"Virginia is a blue state," said Stephen Farnsworth, a political science professor at the University of Mary Washington.

Virginia’s economy is, compared to elsewhere in the country, "recession resistant. That makes it an appealing place for people to move when they’re thinking about their futures,” Farnsworth explained. "People move from all over the country – and indeed all over the world – to live and work in Virginia."

US election swing states: Virginia is for… Democrats? (New Statesman)