For a few weeks out of the year (“a few” in 2006 being 24 weeks, off and on), 7-West of the General Assembly Building is the base of operations for 14 members of the House of Delegates. Our offices, along with our aides’ space and the secretaries’ stations, wrap around a small conference room where House subcommittees do their dirty work, members meet with groups of constituents, and press conferences on issues large and small (mostly small) are staged.
While our corner of 7-West has become a NOVA Democratic enclave, taken as a whole the occupants of the wing reflect some of the geographic and ideological diversity of the House (also the gender diversity, such as it is: 2 of the 14 7-Westers (14.3%) are women, compared to 16.2% of the 99 current members of the House. On ethnic diversity, not so much: One of the Fantastic 14 — 7.1% — is African-American, compared to 12.1% of the 99 current members.)
Below is a thumbnail sketch of our 7-West neighbors, along with vital information such as their date of birth and horoscope signs (with links to the cheesiest astrology website I could find), Governor Kaine’s 2005 percentage in their district, and rankings from several interest groups:
* Business — Virginia Free
* Environment — League of Conservation Voters
* Right-wing social issues — Family Foundation
* Gay and lesbian rights — Equality Virginia
So here goes the neighborhood, by office number:
Room 714 — Terry Kilgore (R-Scott County) 
Member since 1994
DOB: August 23, 1961 (Virgo)
Kaine 2005: 30.6% (100/100)
Virginia Free: 76
League of Conservation Voters: 0
Family Foundation: 94
Equality Virginia: 13
NOTABLE: Twin brother of last year’s Republican candidate for Governor (which explains Tim Kaine’s 100/100 performance in the district). Their mother sends incredible baked goods every Monday morning during session.
Room 713 — Bill Carrico (R-Grayson County) 
Member since 2002
DOB: November 6, 1961 (Scorpio)
Kaine 2005: 39% (94/100)
Virginia Free: 71
League of Conservation Voters: 0
Family Foundation: 88
Equality Virginia: 0
NOTABLE: Bill is running against Rick Boucher for the 9th District Congressional seat in November. We expect to see him back with us in January.
Room 712 — Bob Brink (D-Arlington) 
Member since 1998
DOB: November 27, 1946 (Sagittarius)
Kaine 2005: 73.6% (10/100)
Virginia Free: 51
League of Conservation Voters: 88
Family Foundation: 0
Equality Virginia: 89
NOTABLE: The only drafted Vietnam veteran in the General Assembly.
Room 711 — Brian Moran (D-Alexandria) 
Member since 1996
DOB: September 9, 1959 (Virgo)
Kaine 2005: 73.4% (11/100)
Virginia Free: 74
League of Conservation Voters: 75
Family Foundation: 11
Equality Virginia: 89
NOTABLE: For a boy from Natick, Massachusetts, Brian sure is spending a lot of time in South Boston.
Room 710 — Mark Sickles (D-Fairfax) 
Member since 2004
DOB: February 18, 1957 (Aquarius)
Kaine 2005: 63.6% (22/100)
Virginia Free: 72
League of Conservation Voters: 75
Family Foundation: 6
Equality Virginia: 88
NOTABLE: Uncontrollable policy wonk. Takes copies of VDOT regulations home with him to read at night.
Room 709 — Kris Amundson (D-Fairfax) 
Member since 2000
DOB: December 3, 1949 (Sagittarius)
Kaine 2005: 61.8% (24/100)
Virginia Free: 65
League of Conservation Voters: 70
Family Foundation: 12
Equality Virginia: 78
NOTABLE: “You can take the girl out of Minnesota . . .” Didn’t bother going to see “Prairie Home Companion” because she had lived it.
Room 708 — Adam Ebbin (D-Alexandria) 
Member since 2004
DOB: November 10, 1963 (Scorpio)
Kaine 2005: 78.5% (4/100)
Virginia Free: 54
League of Conservation Voters: 100
Family Foundation: 0
Equality Virginia: 100
NOTABLE: Tenacious fighter for his district, but unlikely to win the 7-West Clean Desk Award.
Room 707 — David Englin (D-Alexandria) 
Member since 2006
DOB: August 15, 1974 (Leo)
Kaine 2005: 71.8% (14/100)
Virginia Free: NA
League of Conservation Voters: NA
Family Foundation: NA
Equality Virginia: NA
NOTABLE: Youngest member of Democratic Caucus: that only looks like his high school yearbook picture. I have shoes older than David.
Room 706 — Paula Miller (D-Norfolk) 
Member since 2005
DOB: August 1, 1959 (Leo)
Kaine 2005: 55.2% (36/100)
Virginia Free: 69
League of Conservation Voters: 25
Family Foundation: 56
Equality Virginia: NA
NOTABLE: Only member of the House in over 300 years to be named “Paula”.
Room 705 — Tom Gear (R-Hampton) 
Member since 2002
DOB: May 2, 1949 (Taurus)
Kaine 2005: 45.5% (73/100)
Virginia Free: 66
League of Conservation Voters: 50
Family Foundation: 100
Equality Virginia: 0
NOTABLE: The Speaker’s latest appointment to Finance Committee, which will decide the fate of long-term funding for transportation.
Room 704 — Bob Marshall (R-Prince William) 
Member since 1992
DOB: May 3,1944 (Taurus)
Kaine 2005: 46.1% (71/100)
Virginia Free: 64
League of Conservation Voters: 50
Family Foundation: 100
Equality Virginia: 22
NOTABLE: To the regret of many of us, he is the best parliamentarian on the floor.
Room 703 — Jack Reid (R-Henrico) 
Member since 1990
DOB: August 1, 1942 (Leo)
Kaine 2005: 45.8% (72/100)
Virginia Free: 71
League of Conservation Voters: 33
Family Foundation: 94
Equality Virginia: 29
NOTABLE: Ever since Jack accidentally fired off a handgun in his office earlier this year, mortally wounding a bulletproof vest that inexplicably was hanging on the back of his door, we on 7-West try to stay on his good side.
Room 702 — Dwight Jones (D-Richmond) 
Member since 1994
DOB: February 3, 1948 (Aquarius)
Kaine 2005: 78.9% (3/100)
Virginia Free: 61
League of Conservation Voters: 57
Family Foundation: 11
Equality Virginia: 83
NOTABLE: The House’s only ordained minister. How’s that for a thankless task?
Room 701 — Phil Hamilton (R-Newport News) 
Member since 1988
DOB: April 9, 1952 (Aries)
Kaine 2005: 57.7% (32/100)
Virginia Free: 82
League of Conservation Voters: 25
Family Foundation: 76
Equality Virginia: 14
NOTABLE: Chairman, House Committee on Health, Welfare, and Institutions; Chairman, House Appropriations Subcommittee on Health and Human Resources; Chairman, Joint Commission on Health Care. Salud!
COMING NEXT: OTHER PLACES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD
Bravo! Very enjoyable, and certainly useful.
My entry was on the Tour de France. Yours was a tour de force.
Fantastic post! It reminds me of the “Paper plate awards” we did when I was in high school (you know, the dumb, funny, inside joke kind of awards).
The line about “I have shoes older than David” cracked me up. You should tell him to bring Shayna’s chocolate chip cookies in some time, by the way. Seriously. Team Englin lives off those. They’re amazing.
I DEMAND TO SEE THE SHOES, BRINK!
Very Cool!
Just Wondering…How does Bob Marshall get a 22% from Equality Virginia?
Interesting post. You’ve got my delegate in the “group of 14″ along with some others from around the state that I know. Quick question: how are offices assigned? It seems such mismash of people in that area.
Vivian —
When a Member is first elected, the Clerk of the House assigns him/her an office out of those that are available. Subsequently, after every regular election, Members can ask for a new office on the basis of seniority. The offices on the front of the floor, featuring a view of the Capitol, are thought to be premium space: so on 7-West they’re occupied by Phil Hamilton (1988), Dwight Jones (1994), Jack Reid (1990), and Bob Marshall (1992). Personally, I like the view out the back, overlooking the Library of Virginia and John Marshall’s house.
I’m just glad I have an old — er, sorry, elder — statesman like Bob Brink to mentor me.
Does he share his ensure with you, David?
David- On second thought, maybe you shouldn’t let Brink have any of Shayna’s cookies. Let the record state that Kristen and I (and Katie) will suffer through consuming his portion. For America. Er, Virginia. :)
Great profiles
Bob — I’m loathe to correct you, but you have one very significant mistake in your post. You list Delegate Bob Marshall as having a relatively respectable 29% Equality Virginia ranking. This is an easy mistake given that Delegate DANNY Marshall (of Danville) earned that score.
Delegate Bob Marshall, as one would expect, has a 0% Equality Virginia score. And I suspect that number is unlikely to go up any time soon.
Of course, it’s always been amazing to me that in a legislature of 100 you have two Wares (1 D, 1 R), two Marshalls (2 Rs), two Howells (1 D, 1 R), two Joneses (1 D, 1 R), and two Scotts (1 D, 1 R).
Josh —
Out of town at a conference — I’ll check the figures again when I get home. It always struck me that if Bob Marshall got anything other than a zero from EV, he would demand a recount.