RK ARCHIVE - New Senate Committee Chairs: More Women, Minorities

Bob Gibson of the Daily Progress reports on several new chairs of State Senate committees. According to the article, "The most visible difference will be the elevation of women and four black senators into committee chairs." Here's how leadership of several committees will most likely change:

Agriculture, Conservation, and Natural Resources
Current Chair: Charles R. Hawkins (19th)
Next Chair: Patsy Ticer (30th)

Commerce and Labor
Current Chair: William C. Wampler, Jr. (40th)
Next Chair: Richard L. Saslaw (35th)

Courts of Justice
Current Chair: Kenneth W. Stolle (8th)
Next Chair: Henry L. Marsh III (16th)

Education and Health
Current Chair: H. Russell Potts, Jr. (27th)
Next Chair: R. Edward Houck (17th)

Finance
Current Chair: John H. Chichester (28th)
Next Chair: Charles J. Colgan (29th)

General Laws and Technology
Current Chair: Walter A. Stosch (12th)
Next Chair: Mamie E. Locke (2nd)

Local Government
Current Chair: Frederick M. Quayle (13th)
Next Chair: L. Louise Lucas (18th)

Privileges and Elections
Current Chair: Stephen H. Martin (11th)
Next Chair: Janet D. Howell (32nd)

Rehabilitation and Social Services
Current Chair: Emmett W. Hanger, Jr. (24th)
Next Chair: Linda T. "Toddy" Puller (36th)

Rules
Current Chair: Thomas K. Norment, Jr. (3rd)
Next Chair: Mary Margaret Whipple (31st)

Transportation
Current Chair: Martin E. Williams(1st)
Next Chair: Yvonne B. Miller 5th)

Comments

Needs some Southwest Virginians (DanG - 11/10/2007 11:43:02 AM)

John Edwards, Roscoe Reynolds, Phil Puckett. We need some of these guys at the chairs to even out state represntation. We do NOT want to be JUST the party of Richmond and NoVA.

Diversity (Johnny Longtorso - 11/10/2007 12:54:34 PM)

I count seven women among the Democratic Senators.

Republicans? One -- Jill Holtzman Vogel.

There are also five African-American Senators -- all Democrats, of course. (Three of these are women.)

Sadly, no Asian-American or Latino Senators, nor any LGBT Senators.

The GOP is a nearly monolithic (Lowell - 11/10/2007 1:19:09 PM)

white, male, heterosexual (well, at least outwardly...Larry Craig, cough cough) Christian party. Democrats reflect the full mosaic of America, but even Dems have a ways to go.

True (Ron1 - 11/10/2007 2:37:19 PM)

It seems to be much harder to get women candidates across the finish line in general. Obviously we barely missed with Oleszek, and also with Schultz (granted to another woman).

This was a problem in '06 too, with many women not quite making it. Hopefully we can get Judy and maybe Leslie into Congress next year to improve the NoVa delegation (in so many ways).

SWVA Chairs (Isaac Sarver - 11/10/2007 2:31:32 PM)

I wouldn't mind seeing at least a few more Southwest Virginians on as committee chairs. By the way Lowell, you omitted Agriculture, Conservation, and Natural Resources.

Good point, thanks. (Lowell - 11/10/2007 8:24:36 PM)

I don't believe that committee chair has been selected yet, btw.

No one from SW our Southside... (MikeSizemore - 11/22/2007 8:47:11 PM)

Hmmm...

...and not to doubt her abilities, but our new Ag, Conservation and Natural Resources chair is from one of the more urban districts in the Commonwealth.

Not quite sure how I feel about all of this.

Upset with some of the choices (DanG - 11/23/2007 12:47:07 AM)

I feel that SWVA and Southside have less representation than Richmond and NoVA.