Randy Forbes | |
---|---|
Member of the U.S.HouseofRepresentatives from Virginia's 4th district | |
In office June 26, 2001 [1] –January 3, 2017 | |
Preceded by | Norman Sisisky |
Succeeded by | Donald McEachin |
Member of the Virginia Senate from the 14th district | |
In office January 6,1998 –June 19,2001 | |
Preceded by | Mark Earley |
Succeeded by | Harry Blevins |
Member of the VirginiaHouseofDelegates from the 78th district | |
In office January 10,1990 –January 5,1998 | |
Preceded by | Frederick Creekmore |
Succeeded by | Harry Blevins |
Chair of the Virginia Republican Party | |
In office June 1996 –December 2000 | |
Preceded by | Patrick McSweeney |
Succeeded by | Gary R. Thomson |
Personal details | |
Born | James Randy Forbes February 17,1952 Chesapeake,Virginia,U.S. |
Political party | Republican |
Spouse | Shirley Forbes |
Children | 4 |
Education | Randolph-Macon College (B.A.) University of Virginia (J.D.) |
James Randy Forbes (born February 17,1952) is an American politician. A member of the Republican Party,he was the U.S. representative for Virginia's 4th congressional district ,serving from 2001 to 2017.
Prior to joining the United States Congress,he was a member of the Virginia House of Delegates,Virginia State Senate,and Chairman of the Republican Party of Virginia. Forbes formerly served as Chairman of the Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee of the House Armed Services Committee.
During the Donald Trump administration,Forbes was reviewed as a prospective choice for Secretary of the Navy. [2] Forbes campaigned for Trump in the 2016 presidential election. Forbes was passed over twice for the first-round and second round nominations of Secretary of the Navy. [3] [4]
Forbes served as a senior distinguished fellow at the U.S. Naval War College from February through December 2017. [5]
Forbes was born in Chesapeake,Virginia,the son of Thelma and Malcolm J. Forbes. [6] Forbes attended Great Bridge High School,graduating in 1970. Forbes graduated first in his class from Randolph-Macon College in 1974.
He received his Juris Doctor from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1977. Forbes worked in private practice for Kaufman &Canoles PC. [7]
Forbes served in the Virginia House of Delegates from 1989 to 1997 and the Virginia State Senate from 1997 to 2001. He also served as chairman of the Republican Party of Virginia from 1996 to 2001.
He was first elected to the House in 2001 to fill a vacancy caused by the death of ten-term Democratic Congressman Norman Sisisky;defeating Democratic State Senator Louise Lucas 52–48%. [8] After the 4th district was reconfigured as part of redistricting,he ran unopposed by Democrats in 2002 and 2006. In 2004,he faced Jonathan R. Menefee,and won with 65% of the vote. [9] He faced Wynne LeGrow in the 2010 election,and was easily re-elected with 62% of the vote. In 2012,he defeated Chesapeake City Councilwoman Ella Ward with 57% of the vote. [10]
Forbes was the founder and chairman of the Congressional Prayer Caucus and the Congressional China Caucus. He championed a plan to rebuild the Navy to 350 ships as chairman of the House Seapower Subcommittee.
On February 8,2016,he announced that he would run for election to Virginia's 2nd Congressional District in November 2016 after a court-ordered redistricting saw the 4th absorb most of the majority-black areas around Richmond. The new map turned the 4th from a Republican-leaning swing district into a strongly Democratic district. He did so while at the same time announcing that he would continue to live in Chesapeake,which remained in the 4th;members of the House are only constitutionally required to live in the state they represent. Forbes stated that his seniority gave him a chance to become the first Virginian to chair the House Armed Services Committee. The 2nd District was being vacated by fellow Republican Scott Rigell. [11]
Forbes accused state Delegate and former U.S. Navy SEAL,Scott Taylor,of criminal activity for speeding violations and missing a court appearance,including a scheduled hearing when Taylor was deployed with the Navy. [12] On June 14,2016,Forbes was defeated in the Republican primary by Scott Taylor by a margin of 52.5% to 40.6%,with a third candidate,C. Pat Cardwell IV,receiving 6.8% of the vote. Taylor went on to win the general election on November 8,2016. [13]
Forbes received $801,606 in campaign financing from donors in the defense industry during his tenure in Congress. [14] The largest donors to Forbes over his Congressional career have been defense contractors serving the U.S. Navy for aviation and ship construction,including Northrop Grumman,BAE Systems,Leidos and Huntington Ingalls. [15]
After leaving Congress in 2017,Forbes joined the Government Law &Policy Practice’s Federal team at Greenberg Traurig as a senior director. [16]
Forbes founded the Congressional Prayer Caucus in 2005 and co-chaired the caucus with Senator James Lankford. [17] [18]
Forbes was formerly Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee's Seapower and Projection Forces subcommittee.
In 2013, Forbes publicly opposed military action in both Libya and Syria. [19] In 2014, he promised to promote President Obama's call for funds for action in Syria. [20]
In 2014, Forbes voted to address cuts imposed by sequestration with a $1.4 billion cut to operations, maintenance, and training funds, rather than mothballing 11 cruisers and three amphibious warships. [21]
Forbes was founder and chairman of the Congressional China Caucus. [22] Forbes spoke a panel discussion at Harvard University in the April 2012 on U.S. strategy to China's world power emergence. [23] Forbes has voiced concern for Chinese military ambition, cyber threats, contaminated exports, and human rights violations. His reputation came under scrutiny with the acquisition in 2013 of America's largest pork company, Smithfield Foods, by a Chinese competitor – a company headquartered within his district. This $4.7 billion deal is the biggest Chinese acquisition of a U.S. company to date. [24]
On June 12, 2008, Forbes introduced H.R. 6260, titled "New Manhattan Project for Energy Independence". The bill was offered as a substitute for the entire energy bill and outlined a series of prizes, similar to the X-PRIZE, which would be awarded to a private entity, which completed one of seven tasks related to achieving energy independence.
The bill included $14 billion in prizes and $10 billion in grants ($10 billion of which would have supported nuclear fusion research); provisions to establish a summit to discuss the challenge of energy independence; and creation of a commission to offer recommendations to fulfill the goal of becoming energy independent within 20 years. On June 26, 2009, the bill was offered as an amendment in the nature of a substitute for the Waxman/Markey-sponsored American Clean Energy and Security Act. The amendment was rejected by the House of Representatives 255–172. [25]
In 2015, Forbes cosponsored a resolution to amend the US constitution to ban same-sex marriage. [26]
Year | Democratic | Votes | Pct | Republican | Votes | Pct | 3rd Party | Party | Votes | Pct | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2000 | Norman Sisisky ** | 189,787 | 99% | (no candidate) | Write-ins | 2,108 | 1% | ||||||
2001 | Louise Lucas | 65,190 | 48% | J. Randy Forbes | 70,917 | 52% | |||||||
2002 | (no candidate) | J. Randy Forbes | 108,733 | 98% | Write-ins | 2,308 | 2% | ||||||
2004 | Jonathan R. Menefee | 100,413 | 35% | J. Randy Forbes | 182,444 | 64% | |||||||
2006 | (no candidate) | J. Randy Forbes | 150,967 | 76% | Albert P. Burckard, Jr. | Independent Green | 46,487 | 23% | |||||
2008 | Andrea Miller | 135,041 | 40% | J. Randy Forbes | 199,075 | 60% | |||||||
2010 | Wynne LeGrow | 74,298 | 38% | J. Randy Forbes | 122,659 | 62% | |||||||
2012 | Ella Ward | 150,190 | 43% | J. Randy Forbes | 199,292 | 57% | |||||||
2014 | Elliot Fausz | 75,270 | 38% | J. Randy Forbes | 120,684 | 60% | Bo Brown | Libertarian | 4,427 | 2% | |||
2016 | Scott Taylor | 21,406 | 53% | J. Randy Forbes | 16,552 | 41% | Pat Cardwell | Republican | 2,773 | 7% |
*Write-in and minor candidate notes: In 2004, write-ins received 170 votes. In 2006, write-ins received 886 votes. In 2008, write-ins received 405 votes. In 2010, write-ins received 432 votes. In 2014, write-ins received 257 votes.
** Sisisky died on March 29, 2001; Forbes won the 2001 special election to fill out the remainder of his term.
Michael Dean Crapo is an American lawyer and politician serving as the senior United States senator from Idaho, a seat he has held since 1999. A member of the Republican Party, Crapo served as the U.S. representative for Idaho's 2nd congressional district from 1993 to 1999. He is the dean of Idaho's congressional delegation, having served since 1993.
Alexander Mann "Ander" Crenshaw is an American banker, attorney, and politician who served as the U.S. representative for Florida's 4th congressional district from 2001 to 2017. He is a member of the Republican Party. Crenshaw retired from Congress when his term ended on January 3, 2017.
Robert William Goodlatte is an American politician, attorney, and lobbyist who served in the United States House of Representatives representing Virginia's 6th congressional district for 13 terms. A Republican, he was also the Chair of the House Judiciary Committee, which has jurisdiction over legislation affecting the federal courts, administrative agencies, and federal law enforcement entities. Goodlatte's district covered Roanoke and also included Lexington, Lynchburg, Harrisonburg, and Staunton.
Kenneth Michael Conaway is an American politician who was the U.S. representative for Texas's 11th congressional district from 2005 to 2021. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district Conaway represented is located in West Texas and includes Midland, Odessa, San Angelo, Brownwood, and Granbury. Conaway led the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections after the Intelligence Committee chair, Devin Nunes, recused himself. Aside from serving as the chair of the House Ethics Committee, he served as the chair of the House Agriculture Committee, and later its ranking member. Conaway indicated in July 2019 that he would not be seeking reelection. Conaway was succeeded by fellow Republican August Pfluger.
Randall Mark Hultgren is an American politician who served as the U.S. representative for Illinois's 14th congressional district from 2011 to 2019. He is a member of the Republican Party.
Mark Eugene Amodei is an American lawyer and politician serving as the U.S. representative for Nevada's 2nd congressional district since 2011. The only Republican in Nevada's congressional delegation since 2019, Amodei served in the Nevada Assembly from 1997 to 1999 and in the Nevada Senate, representing the Capital District, from 1999 to 2011.
Robert Joseph Wittman is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for Virginia's 1st congressional district since 2007. The district contains portions of the Richmond suburbs and Hampton Roads area, as well as the Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula. He is a member of the Republican Party.
Gerald Edward Connolly is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for Virginia's 11th congressional district, first elected in 2008. The district is anchored in Fairfax County, an affluent suburban county west of Washington, D.C. It includes all of Fairfax City and part of Prince William County. Connolly is a Democrat.
Glenn Carlyle Nye III is an American politician who was the U.S. representative for Virginia's 2nd congressional district from 2009 to 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party. He was defeated in his attempt to attain re-election on November 2, 2010. The district included all of Virginia Beach and the Eastern Shore, as well as parts of Norfolk and Hampton.
John Warren Bergman is an American politician and retired United States Marine Corps lieutenant general serving as the U.S. representative from Michigan's 1st congressional district since 2017. He is a member of the Republican Party. He served as commanding general of the Marine Forces Reserve and the Marine Forces North. He also served as a naval aviator, flying rotary-winged aircraft such as the CH-46 and UH-1, as well as fixed-wing aircraft such as the T-28 and KC-130.
William Troy Balderson is an American politician and businessman serving as the U.S. representative from Ohio's 12th congressional district since 2018. He served as an Ohio state senator representing the 20th district from 2011 until his election to Congress. A member of the Republican Party, he was a member of the Ohio House of Representatives from 2009 to 2011.
Todd Christopher Young is an American attorney and politician serving as the senior United States senator from Indiana, a seat he has held since 2017. A member of the Republican Party, Young previously served as the U.S. representative for Indiana's 9th congressional district. He was elected to the United States Senate in the November 8, 2016, general election, succeeding retiring Republican Dan Coats. From 2019 to 2021, he served as the chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee. Young was reelected in 2022.
Susan Lynn Brooks is an American prosecutor and politician. She is a Republican and the former U.S. Representative for Indiana's 5th congressional district. She was elected in 2012. The district includes the northern fifth of Indianapolis, as well as many of the city's affluent northern and eastern suburbs. Brooks served as the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana from 2001 to 2007.
David Alan Trott is an American attorney and retired politician who served as the U.S. representative from Michigan's 11th congressional district from 2015 to 2019. He is a member of the Republican Party.
Carol Miller is an American farmer, educator, and politician who has represented West Virginia's 1st congressional district since 2019. The district, numbered as the 3rd district from 2019 to 2023, covers the southern half of the state, including Huntington, Charleston, Bluefield, and Beckley.
Ralph Lee Abraham Jr. is an American veterinarian, physician, and politician who served as the U.S. representative for Louisiana's 5th congressional district from 2015 to 2021. A member of the Republican Party, he is a native and resident of Alto, Louisiana.
James Varni Panetta is an American lawyer, politician, and former Navy intelligence officer from the state of California. A member of the Democratic Party, he is the U.S. representative for California's 19th congressional district. Formerly his district was numbered the 20th congressional district. His current district includes southeast San Jose and much of California's Central Coast, including Monterey, Santa Cruz, Carmel-by-the-Sea, and Paso Robles to the south. Panetta was first elected in 2016, after working as a deputy district attorney for Monterey County. He is the son of former Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, and holds the same congressional seat his father once held.
Dustin Michael Johnson is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for South Dakota's at-large congressional district since 2019. A member of the Republican Party, he served as South Dakota Public Utilities Commissioner from 2005 to 2011, when he was appointed chief of staff to Governor Dennis Daugaard, a position he held until 2014. Between his state political career and congressional service, Johnson was the vice president of Vantage Point Solutions in Mitchell, South Dakota.
Michael George Glen Waltz is an American politician and a colonel in the United States Army serving as the U.S. representative for Florida's 6th congressional district. A member of the Republican Party, he was first elected in 2018 and succeeded Ron DeSantis, who went on to be elected the 46th governor of Florida in 2018.
Bryan George Steil is an American attorney, businessman, and Republican politician from Janesville, Wisconsin. He is a member of the United States House of Representatives, representing Wisconsin's 1st congressional district since 2019. In the 118th Congress, he is chair of the House Administration Committee. Prior to his election to Congress, he served as a member of the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents.