Senator, Commonwealth of Virginia Senate, District 11, 2024-present

Senator, Commonwealth of Virginia Senate, District 25, 2001-2024

Candidate, Commonwealth of Virginia Senate, District 11, 2023

Candidate, Governor, Commonwealth of Virginia, 2009

Candidate, Attorney General, Commonwealth of Virginia, 2005

Delegate, Commonwealth of Virginia House of Delegates, 1992-2001

Former Member, Commission on Small Business, Commonwealth of Virginia State Senate

Former Member, Commission on Unemployment Compensation, Commonwealth of Virginia House of Delegates

Former Member, Courts of Justice Committee, Commonwealth of Virginia Senate

Former Chair, Democratic Caucus, Commonwealth of Virginia House of Delegates

Former Chair, Subcommittee on Criminal Law, Commonwealth of Virginia State Senate

Former Member, Transportation Committee, Commonwealth of Virginia Senate

Former Member, Work Group on Criminal Justice Diversion, Virginia State Senate

Former Member, Work Group on Service System Structure and Financing, Virginia State Senate

Member, State Water Commission, 2006

Member, Virginia Sesquicentennial, American Civil War Commission, 2006

Commonwealth's Attorney, Bath County, 1987-1991

Member, American Bar Association, present

Member, Bath County Lions Club, present

Treasurer/Board of Trustees, Frontier Culture Museum of Virginia, present

Member/Board of Trustees, Land Conservation Foundation, present

Director, Milboro Ruritan Club, present

Member/Board of Directors, Southwest Virginia Area Health Education Center, present

Member/Advisory Board, Virginia Law Related Education, present

Member, Virginia State Bar, present

Member, Virginia Trial Lawyers Association, present

Member, Western Virginia Public Education Consortium, present

Member, Windy Cove Presbyterian Church, present

Member, Secure Commonwealth Panel, 2006

Favorite Book:

The Omnivore's Dilemma;
All the Kings Men;
Profiles in Courage;
Jacob's Ladder

Favorite Movie:

The Natural;
Field of Dreams

Favorite Quote:

"A leader is a dealer in Hope." Napoleon Bonaparte

"We the people are the boss. In the final analysis we will get the kind of government, be it good or bad, that we demand and deserve." John F. Kennedy

"A nation that destroys its soils destroys itself." Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

"The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have too much... it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little." Franklin Delano Roosevelt

Favorite TV Shows:

The Office;
House;
Monday Night Football

Favorite Type of Music:

Bluegrass;
Country;
Blues;
Little Feat;
The Band;
Johnny Cash;
Bruce Springsteen;
The Rolling Stones;
The Beatles;
Drive-By Truckers;
Neil Young;
The Beach Boys

Reason for Seeking Public Office:

After much thought, I want to announce that I will run for re-election to the State Senate this fall. I am proud of the many things we have been able to accomplish, working together, to protect the most vulnerable, Virginia's children, to conserve Virginia's open space, to rebuild Virginia's economy, and recently to reform our system of mental health care. I will be humbled to ask the voters in the 25th Senatorial District for their votes on November 3rd so that I may continue my work.

One of my primary goals is to ensure the integrity of the electoral process. The past 12 years I have been working to reform the redistricting process, to follow the lead of other states and ensure that voters pick their legislators rather than the elected picking their electorate. I remain dedicated to the idea that we can organically change the way government works by fixing the way district lines are drawn.

Virginia's economy is changing in fundamental ways. Sequestration at the federal level has laid bare our dependence on federal spending and increased our necessity to rebuild, diversify and expand our economy. More than ever, we must invest in infrastructure. We have to build our intellectual infrastructure and continue to prioritize K-12 and higher education so that we develop a workforce to meet the needs of 21st Century businesses and give our citizens the opportunity to live the American dream. In the same vein, we have to continue to improve our transportation network so that people and goods can move from place to place and from farm to market. We have one of the largest state maintained systems of highways in the country. The system must work well throughout Virginia, and we need to continue to explore the expansion of passenger rail.

Finally, I am dedicated to building a system of public mental healthcare that meets the needs of all Virginians. This is an issue that drives me. I am proud of the work that we have accomplished thus far. The changes we have made will result in real change for families who are struggling. However we have only touched the tip of the iceberg. We have so much work to do, and I am committed to achieving meaningful reform. The system has failed too many people.

I look forward to a discussion of the issues and how we move Virginia forward.