Mark D. Obenshain is a Republican Virginia State Senator representing District 2, which includes all of Bath County, Highland County, Page County, Rockingham County, and Harrisonburg City, as well as parts of Augusta County. Born in Richmond, Virginia, on June 11, 1962, he is the son of Richard D. Obenshain, a prominent Virginia Republican leader known as the architect of the modern Republican Party of Virginia, who died in a plane crash during a U.S. Senate campaign. Obenshain practices law as principal of the Obenshain Law Group in Harrisonburg, is married to Suzanne Speas Obenshain, and is a Presbyterian affiliated with First Presbyterian Church. Notable achievements include his narrow loss in the 2013 Virginia Attorney General race to Democrat Mark Herring after a recount, past chairmanship of the Virginia State Crime Commission, and leadership on issues like property rights, school choice, family values, government reform, and public safety. He has served on committees including Courts of Justice, Finance and Appropriations, Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources, Commerce and Labor, and Transportation, and was appointed by Governor George Allen to the Governor’s Commission on Citizen Empowerment in 1994, influencing welfare reform.

Education and Political Experience

• Education: B.A. from Virginia Tech ; J.D. from Washington and Lee University School of Law .
• Political Experience: Began practicing law in Harrisonburg in 1987; politically active since youth, serving as chairman of two Republican committees, delegate to every Republican state convention since 1980, and member of Virginia’s delegation to the 1980 Republican National Convention. Worked on campaigns for nearly every Republican nominee for state and local office since 1987; President of the Richard D. Obenshain Foundation. Elected to the Virginia Senate in 2003 , initially representing District 26 before District 2. Civic roles include Board of Visitors at James Madison University , Harrisonburg Education Foundation, and Harrisonburg Rotary Club.