Creigh Deeds
Member of the Virginia Senate
Assumed office
December 27, 2001
Preceded byEmily Couric
Constituency25th District (2001–2024)
11th District (2024–Present)
Member of the Virginia House of Delegates
from the 18th district
In office
January 8, 1992 – December 27, 2001
Preceded byBo Trumbo
Succeeded byClay Athey
Personal details
Born
Robert Creigh Deeds

(1958-01-04) January 4, 1958
Richmond, Virginia, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Spouses
Pamela Miller
​
​
(m. 1981; div. 2010)​
    Siobhan Lomax
    ​
    (m. 2012)​
    Children4
    EducationConcord University (BA)
    Wake Forest University (JD)

    Robert Creigh Deeds (/ˈkriː/; born January 4, 1958) is an American lawyer and politician serving as a member of the Senate of Virginia representing the 25th district since 2001. Previously, he was the Democratic nominee for Attorney General of Virginia in 2005 and Governor of Virginia in 2009. He was defeated in both of those races by Republican Bob McDonnell. Deeds lost by just 323 votes in 2005, but was defeated by a wide margin of over 17 percentage points in 2009. He was a member of the Virginia House of Delegates from 1992 to 2001.[1][2][3]

    Personal life

    Deeds was born on January 4, 1958, in Richmond, Virginia.[1] The name "Creigh" is a family surname, originating from Confederate sympathizer, David Creigh, a distant relative.[4] His family moved early in his life to Bath County. After graduating from Bath County High School, Deeds enrolled in Concord College. He then entered the Wake Forest University School of Law, from which he received his Juris Doctor in 1984.

    Deeds married Pamela Miller in February 1981. They divorced in February 2010, with an article in The Washington Post describing the marriage as "a casualty of a nearly 20-year pursuit of a lifelong ambition that kept [Deeds] away from home".[5]

    Deeds married Siobhan Gilbride Lomax of Lexington, Virginia, in June 2013.[6]

    Stabbing

    On November 19, 2013, Deeds was stabbed multiple times at his home in Bath County, Virginia by his 24-year-old son, Gus, who then died by suicide.[7] Deeds was initially reported to be in critical condition at University of Virginia Medical Center.[8][9] Although a judge had issued an involuntary commitment order for Gus, and despite an intensive search, no available hospital bed could be found to provide him mental health treatment in the days before the attempted murder and he was released home without the ordered treatment.[10] As a consequence, several changes were made in the screening and admission process for people undergoing an emergency psychiatric examination in Virginia.[11] These changes include 2014 Virginia Senate Bill 260, sponsored by Deeds.[12]

    Political career

    House of Delegates

    Deeds won election to the Virginia House of Delegates 1991 by defeating incumbent Emmett Hanger in a 57%–41% victory. This started a nine-year career in the Virginia House of Delegates.

    In the House of Delegates, Deeds introduced several legislative proposals, including introducing Megan's Law to the Virginia General Assembly, which was passed in 1998.[13] Other legislation promoted by Deeds include environmental protection and anti-drug laws.[14] In 1994 Deeds supported and was a major co-sponsor of George Allen's initiative to abolish parole for those convicted of a felony.

    State Senate

    Deeds won a special state senate election in 2001 to succeed Emily Couric, who had died of pancreatic cancer.[15] During Deeds' Senate tenure, legislation that Deeds proposed includes:[16]

    • SB150 – Requires that direct recording electronic devices be equipped to produce a contemporaneous paper record of each vote that can be verified by the voter and used in recounts. (2006)
    • SB891 – Requires the board of visitors of each public two-year and four-year institution of higher education to provide reduced in-state tuition rates for the children of faculty and staff members employed by the institution, effective for the 2008–2009 academic year. (2007) Not enacted, rolled into SB982 and left in the Senate Finance Committee.[17][18]
    • SB34 – Increases the mandatory retirement age for judges from age 70 to age 75. (2008)
    • SB669 – Permits ABC agents to check the national criminal database when conducting background checks on prospective licensees. (2008)

    Deeds was also a proponent of a Senate resolution to close Virginia's gun show loophole, and made public appearances to generate support for the measure.[19]

    Attorney General campaign

    Democratic Senator Creigh Deeds preparing to formally announce his candidacy for Virginia Attorney General at an event in Charlottesville, Virginia.

    In 2005, Deeds and John Edwards—a Virginia state senator from Roanoke—each announced that they planned to run for Attorney General of Virginia in the Democratic primary. Edwards later decided not to run, leaving Deeds as the sole candidate for the Democratic nomination for the office.[20]

    In the general election campaign, running against Republican nominee Bob McDonnell, Deeds ran on his record as a moderate Democrat who supported gun rights, strong punishment for criminals, and the death penalty. Deeds' stance on gun control included supporting a ban on semi-automatic firearms, but that did not prevent him from earning the endorsement of the NRA, which cited his patronage of a state constitutional amendment that guaranteed the right to hunt.[21][22] McDonnell outspent Deeds by almost three million dollars (McDonnell spent $5,962,067 to Deeds' $3,103,585); $2,084,089 of McDonnell's campaign contributions were funneled through the Republican State Leadership Committee,[23] exploiting a loophole in state law that was closed by the General Assembly shortly after the election.[24][25]

    The initial result of the vote was 49.96%–49.95%, with Deeds behind by fewer than 350 votes.[26] Due to the closeness of the race's outcome, Deeds asked for a recount. Judge Theodore Markow of Richmond set the recount for December 20, 2005, a date so close to the inauguration that invitations to the event were mailed without a name for the attorney general to be inaugurated. The recount reaffirmed the earlier outcome, and McDonnell became attorney general.[27]

    Gubernatorial campaign

    Deeds announced his intention to seek the Democratic nomination for governor on December 13, 2007.[28] At the end of a close three-way race against former DNC chair Terry McAuliffe and former State Delegate Brian Moran, Deeds won by a large margin, taking about 50 percent of the vote in the June 9, 2009, Democratic Primary.[29] He again faced McDonnell, the Republican nominee, in the November 2009 general election. McDonnell was selected at his party's nominating convention.[30] Deeds lost the gubernatorial race by a wide margin to McDonnell, 41.25% to 58.61%.[31]

    Electoral history

    To date, both of the elections Creigh Deeds has lost were to his 2005 Attorney General opponent Bob McDonnell, to whom he also lost in the 2009 Gubernatorial race.

    Political positions

    Taxes

    In January 2009, Deeds proposed up to a $10,000 tax credit for businesses that made "job-creating investments"[32][33] and supported exemption of the sales tax on the purchase of solar or wind energy systems for homeowners.[32] He has stated that he will not make a no-tax-increase pledge and wrote in The Washington Post that he would support a new gas tax to fund transportation.[34][35][36] In 2008, Deeds voted for a bill in the State Senate which would raise the Virginia gas tax $0.06 per gallon over the next 6 years.[37]

    Consumer advocacy

    Deeds is in favor of tougher sanctions on lenders that deal subprime mortgages.[38]

    Death penalty

    Deeds supports removing the "trigger-man" clause, which restricts the death penalty to those who physically committed the action, in Virginia capital punishment law.[39] In 2005, Deeds said that he disagreed with the Supreme Court ruling in Roper v. Simmons, which made it unconstitutional to execute juveniles. He argued that it was the jury's duty to determine when and where the death penalty should come into play.[40] In 2021, Deeds voted to abolish the death penalty in Virginia.[41]

    Gay marriage

    In 2006, Deeds was part of the unanimous Democratic coalition that voted to oppose an amendment to the Virginia State Constitution that would ban same-sex marriage.[42] He voted against it because he believed the Amendment went too far in its definition of marriage.[43] In July 2009, Deeds stated he believed "Marriage is between a man and a woman" and declined to say gay marriage is a civil right.[44]

    Gun control

    Deeds was endorsed by the NRA during his 2005 Attorney General run over Republican Bob McDonnell.[45] Deeds supports a state ban on civilian ownership of assault weapons and signed a pledge to repeal the law restricting citizens from buying more than one handgun a month.[46] The law was repealed by his opponent, Bob McDonnell in February 2012 [47][48] He voted against the Castle Doctrine (Senate Bill 876) multiple times and previously proposed a measure that would eliminate private sales at gun shows. The bill's proponents called it a measure to prevent another disaster like the Virginia Tech massacre even though the shooter purchased his firearms from licensed gun dealers and not at a gun show. This measure ultimately failed.[49][50] In February 2011, Deeds was one of eight senators on the Senate Courts of Justice Committee who "passed by indefinitely" House Bill 1573, defeating the bill by an 8 to 4 margin.[51] In February 2020, Deeds broke party ranks to shelve House Bill 961 which would have prohibited the sale and transport of assault firearms, certain firearm magazines, silencers, and trigger activators. This effectively blocked the legislation championed by Gov. Northam.[52]

    Illegal immigration

    Deeds voted to make undocumented immigrants ineligible for in-state tuition and state and local benefits. He voted in favor of designating English as the official language of the United States.[53]

    2010 redistricting

    Deeds introduced SB926 to create a seven-member non-partisan committee to oversee the 2010–2011 redistricting plan. In 2009, the bill passed the State Senate, 39–0, but was killed by the House of Delegates' Committee on Privileges and Elections.[54] In 2010, the bill once again passed the Senate with unanimous vote of 40–0 before once again being killed in committee by the House of Delegates.[55] Deeds said that, if elected Governor of Virginia, he would use his veto power and amendment powers to try to force the House of Delegates into accepting a version of SB926.[56]

    Education

    Deeds' 2009 gubernatorial campaign issued a plan called "Better Schools. Better Jobs" to detail Deeds' plans regarding education.[57] The plan called for up to $15,000 in student loans for 4-year college students, and for creating partnerships with community colleges and traditional universities.

    Transportation

    Deeds was criticized by the McDonnell campaign for lacking a coherent transportation plan. During the second debate between the candidates, McDonnell held up a blank sheet of paper as a representation of the Deeds plan.[58] Deeds later wrote a column in The Washington Post laying out his plan, which included the possibility of a new gas tax or other tax.[36]

    References

    1. 1 2 Virginia House of Delegates. "Historical Bio for R. Creigh Deeds".
    2. ↑ Tim Craig (December 13, 2007). "Creigh Deeds Announces Bid for Governor". The Washington Post.
    3. ↑ "Commonwealth of Virginia, November 8, 2005 – General Election, Official Results". Virginia State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on December 14, 2012. Retrieved May 25, 2009.
    4. ↑ Helderman, Rosalind S. (July 4, 2009). "Hmmm. So You Say That How? - The Washington Post". Articles.washingtonpost.com. Archived from the original on November 19, 2013. Retrieved November 19, 2013.
    5. ↑ Kunkle, Frederick (April 12, 2010). "After loss, Va's Deeds tries to regain his footing". The Washington Post. Retrieved April 12, 2010.
    6. ↑ "Senator R. Creigh Deeds Democrat-District 25". Virginia Generalassembly.gov. Archived from the original on May 13, 2013. Retrieved June 9, 2013.
    7. ↑ "Sen. Deeds in serious condition". The Highland Recorder. Archived from the original on November 22, 2013. Retrieved November 19, 2013.
    8. ↑ "Deeds critically wounded; son dead from gunshot". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved November 19, 2013.
    9. ↑ "Creigh Deeds stabbing leaves state senator in critical condition". WJLA/Allbritton Communications. Archived from the original on November 23, 2013. Retrieved November 19, 2013.
    10. ↑ Virginia Political Figure Stabbed as Son Takes Own Life, Police Say, The New York Times, Trip Gabriel, 19 November 2013. Retrieved 19 March 2014.
    11. ↑ "Developments in Mental Health Law". University of Virginia. May 2014. Archived from the original on November 21, 2015. Retrieved September 23, 2014.
    12. ↑ "SB 260 Emergency custody & temporary detention; web-based psychiatric bed registry, period of custody".
    13. ↑ "HB 570 Megan's Law; community notification". Virginia General Assembly. May 14, 1998. Retrieved May 25, 2009.
    14. ↑ Deeds for Virginia. "Meet Senator Deeds". Archived from the original on June 7, 2009. Retrieved May 25, 2009. Using his relationships with law enforcement officers and his experience as a prosecutor, Deeds wrote the state law that has turned the tide against homegrown illegal methamphetamine drug labs. In addition to his work to clean up the Kim-Stan landfill Superfund site, Senator Deeds also wrote one of the most progressive laws to preserve open space and protect the environment.
    15. ↑ American Cancer Society (October 19, 2001). "Emily Couric, Virginia State Senator Dies of Pancreatic Cancer". Archived from the original on January 30, 2009. Retrieved February 14, 2009.
    16. ↑ Richmond Sunlight. "Senate Creigh Deeds".
    17. ↑ Virginia General Assembly. "SB891 Summary".
    18. ↑ Virginia General Assembly. "SB982 Summary".
    19. ↑ YouTube (January 26, 2009). "Senator Deeds Builds the Bipartisan Coalition to Close the Gun Show Loophole". YouTube. Archived from the original on April 23, 2020.
    20. ↑ Sluss, Michael (March 4, 2005). "Roanoke senator drops statewide nomination bid". The Roanoke Times. The Times-World Corporation. Archived from the original on September 8, 2012. Retrieved June 13, 2009. Roanoke state Sen. John Edwards has dropped plans to seek the Democratic nomination for Virginia attorney general, saying he could not devote enough time to mount a competitive campaign. Edwards' decision leaves state Sen. Creigh Deeds of Bath County as the lone candidate for the Democratic nomination, which will be determined in a June 14 primary.
    21. ↑ Urbina, Ian (June 10, 2009). "A Fierce Race Kicks Off in Virginia". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved May 20, 2021.
    22. ↑ Jenkins, Chris (September 30, 2005). "NRA Backs Democrat For Va. Attorney General". The Washington Post. Retrieved April 30, 2010. Virginia Sen. R. Creigh Deeds, who is running for attorney general, received the endorsement of the National Rifle Association
    23. ↑ "Attorney General". Virginia Public Access Project. Archived from the original on January 11, 2012. Retrieved May 25, 2009.
    24. ↑ Nuckols, Christina (February 4, 2006). "Group says McDonnell backing wasn't tied to one donor". Landmark Communications. Archived from the original on March 29, 2012. Retrieved June 12, 2009. McDonnell has been working with lawmakers this year to draft legislation that will require the state leadership committee and similar groups to disclose their donors.
    25. ↑ "Mr. McDonnell's Dodge". The Washington Post. October 28, 2005. Retrieved April 30, 2010.
    26. ↑ Dave Leip's Election Atlas. "2005 Attorney General General Election Results — Virginia".
    27. ↑ Sluss, Michael (December 22, 2005). "Close race finally ends; McDonnell beats Deeds". The Roanoke Times. The Times-World Corporation. Archived from the original on September 11, 2012. Retrieved June 13, 2009. McDonnell became the official winner Wednesday night when a three-judge panel in Richmond Circuit Court certified his 360-vote victory over Democrat Creigh Deeds.
    28. ↑ "Creigh Deeds Announces Bid For Governor". The Washington Post. December 13, 2007. Retrieved April 30, 2010.
    29. ↑ 2009 June Democratic Primary Unofficial Results Archived June 18, 2009, at the Wayback Machine, Virginia.gov. Retrieved on June 10, 2009
    30. ↑ Kumar, Anita (November 8, 2008). "Clear Path to Governor's Race". The Washington Post. Retrieved January 6, 2009.
    31. ↑ https://www.voterinfo.sbe.virginia.gov/election/DATA/2009/37C2EDEB-FACB-44C1-AF70-05FB616DCD62/UnOfficial/2_s.shtml%7Ctitle=Virginia Archived November 11, 2009, at the Wayback Machine State Board of Elections, November 2009 General Election unofficial results}
    32. 1 2 The Richmond Times Dispatch (January 14, 2009). "McDonnell, Deeds pushing Tax credits". Archived from the original on June 20, 2009. Retrieved June 10, 2009.
    33. ↑ HamptonRoads.com (January 18, 2009). "State tax breaks unlikely in slumping economy". Archived from the original on June 20, 2009. Retrieved June 10, 2009.
    34. ↑ "Deeds in a Bit of a Bind on Taxes, Transportation". The Washington Post. September 18, 2009.
    35. ↑ "Candidate Closer to N. Va. Than It Seems". The Washington Post. February 1, 2009.
    36. 1 2 Creigh Deeds (September 23, 2009). "My Transportation Plan". The Washington Post.
    37. ↑ "Moran and Deeds Debate Gas Tax Increase". The Washington Post. July 11, 2008.
    38. ↑ DeedsforVirginia. "Protecting Virginia's Consumers". Archived from the original on June 7, 2009. Retrieved June 10, 2009.
    39. ↑ "Maryland and Virginia go Separate ways on Death Penalty". The Washington Post. January 27, 2009.
    40. ↑ "Deeds discusses drug prices, death penalty". March 31, 2005. Archived from the original on October 25, 2012.
    41. ↑ "LIS > Bill Tracking > > 2021 session".
    42. ↑ The Roanoke Times (June 28, 2006). "Democrats officially against gay marriage amendment". Archived from the original on February 1, 2013. Retrieved June 10, 2009.
    43. ↑ Blogging the Amendment (October 23, 2006). "Deeds Announces He Will be Voting NO on Ballot Question #1". Retrieved April 20, 2009.
    44. ↑ "Criegh Deeds on Gay Marriage". YouTube. Archived from the original on December 14, 2021. Retrieved September 13, 2009.
    45. ↑ "NRA endorses Deeds in state race". September 30, 2005. Archived from the original on October 25, 2012.
    46. ↑ Mark Murray (September 24, 2009). "Wilder Won't Endorse Deeds". MSNBC.com. Archived from the original on September 27, 2009. Retrieved October 30, 2009.
    47. ↑ "McDonnell signs repeal of Virginia's one-gun-a-month law". The Washington Times. February 28, 2012. Retrieved November 19, 2013.
    48. ↑ "Dems and guns". June 9, 2009. Archived from the original on October 5, 2011. Retrieved June 11, 2009.
    49. ↑ "Senate Panel Defeats Bill on Gun Show Sales". The Washington Post. January 24, 2009.
    50. ↑ Norfolk Examiner, January 19, 2011
    51. ↑ National Rifle Association, February 15, 2011
    52. ↑ "Virginia HB961". LegiScan. February 19, 2020. Retrieved February 19, 2020.
    53. ↑ Kumar, Anita (Washington Post) (May 17, 2009). "Conservatism Could Hurt Deeds in Democratic Race". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 10, 2009.
    54. ↑ Richmond Sunlight. "Bipartisan Redistricting Commission; created. (SB926)". Retrieved March 28, 2009.
    55. ↑ Whitley, Tyler (March 3, 2010). "House panel kills bipartisan redistricting". Richmond Times Dispatch. Archived from the original on March 5, 2010. Retrieved April 13, 2010.
    56. ↑ Decision Virginia, NBC 12 (February 17, 2009). "Deeds fights for redistricting plan". Retrieved March 28, 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
    57. ↑ Deeds for Virginia. "Better Schools. Better Jobs". Archived from the original on May 7, 2009. Retrieved May 23, 2009.
    58. ↑ "Gubernatorial Debate Turns Contentious in Va". Archived from the original on September 22, 2009. Retrieved October 5, 2009.
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