Senate of Virginia

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The Senate of Virginia is the upper house of the Virginia General Assembly. It is composed of 40 Senators and is presided over by the Lieutenant Governor of Virginia. Prior to Independence, the other part of government was represented by the Governor's Council, a upper house comprised of executive councillors appointed by the Governor as advisors.

The lieutenant governor, unlike the Vice President of the United States in the United States Senate, presides daily over the Virginia Senate. In the lieutenant governor's absence, a president pro tempore presides, usually a powerful member of the majority party. The Senate is coequal with the House of Delegates, the lower chamber of the legislature, except that taxation bills must originate in the House, just like in the U.S. Congress.

Virginia senators are elected every four years by the voters of the several senatorial districts on the Tuesday succeeding the first Monday in November.

The Senate has its own coat of arms granted by the College of Arms in England.

The Seal of the Senate has a shield of armor in the center which is divided into four sections, representing the arms of four countries (England, France, Scotland, and Ireland) that contributed to Virginia's early history. The coats of arms, Queen Elizabeth, and the dragon (part of Elizabethan royal seal of England) represent Virginia's heritage. The ivory gavel represents the Senate as a law making body. The cardinal and dogwood depict are two of our state emblems. The ribbon contains the Latin motto of the Senate, which means "May the Senate of Virginia flourish."[1]

Contents 1 Make-up of the Senate of Virginia 1.1 Senate Leadership 1.2 Membership by Seniority 2 External link

[edit] Make-up of the Senate of Virginia

Affiliation		Members
	Republican Party	23
	Democratic Party	17
Total		40
Majority		6

[edit] Senate Leadership

President Pro Tem
John Chichester
Majority Leader
Walter Stosch
Majority Floor Leader
Tommy Norment
Democratic Leader
Dick Saslaw

[edit] Membership by Seniority

1. Dick Saslaw, Democrat 1980
2. William Wampler Jr., Republican 1988

1. Ken Stolle, Republican 1992

1. Phill Puckett, Democrat 1998
2. Toddy Puller, Democrat 2000
3. Ken Cuccinelli, Republican 2002
4. Jay O'Brien, Republican 2002
5. Jeannemarie Devolites Davis, Republican 2004

1. Mark Herring, Democrat 2006

Name		Party and District	First Election
	Marty Williams	Republican Party (1)	1995
	Mamie Locke	Democratic Party (2)	2003
	Tommy Norment	Republican Party (3)	1991
	Ryan McDougle	Republican Party (4)	2006
	Yvonne B. Miller	Democratic Party (5)	1987
	Nick Rerras	Republican Party (6)	1999
	Frank Wagner	Republican Party (7)	2001
	Ken Stolle	Republican Party (8)	1991
	Ben Lampert	Democratic Party (9)	1985
	John Watkins	Republican Party (10)	1997
	Stephen Martin	Republican Party (11)	1993
	Walter Stosch	Republican Party (12)	1991
	Fred Quayle	Republican Party (13)	1991
	Harry Blevins	Republican Party (14)	2001
	Frank Ruff	Republican Party (15)	2000
	Henry Marsh III	Democratic Party (16)	1991
	Edd Houck	Democratic Party (17)	1983
	Louise Lucas	Democratic Party (18)	1991
	Charles Hawkins	Republican Party (19)	1991
	Roscoe Reynolds	Democratic Party (20)	1996
	John Edwards	Democratic Party (21)	1995
	Brandon Bell II	Republican Party (22)	1991
	Steve Newman	Republican Party (23)	1995
	Emmett Hanger	Republican Party (24)	1995
	R. Creigh Deeds	Democratic Party (25)	2001
	Mark Obershain	Republican Party (26)	2003
	Russ Potts	Republican Party (27)	1991
	John Chichester	Republican Party (28)	1977
	Chuck Colgan	Democratic Party (29)	1975
	Patsy Ticer	Democratic Party (30)	1995
	Mary Margaret Whipple	Democratic Party (31)	1995
	Janet Howell	Democratic Party (32)	1991

[edit] External link

• Virginia General Assembly website

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