Preceded by Omer L. Hirst Children Jennifer Party Democratic Party Preceded by James R. Tate Succeeded by Jim Dillard | Political party Democratic Name Richard Saslaw Spouse(s) Eleanor Role Politician | |
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Full Name Richard Lawrence Saslaw Born February 5, 1940
Washington, D.C. ( 1940 -02-05 ) Education University of Maryland, College Park Residence Fairfax County, Virginia, United States | ||
Service/branch United States Army Alma mater University of Maryland | ||
Sen Dick Saslaw YouTube 480p 001
Richard Lawrence "Dick" Saslaw (born February 5, 1940) is an American politician. A Democrat, he served in the Virginia House of Delegates 1976–80, after which he was elected to the Senate of Virginia. He currently represents the 35th district, made up of parts of Fairfax County and the city of Alexandria and all of the city of Falls Church.
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Saslaw has been the Democratic leader of the Senate since 1996, serving as Majority Leader 2008–2012, 2014 – June 12, 2014, and Minority Leader 1998–2008, 2012–2014. He ran for Congress in Virginia's 8th district in 1984. He was defeated by then-Congressman Stanford Parris.
Personal life
Saslaw was born in Washington, D.C. and raised in the suburbs. He served in the United States Army (1958–60), before receiving a B.S. degree in economics from the University of Maryland. After that, he went into the gasoline service station business.
Saslaw and his wife Eleanor, a retired guidance director and member of the Virginia State Board of Education, settled in northern Virginia in 1968. Their daughter, Jennifer, received her undergraduate degree from the University of Virginia. and her law degree from Stanford Law School. They live in Springfield, VA.
Majority leader
In the 2007 Virginia legislative elections, Democrats gained a majority by picking up four seats in the Virginia State Senate. Senator Saslaw was named Majority Leader when the Democrats assumed control of the chamber in 2008.
He also serves as chair of the Senate's Labor and Commerce Committee.
Education has been one of his priorities. In 2006, the Association of School Boards named him Virginia Legislator of the Year.