Jo Ann Davis

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Jo Ann Davis

Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Virginia's 1st district
In office 2001 - present
Preceded by	Herbert Bateman
Succeeded by	Incumbent

Born	June 29, 1950 (age 56) Rowan County, North Carolina
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Chuck E. Davis
Religion	Assemblies of God

Jo Ann Davis (b. June 29, 1950) is a Republican from the U.S. Commonwealth of Virginia, currently representing the state's 1st Congressional district (map) in the U.S. House. The district stretches from the Washington suburbs to the Hampton Roads area, with much of its population in the cities of Hampton and Newport News. It is often called "America's 1st District" because the site of Jamestown is located there.

Davis was born in Rowan County, North Carolina, but has lived in Virginia since she was nine years old. She attended Hampton Roads Business College. Davis worked in real estate before she was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates in 1996. She was reelected in 1998.

In 2000, 1st District Congressman Herb Bateman, a 17-year incumbent, announced his retirement due to health concerns. He collapsed and died on September 11. Davis ran for and won the Republican nomination to succeed him, despite Governor Jim Gilmore endorsing her primary opponent. She went on to win easily in November. She was the second Virginia woman (behind Democrat Leslie Byrne, who served one term from the neighboring 11th District from 1993 to 1995), and the first Virginia Republican woman, elected to the House in her own right. The 1st is one of the most Republican districts in Virginia (a Democrat hasn't won the district since 1977, and only the neighboring 7th District is considered more Republican), and Davis was reelected unopposed in 2002 and 2004. She won a fourth term in 2006 against token Democratic opposition. Unlike Bateman, who was relatively moderate by Southern Republican standards, Davis is strongly conservative, especially on social issues.

During her tenure, Davis secured $169 Million (after authorizing $229 million) for construction on the Navy’s next generation aircraft carrier, CVN-21[1](then CVNX), and more recently, $47 Million for the removal of a portion of the James River Reserve Fleet, otherwise known as the Ghost Fleet.

In March of 2001, the House passed Davis's first piece of legislation - HR 1015 [2], the SGLI Adjustment Act, which increased the amount of Servicemember’s Group Life Insurance paid to beneficiaries of members of the Armed Forces who died in the performance of their duty between November 1, 2000 and April 1, 2001. Davis is also an advocate of tax cuts, and believes that the federal government must rein in growth and spending.

Davis has been endorsed by several groups, including the Virginia Sheriff’s Association, the Peninsula Housing and Builders Association, the Virginia Society for Human Life, the National Rifle Association, and the Madison Project. She has received a 100% rating from the National Federation of Independent Businesses, a grade of 95% from the Family Foundation of Virginia, and an "A" rating from the NRA Virginia Political Preference Chart. Other ratings include a 0% from the National Education Association, and a 0% from the Children's Defense Fund.

She is the ranking Republican on the House Intelligence Subcommittee on Intelligence Policy.

Davis is one of four Pentecostals in the 109th Congress. The others are Todd Tiahrt of Kansas, Tim Johnson of Illinois, and Marilyn Musgrave of Colorado.

[edit] Breast cancer patient

Davis, who was diagnosed in September, 2005 with breast cancer, underwent a partial mastectomy on July 5, 2006 at the George Washington University Medical Center in Washington, DC. The pathology report indicated that there was no further evidence of cancer, and the Congresswoman stated that she will return to work as usual.[3]