First elected in 2001 to the United States House of Representatives, J. Randy Forbes brought with him a vast array of real world experience to Washington. Growing up in Chesapeake, Virginia, Randy was the second child in a working class family. His father was a service member, his mother a homemaker. As a senior at Great Bridge High School, Randy's principal, Harry Blevins, first encouraged the lifelong Virginian to pursue public service.
Through a series of jobs, Randy worked his way through Randolph-Macon College, graduating in 1974 as valedictorian. He then pursued his law degree from the University of Virginia. After graduating from law school, his began his career in the private practice of law helping small and medium-sized businesses. Later, Randy established his own firm, Randy Forbes and Associates, P.C. In 1998, he became a partner in the largest law firm in southeastern Virginia, Kaufman & Canoles.
In 1989, Randy was elected to the Virginia General Assembly. Randy quickly established himself as a conservative leader, becoming the Republican Floor Leader in the House of Delegates from 1994-1997. In 1997, Randy was elected to the Virginia State Senate, and just a year later, he became the Republican Floor Leader of the Senate.
While serving in the Virginia General Assembly, Randy was the Chief Patron of groundbreaking legislation that has helped make Virginia's streets and neighborhoods safer by abolishing parole and enacting truth-in-sentencing guidelines. In addition, Randy also championed Virginia's first School Construction Grants Program to help assist localities with the skyrocketing costs of building new schools.
Randy was the author of Virginia's Senior Citizens Bill of Rights and the Virginia Taxpayer Bill of Rights. He fought tirelessly in the Virginia House and Senate to make sure that lottery money was returned to localities for education.
When Randy was elected Chairman of the Republican Party of Virginia in 1996, the party was saddled with $2 million in debts and liabilities. Bringing a common sense, hard-working philosophy to the position, Randy was able to bridge serious party divisions and build winning coalitions for Virginia that ultimately led to the first Republican sweep of all statewide offices in 1997. When stepping down from this role in December of 2000, Randy had not only eliminated the Party's debt, he left them with $500,000 in the bank.
When elected to the United States Congress in a special election in June 2001, the experience Randy had gained as a successful attorney and lawmaker - and as a husband, father and citizen - helped him to make an immediate impact for Virginia's Fourth District. Now serving in his third term, Randy has quickly gained a reputation in Congress as one of the strongest defenders of family values and supporters of pro-growth conservative policies.
In Congress, Randy serves on the House Armed Services Committee and the House Judiciary Committee. He is the Ranking Member of the Readiness Subcommittee, the founder and co-chair of the Congressional China Caucus and the Congressional Prayer Caucus.
Randy lives in Chesapeake, Virginia with his wife Shirley. He and Shirley have been married since 1978 and have four children: Neil, Jamie, Jordan, and Justin. They attend Great Bridge Baptist church, where Randy has taught Sunday school for over 20 years.
