications

Delegates 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

2017

Elections for the office of Virginia House of Delegates will take place in 2017. All 100 house seats are up for election. The general election will take place on November 7, 2017. A primary election took place on June 13, 2017. The filing deadline for primary election candidates was March 30, 2017. The filing deadline for non-party candidates and candidates nominated by methods other than a primary was June 13, 2017. Jennifer Foy (D) and Mike Makee (R) are running in the Virginia House of Delegates District 2 general election. Republican primary winner Laquan Austion dropped out of the general election on August 11, 2017, after it was reported that he had falsified his education credentials. He was replaced by Makee.

This district is a Race to Watch because the incumbent won less than 55 percent of the vote in 2015 and did not file to run in 2017. Moreover, the presidential candidate of the opposite party won the district in 2016 by more than 20 points. Incumbent Mark Dudenhefer (R) was first elected in 2011, but was defeated by Democrat Michael Futrell in 2013. Dudenhefer won the seat back in 2015 by 1.1 points and opted not to run for re-election in 2017. District 2 was one of 51 Virginia House districts that Democrat Hillary Clinton won in the 2016 presidential election. Clinton carried District 2 by 20.4 points. Democrat Barack Obama won District 2 in the 2012 presidential election by 19.2 points. As of 2017, District 2 covered parts of Prince William County and parts of Stafford County. In August 2017, Republican primary winner Laquan Austion dropped out of the general election after it was reported that he had falsified his education credentials. He was replaced by Mike Makee.

Jennifer Foy defeated Joshua King in the Virginia House of Delegates District 2 Democratic primary.

Laquan Austion ran unopposed in the Virginia House of Delegates District 2 Republican primary.

2015

Elections for the office of Virginia House of Delegates 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. Joshua King was unopposed in the Democratic primary. Mark Dudenhefer defeated Timothy Ciampaglio in the Republican primary. Dudenhefer defeated King in the general election.

2013

Elections for the office of Virginia House of Delegates consisted of a primary election on June 11, 2013, and a general election on November 5, 2013. Democrat Michael Futrell defeated Republican incumbent Mark Dudenhefer in the general election. Both candidates were unopposed in the primary elections.

Campaign contributions

Since 2001, candidates for Virginia House of Delegates District 2 have raised a total of $520,939. Candidates who raised money in contributions earned $65,117 on average. All figures come from Follow the Money.