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Virginia's 87th House of Delegates district

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District map from the 2023 election

Virginia's 87th House of Delegates district elects one of 100 seats in the Virginia House of Delegates, the lower house of the state's bicameral legislature. District 87 has been represented by Democrat Suhas Subramanyam since 2020.

Elections

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In 2015, John Bell, an Air Force veteran, was elected by a margin of only 320 votes, so this district was considered vulnerable to turnover in 2017.[1] Bell was challenged by the Republican Subba Kolla,[2] who immigrated from India in the 1990s and became a citizen in 2008.[3] Kolla has stated, "I believe that the government that governs least, governs best."[4] Late in the race, both candidates had raised significant funds (Bell $627,000 to Kolla's $524,600 as of November 2, 2017),[5] but Bell defeated Kolla 61.73% to 38.04%.[6]

District officeholders

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Years Delegate Party Electoral history
January 12, 1983

January 10, 1996
Howard Copeland Democratic First elected in 1982
January 10, 1996

January 3, 2005
Thelma Drake Republican Forced to resign; Elected to the US House of Representatives
January 3, 2005

January 11, 2012
Paula Miller Democratic Redistricted out; Unable to run for reelection
January 11, 2012

January 5, 2016
David Ramadan Republican First elected in 2011; Later retired in 2015
January 13, 2016

January 8, 2020
John Bell Democratic First elected in 2015; Elected to the Virginia State Senate in 2019
January 8, 2020

present
Suhas Subramanyam Democratic First elected in 2019

Elections

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Virginia's 87th House of Delegates district election, 2015[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic John Bell (inc.) 8,203 49.87%
Republican Chuong Dong Nguyen 7,883 47.92
Libertarian Brian Suojanen 343 2.08
Write-ins 18 .10%
Turnout 16,447
Democratic gain from Republican Swing

References

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  1. ^ "RESIST: Turn the Virginia House of Delegates Blue in 2017 - this matters to us all". Daily Kos, January 31, 2017.
  2. ^ "Elections: House of Delegates District 87". Virginia Public Access Project.
  3. ^ "South Riding Republican announces campaign for 87th House District seat" Loudoun Times
  4. ^ Renss Greene (February 13, 2017). "Kolla Announces House of Delegates Run". Loudoun Now.
  5. ^ Moore, Jack (November 2, 2017). "Down-ballot drama: 2017 guide to Virginia House of Delegate races". WTOP. Retrieved January 28, 2018.
  6. ^ "2017 November General". results.elections.virginia.gov. Retrieved January 28, 2018.
  7. ^ "2015 House of Delegates General Election District 87th". Virginia Department of Elections.
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