About Robert Hurt

Many people remember the Southside Virginia of thirty years ago: the bustling commerce of the cities and the courthouse towns, the busy tobacco warehouses, and the landmark textile and furniture factories that manufactured the finest products in the world and provided to our people good jobs for generations. However, during the last thirty years, the good people of Southside Virginia have witnessed this prosperity decline and have felt the losses of thousands of jobs and thriving businesses. It has been our greatest challenge to adapt to these economic realities and to rebuild our economy here at home and across the Commonwealth.

Because of the commitment of so many business, community, and elected leaders to this task, Southside Virginia has made great progress in rebuilding this economy and in attracting thousands of new jobs. As a citizen-legislator, Senator Robert Hurt has been a leader in remaking the Southside economy and in making the Commonwealth the best place in the country to do business. Because he grew up in the courthouse town of Chatham and returned home after school to raise his family and practice law, Senator Hurt has felt firsthand the impact of the decline of our economy and since being elected has lent a strong voice and a steady hand in rebuilding our economy. Robert is a former Chief Deputy Commonwealth's Attorney for Pittsylvania County and his career in public service is unmatched.

First elected as a member of the Chatham Town Council, Robert Hurt was elected to that post with 82% of the vote. As a member of the Virginia General Assembly, State Senator Robert Hurt currently represents over 170,000 constituents within the 5th Congressional District and has represented nearly 1/3 of the 5th during his time in the legislature. He served three terms in the Virginia House of Delegates, elected and re-elected with at least 62% of the vote. In his first term in the State Senate, Robert was elected with 75% of the vote.

As a member of the Virginia Legislature, Robert has cast thousands of votes including voting against at least two dozen tax increases. He has voted time and again against attempts from Democrats to raise taxes. Robert has also voted consistently against increased state spending and bloated budgets. He was one of only a handful of General Assembly members to vote against the last two Virginia Budgets, which were relying on too much spending.

Robert and his wife Kathy live in Chatham, VA with their three sons, Charles, Clement and John.