Preceded by Tom Bolvin Name Mark Sickles Political party Democratic Role American Politician | Occupation Public affairs Party Democratic Party Religion Presbyterian | |
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Born February 18, 1957
Arlington, Virginia ( 1957 -02-18 ) Alma mater Clemson University
Georgia Institute of Technology Committees Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources
Health, Welfare and Institutions
Privileges and Elections Residence Franconia, Virginia, United States Education Clemson University, Georgia Institute of Technology | ||
Mark D. Sickles (born February 18, 1957) is an American politician. He has served in the Virginia House of Delegates since 2004, representing the 43rd district in the Fairfax County suburbs of Washington, D.C. Sickles is a member of the Democratic Party; he has been the House minority caucus chair since 2012. He announced in a Washington Post opinion piece that he is gay. This makes him the 2nd openly gay member of the Virginia General Assembly after Senator Adam Ebbin.
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Sickles has served on the House committees on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources (2010–), Commerce and Labor (2006–2009), Health, Welfare and Institutions (2004–) and Privileges and Elections (2004–).
Early life, education
Sickles was born in Arlington, Virginia. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Forest Management from Clemson University in 1981, a Master of Science in industrial management from Georgia Tech in 1984, and a second M.S. in Technology and Science Policy two years later.
Sickles is a fellow with the Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership at the University of Virginia.
Electoral history
In 2001, Sickles ran for the House and lost by 313 votes to freshman Republican Tom Bolvin, who had defeated 11-term Democrat Gladys Keating two years earlier. Sickles had been a volunteer staffer for Keating previously.
Sickles defeated Bolvin in a 2003 rematch, 53.8%-46.1%.
Personal life
In an op-ed for The Washington Post, which noted the striking-down in the Eastern Virginia U.S. District Court of the constitutionality of the state's ban on same-sex marriage, Sickles publicly came out as gay. This made him the second openly-LGBT member of the Virginia General Assembly, alongside Sen. Adam Ebbin, who was out before his election to the House in 2003.