Joseph P. McNamara

Joseph P. McNamara is a Republican representing Virginia's 40th District in the House of Delegates, which encompasses part of Roanoke County and the cities of Roanoke and Salem. Born in 1963 in Cleveland, Ohio, McNamara is a Catholic and resides in Roanoke, Virginia. He is married to Cheryl Edwards McNamara and has five children: Joshua, Patrick, Joey, Corey, and Colleen.

McNamara is widely known as the "Ice Cream Man," owning Katie's Ice Cream and Chocolates as well as the Salem Ice Cream Parlor. As a small business owner, he emphasizes job creation and the importance of work in his advocacy.

Education

McNamara graduated from the University of Virginia with a B.S. in Commerce with concentrations in Accounting and Finance . He is a *Certified Public Accountant * and is notably the only CPA serving in the Virginia General Assembly. He also completed Master's-level coursework in Taxation at Virginia Tech, earning recognition from colleagues across the political aisle for his expertise in tax policy.

Political Experience

McNamara was elected to the Roanoke County Board of Supervisors in 1996, where he focused on fiscal responsibility, successfully reducing the county budget without raising taxes. He was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates in 2018 and has since built a voting record centered on fiscal integrity, individual rights, and family values.

Notable legislative achievements include helping secure full PPP loan forgiveness for 81% of Virginia's businesses during the 2021 session, passing legislation in 2022 that repealed the state's 1.5% tax on groceries, and contributing to a near-doubling of the standard deduction that reduced taxes for more than 80% of Virginia taxpayers. He has also voted against gun control measures and supported pro-life legislation, while championing what he describes as the largest tax cut in 30 years.