Lee Ware

• 65th district (1998–2024)
• 72nd district (2024–present)

Lee Ware
Ware in 2013
Member of the Virginia House of Delegates
Incumbent
Assumed office January 16, 1998
Personal details
Born	Robert Lee Ware Jr. (1952-08-20) August 20, 1952 (age 71) Fitchburg, Massachusetts, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Kathleen Annette Nulton
Children	4
Residence	Powhatan County, Virginia
Education	Wheaton College (BA)
Occupation	Educator politician
Signature
Website	www.delegateleeware.net

Robert Lee Ware Jr. (born August 20, 1952) is an American politician. Since 1998 he has served in the Virginia House of Delegates, representing the 65th district west of Richmond, consisting of the entirety of his home county of Powhatan, the precincts of Skinquarter, Tomahawk, Woolridge, Brandermill, Swift Creek, Evergreen West, Edgewater, Midlothian, Roseland, and Midlothian North in Chesterfield County; the precincts of Fife, Three Square, Sandy Hook, and Goochland Court House 2, in Goochland County; and the precincts of Columbia and Fork Union in Fluvanna County. ^[1] He is a member of the Republican Party. ^[2]

Life, education, career

Ware was born in Fitchburg, Massachusetts. He received a B.A. degree in history and literature from Wheaton College in 1974 and pursued graduate studies in the same subjects at Harvard University, Asbury Seminary, Northeastern University, Longwood University, and Virginia Commonwealth University. ^[1]

Ware moved to Powhatan, Virginia as editor of the weekly newspaper the Powhatan Gazette, where he worked between 1981-1984.

Starting in 1984, Ware taught history and government at Powhatan High School for 15 years. He later taught at Blessed Sacrament Huguenot Academy. In 2012 he became academic dean of Benedictine College Preparatory School ^[3] until his retirement in 2014. Ware is a Roman Catholic and has four children: Karen, Rob, Thomas, and Jeb.

Positions and appointments

Ware has served on the House committees on: ^[4]

• Agriculture (1998–2001)
• Chesapeake and Natural Resources (2002–)
• Claims (1998–1999)
• Commerce and Labor (2002–)
• Conservation and Natural Resources (1998–2001)
• Corporations
• Insurance and Banking (1998–2001)
• Finance (2001–)
• Militia and Police (2000–2001)
• Militia
• Police and Public Safety (2002–2003)
• Mining and Mineral Resources (1998–2000)
• Rules (2010–)

His current Committee Membership assignments include:

• Finance
• Agriculture Chesapeake and Natural Resource
• Commerce and Labor
• Rules

His current Subcommittee Membership assignments include: ^[5]

• Agriculture Chesapeake and Natural Resources - Subcommittee #2
• Finance - Subcommittee #2
• Finance - Subcommittee #3
• Commerce and Labor - Subcommittee #1
• Rules - Subcommittee #1

Ware also serves by appointment on several commissions, including:

• Small Business
• Water
• Health Insurance Reform
• Coal & Energy
• Unemployment Compensation
• Employment Retirement Security and Pension Reform

He is a member of: ^[1]

• Governor’s Advisory Council on Revenue Estimates
• Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation Board of Trustees
• joint subcommittees on Local Government Fiscal Stress and Tax Preferences

Chairman of Finance Committee

Ware is the former Chairman of the House Finance Committee. ^[6]

Opposition to selective ban on Sunday hunting

Ware has historically opposed efforts to lift Virginia's selective ban on Sunday hunting. ^{[7] [8]} In 2014, the General Assembly passed and the Governor signed legislation to permit hunting on Sunday allowing private property owners to choose for their own property, not within 200 yards of church, and no use of hunting deer with hounds. ^[9] This victory was passed by large margin of 71 in favor and the minority at 27 against. ^[10]

Electoral history

Ware served two terms on the Powhatan County Board of Supervisors, 1988–1996. He was board chairman for one year. ^{[2] [11]}

On December 17, 1997, state Senator Joseph B. Benedetti resigned his seat to accept Governor-elect Jim Gilmore's offer to become head of the state Department of Criminal Justice Services. 65th district Delegate John Watkins was chosen to succeed Benedetti in a special election on January 6, 1998. On January 13, the day before the Virginia General Assembly convened, Ware won a special election to replace Watkins. He was sworn in three days later. ^{[12] [13]}

Date	Election	Candidate	Party	Votes	%
Virginia House of Delegates, 65th district
Jan 13, 1998 [13]	Special	R. Lee Ware Jr.	Republican	7,479	65.42
		Edward B. Barber	Democratic	3,550	31.05
		Jeffrey M. Keegan	Independent	396	3.46
		Write Ins		8	0.07
		John Watkins was elected to the Senate; seat stayed Republican
Nov 2, 1999 [14]	General	R. Lee Ware Jr.	Republican	10,183	77.07
		Timothy R. Belton	Independent	3,016	22.83
		Write Ins		13	0.10
Nov 6, 2001 [15]	General	R. Lee Ware Jr.	Republican	18,851	74.93
		Christine K. Lowrie	Democratic	5,802	23.06
		John H. Girardeau III	Libertarian	498	1.98
		Write Ins		7	0.03
Nov 4, 2003 [16]	General	R. Lee Ware Jr.	Republican	10,131	75.12
		Robert E. Williams	Democratic	3,351	24.85
		Write Ins		4	0.03
Nov 8, 2005 [17]	General	R. Lee Ware Jr.	Republican	23,851	96.88
		Write Ins		768	3.12
Nov 6, 2007 [18]	General	R. Lee Ware Jr.	Republican	14,944	98.02
		Write Ins		301	1.97
Nov 3, 2009 [19]	General	R. Lee Ware Jr.	Republican	21,887	71.46
		Gary R. Reinhardt	Independent	8,682	28.34
		Write Ins		56	0.18
Nov 8, 2011 [20]	General	R. Lee Ware Jr.	Republican	14,991	97.59
		Write Ins		369	2.40
Nov 5, 2013 [21]	General	R. Lee Ware Jr.	Republican	19,839	67.60
		William E. Quarles Jr.	Democratic	9,431	32.14
		Write Ins		76	0.26
Nov 3, 2015 [22]	General	R. Lee Ware Jr.	Republican	19,842	97.31
		Write Ins		548	2.69
Nov 7, 2017 [23]	General	R. Lee Ware Jr.	Republican	22,394	64.01
		Francis M. Stevens	Democratic	12,530	35.82
		Write Ins		59	0.17
Nov 5, 2019 [24]	General	R. Lee Ware Jr.	Republican	24,710	65.07
		Michael P. "Mike" Asip	Democratic	13,247	34.89
		Write Ins		16	0.04

Notes

1. "Delegate Lee Ware - About". Delegate Lee Ware - House of Delegates Virginia. Retrieved 2019-08-01.
2. "Bio for R. Lee Ware". Virginia House of Delegates. Retrieved 2013-06-17.
3. Odor, Ken (2013-04-22). "Former Goochland Board of Supervisors chairman to run against Ware for House of Delegates". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved 2013-06-17.
4. "Legislative Information System". Virginia General Assembly. Archived from the original on 1996-12-19. Retrieved 2013-06-17.
5. "Virginia House of Delegates Member Listings". virginiageneralassembly.gov. Retrieved 2019-08-01.
6. "House of Delegates Committees". virginiageneralassembly.gov. Retrieved 2019-08-01.
7. "Sunday hunting bills ... proponents speak out".
8. "Virginia Lawmakers Preserve Ban on Sunday Hunting 2012". Fox News . 26 March 2015.
9. "Hunting on Sundays Law Effective July 1, 2014".
10. "LIS > Bill Tracking > HB1237 > 2014 session".
11. "Delegate Lee Ware ... a Biography ..." Virginia Delegate Lee Ware, 65th District. 2009. Archived from the original on 2007-11-16. Retrieved 2013-06-17. (campaign website)
12. "Election Results- Jan 6 1998 Special Election". Virginia State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on 2012-12-28. Retrieved 2013-06-17.
13. "Election Results- Jan 13 1998 Special Election". Virginia State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on 2012-12-28. Retrieved 2013-06-17.
14. "Election Results - House of Delegates - Nov 1999 Gen Election". Virginia State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on 2012-12-28. Retrieved 2013-06-17.
15. "General Election- November 6, 2001". Virginia State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on December 29, 2012. Retrieved June 17, 2013.
16. "General Election- November 4, 2003". Virginia State Board of Elections. Retrieved 2013-06-17.^{[ dead link ]}
17. "General Election- November 8, 2005". Virginia State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on December 28, 2012. Retrieved June 17, 2013.
18. "November 6, 2007 General Election Official Results". Virginia State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved 2013-06-17.
19. "November 2009 General Election Official Results". Virginia State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2013-06-17.
20. "November 2011 General Election Official Results". Virginia State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2013-06-17.
21. "November 2013 General Election Official Results". Virginia State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on 2015-04-06. Retrieved 2015-01-07.
22. "November 2015 General Election Official Results". Virginia State Board of Elections. Retrieved 2015-11-04.
23. "2017 November General". Virginia State Board of Elections. Retrieved December 13, 2017.
24. "2019 November General".

External links

• "Lee Ware". Virginia Public Access Project. (campaign finance)
• "Delegate Lee Ware (R-Powhatan)". Richmond Sunlight.
• "Election Results". Virginia State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on 2013-04-29.