Siddhesh Joshi (Editor)

J Kenneth Robinson

Updated on
Edit
Like
Comment
Share on FacebookTweet on TwitterShare on LinkedInShare on Reddit
Preceded by
  
John O. Marsh, Jr.

Education
  
Virginia Tech

Preceded by
  
Curry Carter

Years of service
  
1941–1945

Political party
  
Republican Party


Alma mater
  
Virginia Tech (B.S.)

Name
  
J. Robinson

Allegiance
  
United States

Died
  
April 8, 1990

Battles and wars
  
World War II

J. Kenneth Robinson

Full Name
  
James Kenneth Robinson

Born
  
May 14, 1916 Winchester, Virginia, U.S. (
1916-05-14
)

Role
  
Former U.S. Representative

Previous office
  
Representative (VA 7th District) 1971–1985

Service/branch
  
United States Army

Succeeded by
  
D. French Slaughter, Jr.

James Kenneth Robinson (May 14, 1916 – April 8, 1990) was a State Senator and U.S. Representative from Virginia.

Contents

Early life

Born in Winchester, Virginia, Robinson attended the city's public schools, including Handley High School. He graduated with a B.S. in horticulture from Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Blacksburg, Virginia in 1937. He served as infantryman in the United States Army from 1941 to 1945. He was discharged with the rank of major, and was active in the American Legion despite his Quaker faith.

He married Katryn M. Rankin.

Career

Like the powerful Democratic Byrd family of Winchester, Robinson owned a fruit orchard and operated a fruit packing business, and had real estate and other business interests in the Winchester area. He was active in the Winchester Rotary Club, Izaak Walton League, Virginia Farm Bureau Federation, Boy Scouts, Winchester-Frederick County Chamber of Commerce and the Winchester Elks Lodge.

Political career

After redistricting following the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Davis v. Mann as well as Virginia Governor Albertis Harrison's appointment of state Senator Harry F. Byrd Jr. to succeed his deceased father in the U.S. Senate, voters in Byrd's long-held state senatorial district encompassing Clarke, Frederick and Shenandoah Counties and the City of Winchester (previously numbered the 24th (with the new addition of Loudoun County now numbered the 21st) elected Robinson to the Virginia Senate in 1965. He was re-elected to a four-year term in 1967. Robinson served as chairman of the Republican delegation to the 1968 and 1969 general assembly.

Robinson was elected as a Republican to the Ninety-second and to the six succeeding Congresses (January 3, 1971 – January 3, 1985). He did not seek re-election to the Ninety-ninth Congress. He served as the ranking minority member on the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.

He lived in Winchester, Virginia, until his death there on April 8, 1990.

Electoral history

  • 1970; Robinson was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives with 61.75% of the vote, defeating Democrat Murat Williams.
  • 1972; Robinson was re-elected with 99.95% of the vote, defeating Democrat Murat.
  • 1974; Robinson was re-elected with 52.64% of the vote, defeating Democrat George H. Gilliam.
  • 1976; Robinson was re-elected with 81.78% of the vote, defeating Independent James R. Hutt.
  • 1978; Robinson was re-elected with 64.29% of the vote, defeating Democrat Lewis Perley Fickett, Jr.
  • 1980; Robinson was re-elected unopposed.
  • 1982; Robinson was re-elected with 62.27% of the vote, defeating Democrat Lindsay G. Dorrier.
  • References

    J. Kenneth Robinson Wikipedia