Mark Warner facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mark Warner
Official portrait, 2025
United States Senator from Virginia
Incumbent
Assumed office January 3, 2009 Serving with Tim Kaine
Preceded by	John Warner
Senate positions Vice Chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee Incumbent Assumed office January 3, 2025 Preceded by Marco Rubio In office January 3, 2017 – February 3, 2021 Preceded by Dianne Feinstein Succeeded by Marco Rubio Chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee In office February 3, 2021 – January 3, 2025 Preceded by Marco Rubio (acting) Succeeded by Tom Cotton Vice Chair of the Senate Democratic Caucus Incumbent Assumed office January 3, 2017 Serving with Elizabeth Warren Leader Chuck Schumer Preceded by Chuck Schumer
Chair of the National Governors Association
In office July 20, 2004 – July 18, 2005
Preceded by	Dirk Kempthorne
Succeeded by	Mike Huckabee
69th Governor of Virginia
In office January 12, 2002 – January 14, 2006
Lieutenant	Tim Kaine
Preceded by	Jim Gilmore
Succeeded by	Tim Kaine
Chair of the Democratic Party of Virginia
In office May 4, 1993 – September 18, 1995
Preceded by	Paul Goldman
Succeeded by	Suzie Wrenn
Personal details
Born	Mark Robert Warner (1954-12-15) December 15, 1954 (age 70) Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Lisa Collis ​ (m. 1989)​
Children	3
Education	George Washington University (BA) Harvard University (JD)
Signature
Website

Mark Robert Warner (born December 15, 1954) is an American businessman and politician. He is currently a U.S. Senator for Virginia, a role he has held since 2009. Before becoming a senator, Warner was the 69th governor of Virginia from 2002 to 2006. He is a member of the Democratic Party.

Senator Warner holds important positions in the Senate. He is the vice chair of the Senate Democratic Caucus. He also serves as the vice chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee. This committee deals with important national security matters.

In 2006, many people thought Warner might run for president. However, he decided not to, saying he wanted to focus on his family. He later gave a main speech at the 2008 Democratic National Convention. He was also considered as a possible vice presidential candidate.

Warner was elected to the Senate in 2008. He was reelected in 2014 and 2020. He became Virginia's senior senator in 2013. Before entering politics, Warner worked in the telecommunications business. He helped start several technology companies. He is known for being one of the wealthiest members of Congress.

Early Life and Education

Mark Warner was born in Indianapolis, Indiana. His parents were Marjorie and Robert F. Warner. He has a younger sister named Lisa. He grew up in Illinois and then in Vernon, Connecticut. He graduated from Rockville High School.

Inspiration for Politics

Warner has said his eighth-grade social studies teacher, Jim Tyler, inspired him. This teacher encouraged him to work for social and political change. Warner was the class president in high school. He also hosted weekly basketball games at his house.

College and Early Work

Warner was the first in his family to go to college. He graduated from George Washington University (GWU) in 1977. He earned a bachelor's degree in political science. He was a top student, graduating with a perfect grade point average. While at GWU, he worked on Capitol Hill to pay for his studies. He rode his bike to the office of U.S. Senator Abraham Ribicoff.

During his sophomore year, Warner took time off from school. He worked as a youth coordinator for Ella Grasso's successful campaign for governor in Connecticut. After returning to Washington, he worked part-time for then-Representative Chris Dodd. He later managed Dodd's campaign for the Senate.

Law School and Career Start

Warner then attended Harvard Law School. He earned his law degree in 1980. He also coached the law school's first women's basketball team. After law school, he worked for the Democratic Party in Atlanta. Warner has never practiced law as a lawyer.

Early Career and Business

Before his political career, Warner started two businesses that were not successful. He then became a general contractor for cellular businesses and investors. He founded and managed Columbia Capital, a venture capital firm. This firm helped start or invested early in many technology companies, including Nextel.

He also co-founded Capital Cellular Corporation in 1989. He used his knowledge of federal telecommunications law to trade parts of cellular spectrum. Through these ventures, he built up a significant amount of wealth.

State Involvement

Warner became involved in public efforts in Virginia. He focused on areas like health care, transportation, and education. He managed Douglas Wilder's successful campaign for governor in 1989. He also served as the chairman of the state Democratic Party from 1993 to 1995. In the early 1990s, he was part of the Virginia Commonwealth Transportation Board.

1996 Senate Race

In 1996, Warner ran for the U.S. Senate. He ran against the Republican incumbent, John Warner (they are not related). Mark Warner did very well in rural areas of the state. This made the election much closer than many people expected. However, he lost to the incumbent.

Governor of Virginia

2001 Election

Then-Gov. Mark Warner as the state commander in chief of the Virginia Army National Guard and Virginia Air National Guard

In 2001, Mark Warner ran for governor of Virginia. He ran as a moderate Democrat. He had spent years building support in rural Virginia. His opponents were Republican Mark Earley and Libertarian William B. Redpath. Warner won the election with 52.16 percent of the votes. He also had a lot more money for his campaign.

Time as Governor

When Warner became governor in 2002, he used a special fund of $900 million. This fund was left by the previous governor, Jim Gilmore. Warner had supported increasing sales taxes in some parts of Virginia to pay for transportation. However, voters rejected these tax increases.

In 2004, Warner worked with lawmakers from both parties. They changed the state's tax code. They lowered some taxes, like food and income taxes. They also increased sales and cigarette taxes. Warner said these changes helped the state's financial health. They also allowed for a large investment in K-12 education.

Impact on College Sports

As governor, Warner also had an impact on college sports. In 2003, he used his power to influence the Atlantic Coast Conference. He wanted them to add Virginia Tech to their group. He succeeded in getting Virginia Tech added.

Warner speaking in Philadelphia, May 2006

Warner's popularity helped Democrats gain seats in the Virginia House of Delegates. He chaired the National Governors Association from 2004 to 2005. He also led a national effort to improve high schools. In 2005, Virginia received high ratings for how well it was managed. This led Warner to call Virginia "the best managed state in the nation."

Warner with Virginia House of Delegates minority leader Ward Armstrong (left) and then-U.S. Senator Jim Webb (right), November 4, 2007

The Virginia Constitution does not allow a governor to serve two terms in a row. So, Warner could not run for reelection in 2005. He supported Tim Kaine, who was the Lieutenant Governor. Kaine won the election. Warner left office with high approval ratings from the public.

U.S. Senate

2008 Election

Warner accepts the nomination as the Democratic candidate for the Senate.

In 2007, Mark Warner announced he would run for the U.S. Senate. He was running for the seat being left by the retiring John Warner (no relation). Mark Warner quickly gained support from many Democrats. He was far ahead of his Republican opponent, Jim Gilmore, who was also a former Virginia governor.

Warner delivers the keynote address during the second day of the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colorado.

Warner gave the main speech at the 2008 Democratic National Convention. In the November election, Warner won against Gilmore with 65% of the votes. This was a very large victory. Virginia had two Democratic U.S. senators for the first time in many years.

Later Elections

In 2014, Warner ran for reelection. He won against Ed Gillespie, but the race was much closer than expected. In 2020, Warner was reelected again. He defeated Republican Daniel Gade with 56% of the vote.

Senate Work

When Warner joined the Senate in 2009, he was appointed to important committees. These included the Banking, Budget, and Commerce committees. In 2011, he was also named to the Senate Intelligence Committee.

In 2009, Warner voted for the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. This was a bill to help the economy. He worked to make sure the government could track how the money was being spent.

President Barack Obama and Tim Kaine listen to Senator Warner, aboard Air Force One, July 13, 2012.

In 2012, some people suggested Warner should leave the Senate to run for governor again. However, Warner decided to stay in the Senate. He said he wanted to find solutions to the country's financial problems. On January 3, 2013, Warner became Virginia's senior senator. This happened when Jim Webb left the Senate.

Warner's official portrait, 2010

Warner is known for working with members of both political parties. He tries to find common ground and make compromises in the Senate. He has been recognized as one of the most bipartisan members of the U.S. Senate.

Committee Assignments

As of 2025, Senator Warner serves on several key committees:

• Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
• Committee on the Budget
• Committee on Finance
• Committee on Rules and Administration
• Select Committee on Intelligence (where he is the Vice Chairman)
• Joint Committee on the Library

Political Views

Health Care

Senator Mark Warner (D-VA) meets with constituents in 2017.

Warner voted for the 2010 Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare. He helped the bill pass in the Senate. He also worked to add changes to the bill to help control health care costs.

Economy and Finance

Warner has worked to improve the country's financial health. He worked with a Republican senator, Bob Corker, on a part of the Dodd-Frank Act. This act aims to prevent taxpayers from having to bail out large financial companies. They received an award for their bipartisan work on financial reform.

In 2018, Warner supported a bill to make some banking rules less strict. He believed it would help smaller banks lend money more easily.

Foreign Affairs and Security

Senator Warner before greeting the new King Salman of Saudi Arabia, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, January 27, 2015

Warner has spoken about international issues. In 2015, he criticized some of the bombing in Yemen. In 2017, he voted to support a large arms deal with Saudi Arabia.

Senator Mark Warner speaks at the September 2020 Hospitality Roundtable.

In 2016, Warner signed a letter urging President Obama to veto resolutions against Israel. In 2017, he criticized a decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. He said it could make the region more unstable. In 2017, he voted for sanctions against Iran, Russia, and North Korea.

Technology and Security

In 2018, Warner said that the Chinese company Huawei was a threat to U.S. national security. In 2019, he signed a letter urging action to protect the country's electricity infrastructure from cyber threats. He also supported a bill to prevent Huawei from being easily removed from a list of companies that pose a security risk.

In 2025, Warner co-sponsored the Kids Off Social Media Act (KOSMA). This bill would set a minimum age of 13 to use social media platforms. It would also stop social media companies from showing "algorithmically targeted" content to users under 17.

Defense

Mark Warner's freshman portrait, 2009

In 2011, Warner voted to extend the USA PATRIOT Act. He also worked to fix problems at Arlington National Cemetery. He pushed the Navy to improve housing for military families in Virginia. He also worked to help federal workers get their retirement benefits faster. He helped expand access to PTSD treatment for female military veterans.

Warner received the Navy Distinguished Public Service Award. This is the Navy's highest honor for a civilian. It was given for his support of military families and veterans in Virginia.

Gun Laws

In 2013, Warner voted to expand background checks for gun purchases. He also voted against a ban on certain assault weapons at that time. However, in 2018, he changed his position and has supported similar bans since then. In 2019, he supported a bill to require background checks for all firearm sales.

LGBT Issues

Warner alternate portrait, 2025

Warner supports same-sex marriage. He announced his support in 2013. In 2015, he co-sponsored the Equality Act. This bill aims to prevent discrimination in areas like housing, education, and the workplace.

Minimum Wage

In 2014, the Senate discussed raising the federal minimum wage to $10.10 per hour. Warner said he was willing to work with Republicans on the bill. He believed any increase should be done "in a responsible way."

Government Transparency

In 2009, Warner chaired a group focused on government performance. He helped create the 2010 Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA). This act set goals for federal agencies and made their performance reviews more open.

In 2013, Warner introduced the Digital Accountability and Transparency Act of 2014 (DATA). This law requires federal spending information to be posted online in a clear way. This helps citizens track spending and helps identify waste. The bill passed in both the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Personal Life

Mark Warner is married to Lisa Collis. They have three daughters. In 1989, Warner became very ill during his honeymoon. Doctors found he had a nearly fatal burst appendix. He spent two months recovering in the hospital.

Warner is also involved in farming and winemaking. He grows grapes on his farm in Virginia. These grapes are used to make wine for a local vineyard.

He is not related to John Warner, who was his predecessor in the Senate.

Honorary Degrees

Mark Warner has received several honorary degrees from different universities:

Location	Date	School	Degree
Virginia	2002	College of William and Mary	Doctor of Laws (LL.D)
District of Columbia	2003	George Washington University	Doctor of Public Service (DPS)
North Carolina	May 15, 2006	Wake Forest University	Doctor of Laws (LL.D)
Virginia	2007	Lord Fairfax Community College	Associate of Humane Letters
Virginia	May 20, 2007	Eastern Virginia Medical School	Doctorate
Virginia	May 25, 2013	George Mason University	Doctorate
Virginia	May 19, 2018	Virginia State University	Doctorate
Virginia	May 18, 2024	Virginia Wesleyan University	Doctor of Laws

See also

In Spanish: Mark Warner para niños