VA has always been considered very conservative. Don't know why. When I was at the U. of Houston, (I forget what course) the prof. said VA was the most cons. state in the nation. His evidence was use of the death penalty, the fact that only in VA did the equal rights amendment never make it out of committee, and something about gun laws.
I lived in North Va. while in the army and have been many times to the very west part of virginia which I know to be conservative. Also the west is ignored by the large populated areas of the east.
Sort of like Illinois, most is conservative farm land and then there is Chicago, or as I like to call it, Craphole.