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Jo Ann Davis

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Jo Ann Davis
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Virginia's 1st district
In office
January 3, 2001 – October 6, 2007
Preceded byHerbert H. Bateman
Succeeded byRob Wittman
Member of the Virginia House of Delegates
from the 96th district
In office
January 14, 1998 – January 3, 2001
Preceded byShirley Cooper
Succeeded byMelanie Rapp
Personal details
Born
Jo Ann Sides[1]

(1950-06-29)June 29, 1950
Rowan County, North Carolina, U.S.
DiedOctober 6, 2007(2007-10-06) (aged 57)
Gloucester Courthouse, Virginia, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
SpouseChuck Davis
Alma materHampton Roads Business College
OccupationReal estate executive

Jo Ann Davis (née Sides; June 29, 1950 – October 6, 2007) was an American politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from 2001 to 2007. A member of the Republican Party from Virginia, she represented the state's 1st congressional district.[2] She was the second woman and first Republican woman elected to Congress from Virginia.

Early life and education

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Jo Ann Sides was born in Rowan County, North Carolina, but lived in Virginia starting when she was nine years old. She graduated from Kecoughtan High School in Hampton, Virginia. Davis attended Hampton Roads Business College.[citation needed]

Political career

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Davis worked in real estate before she was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates in 1997. She was re-elected in 1999.

Congressional campaigns

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In 2000, 1st District Representative Herbert H. Bateman, a 72-year-old incumbent, announced his retirement because of health concerns. He died on September 11, 2000. Davis ran for and won the Republican nomination to succeed him, despite Governor Jim Gilmore's having endorsed her primary opponent; she beat out four other opponents in the primary. In November 2000, she received 58% of the vote to win the seat, defeating Democrat Lawrence A. Davies, and Independents Sharon A. Wood and Josh Billings.[3]

She was the second Virginia woman (after Democrat Leslie Byrne who served one term from the neighboring 11th district from 1993 to 1995), and the first Virginia Republican woman elected to the House in her own right. The First is one of the more Republican-leaning districts in Virginia. No Democrat has won the district since 1977, and only the southwestern 9th district and the Shenandoah Valley-based 6th district are significantly more Republican, although the Southside-based 5th district is about as Republican and has never voted for a Democratic presidential nominee since 1948.[4] Davis was reelected unopposed in 2002. She defeated Independent challenger William A. Lee in 2004. She won a fourth term in 2006 against token Democratic opposition, defeating Democrat Shawn M. O'Donnell and Independent Marvin F. Pixton III. Unlike Bateman, who was relatively moderate by Southern Republican standards, Davis was strongly conservative, especially on social issues.

Tenure

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Rep. Davis (left) (R-VA) joined Reps. Ben Cardin (at lectern) (D-MD) and Roscoe Bartlett (center) (R-MD) in calling for a study of homeland security needs of the National Capital region, including Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia.

During her tenure, Davis secured $169 million (after authorizing $229 million) for construction on the Navy's next-generation aircraft carrier, CVN-21, and $47 million for the removal of a portion of the James River Reserve Fleet, otherwise known as the Ghost Fleet. In 2002 she voted in favor of the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002.[5]

In March 2001, the House passed Davis's first piece of legislation – HR 1015, the SGLI Adjustment Act, which increased the amount of Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance paid to beneficiaries of members of the Armed Forces who died in the performance of their duty between November 1, 2000, and April 1, 2001. She advocated tax cuts, and believed that the federal government must rein in growth and spending.[citation needed] She was the ranking Republican on the House Intelligence Subcommittee on Intelligence Policy.[citation needed]

Voting record

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Davis was endorsed by several groups, including the Virginia Sheriff's Association; the Peninsula Housing and Builders Association; the Virginia Society for Human Life; the NRA Political Victory Fund, and the Madison Project. She received a 93% rating from the National Federation of Independent Businesses for the 109th Congress,[6] a grade of 95% from the Family Foundation of Virginia, and an "A" rating from the NRA Virginia Political Preference Chart. Other ratings included a 0% from the National Education Association, a 23% from the League of Conservation Voters, a 0% from the Children's Defense Fund, and a 4% from the American Civil Liberties Union.

Personal life

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Davis was one of four Pentecostals in the 109th Congress. The others were Todd Tiahrt of Kansas, Tim Johnson of Illinois, and Marilyn Musgrave of Colorado.[7]

In 1974 she married Chuck Davis; the couple had two sons and were married for 33 years.

Davis was diagnosed in September 2005 with breast cancer and underwent a partial mastectomy on July 5, 2006, at the George Washington University Medical Center in Washington, D.C. The pathology report indicated that there was no further evidence of cancer, and Davis stated that she would return to work as usual.[8] She attended House sessions until shortly before her death.[9]

Death

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Davis died on October 6, 2007, at her home in Gloucester, Virginia. She was reportedly recovering from a second bout with breast cancer, but her condition deteriorated rapidly over the week preceding her death. Davis was survived by her husband, Chuck Davis, two sons, and 2 grandchildren.[10]

Electoral history

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2000 Virginia's 1st congressional district election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Jo Ann Davis 151,344 57.5
Democratic Lawrence A. Davies 97,399 37.0
Independent Sharon A. Wood 9,652 3.7
Independent Josh Billings 4,082 1.6
Write-ins 537 0.2
Total votes 263,014 100.00
Republican hold
2002 Virginia's 1st congressional district election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Jo Ann Davis (Incumbent) 113,168 95.9
Write-ins 4,829 4.1
Total votes 117,997 100.00
Republican hold
2004 Virginia's 1st congressional district election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Jo Ann Davis (Incumbent) 225,071 78.6
Independent William A. Lee 57,434 20.0
Write-ins 4,029 1.4
Total votes 286,534 100.00
Republican hold
2006 Virginia's 1st congressional district election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Jo Ann Davis (Incumbent) 143,889 63.0
Democratic Shawn M. O'Donnell 81,083 35.5
Independent Marvin F. Pixton III 3,236 1.4
Write-ins 326 0.1
Total votes 228,534 100.00
Republican hold

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Post, The Salisbury. "The Salisbury Post - Rowan native, U.S. representative loses battle with cancer". archive.salisburypost.com. Archived from the original on 20 January 2015. Retrieved 6 May 2017.
  2. ^ "Congressional District 1 map". Archived from the original on 3 September 2005. Retrieved 6 May 2017.
  3. ^ "OpenSecrets.org 2000 Race: Virginia District 1". Archived from the original on 19 February 2008. Retrieved 6 May 2017.
  4. ^ Wasserman, David. "Introducing the 2022 Cook Partisan Voting Index (Cook PVI)". The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter. Retrieved 2022-07-13.
  5. ^ "107th Congress-2nd Session 455th Roll Call Vote of by members of the House of Representatives". Retrieved 6 May 2017.
  6. ^ "Vote ScoreCard". capwiz.com. Retrieved 6 May 2017.
  7. ^ "Religion of US Congress". Adherents.com. Archived from the original on August 16, 2000. Retrieved 2007-07-17.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  8. ^ "Va. Congresswoman Undergoes Breast-Cancer Surgery". WTOP. Archived from the original on 26 September 2007. Retrieved 6 May 2017.
  9. ^ "U.S. House of Representatives Roll Call Votes". U.S. House of Representatives. Retrieved 2007-10-07.
  10. ^ Official Press Release Announcing Her Death Archived 2007-10-09 at the Wayback Machine From joanndavis.house.gov Retrieved October 6, 2007.
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Virginia House of Delegates
Preceded by Virginia Delegate for the 96th District
1998–2001
Succeeded by
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Virginia's 1st congressional district

2001–2007
Succeeded by