# Lee Ware

Robert Lee Ware Jr. (born August 20, 1952) is an American politician. Since 1998 he has served in the Virginia House of Delegates, representing the 65th district west of Richmond, consisting of the entirety of his home county of Powhatan, the precincts of Skinquarter, Tomahawk, Woolridge, Brandermill, Swift Creek, Evergreen West, Edgewater, Midlothian, Roseland, and Midlothian North in Chesterfield County; the precincts of Fife, Three Square, Sandy Hook, and Goochland Court House 2, in Goochland County; and the precincts of Columbia and Fork Union in Fluvanna County. He is a member of the Republican Party.

## Life, education, career

Ware was born in Fitchburg, Massachusetts. He received a B.A. degree in history and literature from Wheaton College in 1974 and pursued graduate studies in the same subjects at Harvard University, Asbury Seminary, Northeastern University, Longwood University, and Virginia Commonwealth University.
Ware moved to Powhatan, Virginia as editor of the weekly newspaper the Powhatan Gazette, where he worked between 1981-1984.
Starting in 1984, Ware taught history and government at Powhatan High School for 15 years. He later taught at Blessed Sacrament Huguenot Academy. In 2012 he became academic dean of Benedictine College Preparatory School until his retirement in 2014. Ware is a Roman Catholic and has four children: Karen, Rob, Thomas, and Jeb.

## Positions and appointments

Ware has served on the House committees on:
* Agriculture (1998–2001)
* Chesapeake and Natural Resources (2002–)
* Claims (1998–1999)
* Commerce and Labor (2002–)
* Conservation and Natural Resources (1998–2001)
* Corporations
* Insurance and Banking (1998–2001)
* Finance (2001–)
* Militia and Police (2000–2001)
* Militia
* Police and Public Safety (2002–2003)
* Mining and Mineral Resources (1998–2000)
* Rules (2010–)
His current Committee Membership assignments include:
* Finance
* Agriculture Chesapeake and Natural Resource
* Commerce and Labor
* Rules
His current Subcommittee Membership assignments include:
* Agriculture Chesapeake and Natural Resources - Subcommittee #2
* Finance - Subcommittee #2
* Finance - Subcommittee #3
* Commerce and Labor - Subcommittee #1
* Rules - Subcommittee #1
Ware also serves by appointment on several commissions, including:
* Small Business
* Water
* Health Insurance Reform
* Coal & Energy
* Unemployment Compensation
* Employment Retirement Security and Pension Reform
He is a member of:
* Governor’s Advisory Council on Revenue Estimates
* Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation Board of Trustees
* joint subcommittees on Local Government Fiscal Stress and Tax Preferences

## Chairman of Finance Committee

Ware is the former chairman of the House Finance Committee.

## Opposition to selective ban on Sunday hunting

Ware has historically opposed efforts to lift Virginia's selective ban on Sunday hunting. 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. This victory was passed by large margin of 71 in favor and the minority at 27 against.

## Electoral history

Ware served two terms on the Powhatan County Board of Supervisors, 1988–1996. He was board chairman for one year.
On December 17, 1997, state Senator Joseph B. Benedetti resigned his seat to accept Governor-elect Jim Gilmore's offer to become head of the state Department of Criminal Justice Services. 65th district Delegate John Watkins was chosen to succeed Benedetti in a special election on January 6, 1998. On January 13, the day before the Virginia General Assembly convened, Ware won a special election to replace Watkins. He was sworn in three days later.
| Date | Election | Candidate | Party | Votes | % |
| Virginia House of Delegates, 65th district ||||||
| January 13, 1998 | Special | R. Lee Ware Jr. | Republican | 7,479 | 65.42 |
| January 13, 1998 | Special | Edward B. Barber | Democratic | 3,550 | 31.05 |
| January 13, 1998 | Special | Jeffrey M. Keegan | Independent | 396 | 3.46 |
| January 13, 1998 | Special | Write Ins | Write Ins | 8 | 0.07 |
| John Watkins was elected to the Senate; seat stayed Republican ||||
| November 2, 1999 | General | R. Lee Ware Jr. | Republican | 10,183 | 77.07 |
| November 2, 1999 | General | Timothy R. Belton | Independent | 3,016 | 22.83 |
| November 2, 1999 | General | Write Ins | Write Ins | 13 | 0.10 |
| November 6, 2001 | General | R. Lee Ware Jr. | Republican | 18,851 | 74.93 |
| November 6, 2001 | General | Christine K. Lowrie | Democratic | 5,802 | 23.06 |
| November 6, 2001 | General | John H. Girardeau III | Libertarian | 498 | 1.98 |
| November 6, 2001 | General | Write Ins | Write Ins | 7 | 0.03 |
| November 4, 2003 | General | R. Lee Ware Jr. | Republican | 10,131 | 75.12 |
| November 4, 2003 | General | Robert E. Williams | Democratic | 3,351 | 24.85 |
| November 4, 2003 | General | Write Ins | Write Ins | 4 | 0.03 |
| November 8, 2005 | General | R. Lee Ware Jr. | Republican | 23,851 | 96.88 |
| November 8, 2005 | General | Write Ins | Write Ins | 768 | 3.12 |
| November 6, 2007 | General | R. Lee Ware Jr. | Republican | 14,944 | 98.02 |
| November 6, 2007 | General | Write Ins | Write Ins | 301 | 1.97 |
| November 3, 2009 | General | R. Lee Ware Jr. | Republican | 21,887 | 71.46 |
| November 3, 2009 | General | Gary R. Reinhardt | Independent | 8,682 | 28.34 |
| November 3, 2009 | General | Write Ins | Write Ins | 56 | 0.18 |
| November 8, 2011 | General | R. Lee Ware Jr. | Republican | 14,991 | 97.59 |
| November 8, 2011 | General | Write Ins | Write Ins | 369 | 2.40 |
| November 5, 2013 | General | R. Lee Ware Jr. | Republican | 19,839 | 67.60 |
| November 5, 2013 | General | William E. Quarles Jr. | Democratic | 9,431 | 32.14 |
| November 5, 2013 | General | Write Ins | Write Ins | 76 | 0.26 |
| November 3, 2015 | General | R. Lee Ware Jr. | Republican | 19,842 | 97.31 |
| November 3, 2015 | General | Write Ins | Write Ins | 548 | 2.69 |
| November 7, 2017 | General | R. Lee Ware Jr. | Republican | 22,394 | 64.01 |
| November 7, 2017 | General | Francis M. Stevens | Democratic | 12,530 | 35.82 |
| November 7, 2017 | General | Write Ins | Write Ins | 59 | 0.17 |
| November 5, 2019 | General | R. Lee Ware Jr. | Republican | 24,710 | 65.07 |
| November 5, 2019 | General | Michael P. "Mike" Asip | Democratic | 13,247 | 34.89 |
| November 5, 2019 | General | Write Ins | Write Ins | 16 | 0.04 |