Lee Ware | |
|---|---|
 Ware in 2013 | |
| Member of theVirginia House of Delegates | |
| Assumed office January 16, 1998 | |
| Preceded by | John Watkins |
| Constituency |
|
| Personal details | |
| Born | Robert Lee Ware Jr. (1952-08-20)August 20, 1952 (age 73) Fitchburg, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Party | Republican |
| Spouse | Kathleen Annette Nulton |
| Children | 4 |
| Residence | Powhatan County, Virginia |
| Education | Wheaton College (BA) |
| Occupation |
|
| Signature |  |
| Website | www |
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Robert Lee Ware Jr. (born August 20, 1952) is anAmerican politician representingVirginia's 72nd House of Delegates district. He was first elected to theVirginia House of Delegates in 1998, representing the65th district. He is a member of theRepublican Party.[1]
Ware was born inFitchburg, Massachusetts. He received a B.A. degree in history and literature fromWheaton College in 1974 and pursued graduate studies in the same subjects atHarvard University, Asbury Seminary, Northeastern University, Longwood University, and Virginia Commonwealth University.[2]
Ware moved to Powhatan, Virginia as editor of the weekly newspaper thePowhatan Gazette, where he worked between 1981-1984.
Starting in 1984, Ware taught history and government atPowhatan 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 aRoman Catholic and has four children: Karen, Rob, Thomas, and Jeb.
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Ware has served on the House committees on:[4]
His current Committee Membership assignments include:
His current Subcommittee Membership assignments include:[5]
Ware also serves by appointment on several commissions, including:
He is a member of:[2]
Ware is the former chairman of the House Finance Committee.[6]
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]
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Ware served two terms on thePowhatan County Board of Supervisors, 1988–1996. He was board chairman for one year.[1][11]
On December 17, 1997, state SenatorJoseph B. Benedetti resigned his seat to accept Governor-electJim Gilmore's offer to become head of the state Department of Criminal Justice Services. 65th district DelegateJohn Watkins was chosen to succeed Benedetti in aspecial election on January 6, 1998. On January 13, the day before theVirginia 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 | |||||
| January 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 | |||||
| November 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 | |||
| November 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 | |||
| November 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 | |||
| November 8, 2005[17] | General | R. Lee Ware Jr. | Republican | 23,851 | 96.88 |
| Write Ins | 768 | 3.12 | |||
| November 6, 2007[18] | General | R. Lee Ware Jr. | Republican | 14,944 | 98.02 |
| Write Ins | 301 | 1.97 | |||
| November 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 | |||
| November 8, 2011[20] | General | R. Lee Ware Jr. | Republican | 14,991 | 97.59 |
| Write Ins | 369 | 2.40 | |||
| November 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 | |||
| November 3, 2015[22] | General | R. Lee Ware Jr. | Republican | 19,842 | 97.31 |
| Write Ins | 548 | 2.69 | |||
| November 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 | |||
| November 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 | |||
