Bob Marshall (Virginia politician) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bob Marshall
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Marshall in 2012
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| Member of the Virginia House of Delegates from the 13th district |
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| In office January 8, 1992 – January 10, 2018 |
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| Preceded by | Joan H. Munford |
| Succeeded by | Danica Roem |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Robert Gerald Marshall
May 3, 1944 Takoma Park, Maryland, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Catherine Ann Fonseca |
| Children | 5 |
| Residence | Manassas, Virginia |
| Alma mater | Montgomery College (AA) Belmont Abbey College (BA) California State University, Northridge (MA) |
| Signature |  |
Robert 'Bob' Marshall (born May 3, 1944) is an American businessman and former politician. He was a member of the Republican Party. For many years, he served in the Virginia House of Delegates. This group of lawmakers helps create laws for the state of Virginia. He represented the 13th District, covering parts of Prince William County and Loudoun County. He was known for proposing certain bills that sparked public discussion. In 2017, he lost his election to Danica Roem. She became the first openly transgender person elected to a state legislature in the United States.
In 2008 and 2012, Marshall also ran for a seat in the United States Senate. This is a higher level of government. He did not win these elections.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Bob Marshall received his education from several colleges. He attended Montgomery College, Belmont Abbey College, and California State University, Northridge. He is a member of the All Saints Catholic Church in Manassas, Virginia. His sister is the actress Paula Marshall.
Serving in the Virginia House of Delegates
Elections for the House of Delegates
In 1991, Bob Marshall first ran for the 13th District seat. The district boundaries had changed, so the seat was open. Marshall won against Democrat Dale Reynolds. He won with 58% of the votes.
After his first win, Marshall was challenged in almost every election. He won most of them easily. In 2003, he ran without anyone opposing him. He continued to win elections until 2017. In that year, he lost to Danica Roem.
Working with House Republican Leaders
In 2007, Marshall shared his concerns about the Republican leaders in the House of Delegates. He felt they were allowing government spending to increase too much. He also thought they made important decisions secretly. He believed they did not include other lawmakers enough. Other legislators said Marshall was the only one who voted for his concerns.
Key Actions and Topics
Immigration Discussions
In 2007, Marshall was part of the Virginia Commission on Immigration. State Senator John Watkins was voted as the new chairman. Marshall initially did not want to give up his temporary leadership role. Other members had to take the gavel from him.
Laws About Marriage
In 2004, Marshall supported a law called the "Affirmation of Marriage Act." This law said that Virginia would only recognize marriage between one man and one woman. It also stated that Virginia did not have to recognize same-sex marriages from other states. This law was signed in April 2004.
In 2005, Marshall also helped create the Marshall-Newman Amendment. This was a change to the state constitution. It banned same-sex marriage, civil unions, and domestic partnerships in Virginia. Voters approved this amendment in 2006.
However, in 2015, the United States Supreme Court made a ruling. They said that banning same-sex marriage was against the U.S. Constitution. After this, Virginia laws were changed to allow same-sex marriage.
Military Service and Policies
In 2010, a federal law called "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" was ended. This law had prevented openly gay people from serving in the military. After this, Marshall proposed a bill in Virginia. His bill would have banned openly gay people from serving in the Virginia National Guard.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) in Virginia disagreed with this bill. They said it would be unconstitutional. Virginia's Governor Bob McDonnell also opposed the bill. He said that Virginia's National Guard should follow the same rules as the rest of the U.S. military.
Taxes and Public Spending
In 2006, a law was passed to help fund transportation projects. This law allowed regions like Northern Virginia to raise money for roads and transit. Marshall strongly disagreed with this law. He felt it created new government groups that were not directly elected. He argued these groups could raise taxes without enough public accountability.
Marshall then led an effort to challenge this law in court. He argued that the state constitution did not allow unelected groups to impose taxes. In 2008, the Supreme Court of Virginia agreed with Marshall. They ruled that the law was unconstitutional. This decision surprised many people and stopped the new way of funding transportation.
School Safety and Guns
After a sad school shooting in 2012, Marshall proposed new legislation. He suggested that teachers or school staff should be allowed to carry hidden handguns in public schools. This was meant to help protect students and staff.
Committee Work
During his time in the House of Delegates, Marshall served on several important committees:
- House Finance Committee
- House Counties, Cities, and Towns Committee
- House Science and Technology Committee
Running for U.S. Senate
2008 Senate Race
On January 7, 2008, Marshall announced he would run for the United States Senate. He was seeking the seat being left open by John Warner. He ran against former Governor Jim Gilmore for the Republican nomination. Gilmore won the nomination by a very small margin. He received just 66 more votes than Marshall.
2012 Senate Race
In January 2012, Marshall decided to run for the U.S. Senate again. He was seeking the seat held by Jim Webb, who was retiring. Marshall formally announced his campaign on January 16, 2012. He said he believed he could win against Tim Kaine, the likely Democratic candidate. However, Marshall lost in the Republican primary election. He finished third out of four candidates.
Running for U.S. House of Representatives
In February 2014, Marshall decided to run for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. This was for the 10th District, as the current representative, Frank Wolf, was retiring. Marshall lost in the Republican primary election. Barbara Comstock won the primary with 54% of the votes. Marshall came in second place.
Personal Life
Bob Marshall is married to Catherine Ann Fonseca. They have five children together. Their names are Teresa, Christopher, Mary Clare, Joseph, and Thomas.
Images for kids
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Bob Marshall's signature
