Summary
Current Position: State Senator since 2010
Affiliation: Democrat
Elected to the Virginia Senate in 2010 in a special election, David Marsden has earned a reputation as a hard working legislator who gets things done for FairfaxCounty and the Commonwealth. Before serving in the Virginia Senate, he served 4 years in the Virginia House of Delegates.
Never afraid to put progress above partisanship, Senator Marsden has worked with Democrats and Republicans to pass legislation to relieve traffic congestion, improve education, and create jobs and he brings over 40 years of experience and expertise in the juvenile justice field to the legislature.
Featured video: This interview was conducted by Nader Momtaz at the Sherwood Community Center in Fairfax City during the LWV-Fairfax Redistricting Forum on Nov. 17, 2019. Original interview recording has not been edited in any way.
About
Source: Campaign page
Elected to the Virginia Senate in 2010 in a special election, Senator Marsden has earned a reputation as a hard working legislator who gets things done for FairfaxCounty and the Commonwealth. Before serving in the Virginia Senate, he served 4 years in the Virginia House of Delegates. Never afraid to put progress above partisanship, Senator Marsden has worked with Democrats and Republicans to pass legislation to relieve traffic congestion, improve education, and create jobs and he brings over 40 years of experience and expertise in the juvenile justice field to the legislature.
A Life of Leadership and Service
A lifelong resident of Northern Virginia, Dave Marsden has lived in Burke since 1977 with his wife Julia. Burke is where they raised their three sons. Dave graduated From W.T. Woodson High School in 1966 and Randolph-MaconCollege in 1970, when he began a career in Juvenile Justice as a Probation Officer with the Fairfax County Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court. He went on to establish and operate FairfaxCounty’s shelter home for youth with severe family problems and was later appointed as the first Superintendent of Fairfax County’s JuvenileDetentionCenter. Under Dave’s 17 years of leadership, there was never an escape or serious injury to residents at the facility.
Dave left the detention center in 1999 to become the Legislative Aide for Virginia House of Delegates member Jim Dillard. In 2000 Governor Jim Gilmore appointed him Chief Deputy and then Acting Director of the 2700 person Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice. After serving for 6 months in the administration of Governor Mark Warner, Dave joined Development Services Group, Inc. (DSG), where he now manages a U.S. Department of Justice program that helps localities reduce youth gang activity and violent youth crime.
Dave has long been active in local community organizations. He served as President of the EnterpriseSchool and the West*Lynch Foundation, in addition to coaching basketball, football, and soccer with the Braddock Road Youth Club, (BRYC). He also coached baseball for the Annandale-North Springfield Little League.
Experience
Work Experience
- Manager
Development Services Group, Inc. (DSG),
2019 to presentManages a U.S. Department of Justice program that helps localities reduce youth gang activity and violent youth crime.
- Chief Deputy and then Acting Director
Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice
2000 to present - Superintendent
Fairfax County’s Juvenile Detention Center
1982 to 1999
Volunteer Experience
- Coach
2019 to presentbasketball, football, and soccer with the Braddock Road Youth Club, (BRYC). He also coached baseball for the Annandale-North Springfield Little League.
- President
Enterprise School
2019 to present - President
West Lynch Foundation
2019 to present
Education
- BA
Randolph-MaconCollege
2019 to present
Contact
Legislative Assistant: Matthew C. Rogers
Email:
- Government – district37@senate.virginia.gov
Offices
Capitol Office
Pocahontas Building
Room No: E618
Senate of Virginia
P. O. Box 396
Richmond, VA 23218
Phone: (804) 698-7537
Fax: (804) 698-7651
District Office
P. O. Box 10889
Burke, VA 22009
Phone: (571) 249-3037
Web
Government Page, Campaign Site, Twitter, Facebook
Politics
Source: Wikipedia
David W. “Dave” Marsden (born April 5, 1948, in Alexandria, Virginia) is an American politician of the Democratic Party. He currently represents the 37th district in the Senate of Virginia which is a portion of Fairfax County. Since 2006 and prior to serving in the State Senate, he served in the Virginia House of Delegates representing the 41st district. Prior to his career in politics he spent 17 years as head of the Fairfax County Juvenile Detention Center until 1999. In 2000 Governor Jim Gilmore appointed him Chief Deputy and then Acting Director of the 2,700-person Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice. He then served for 6 months in the administration of Governor Mark Warner.
On January 12, 2010, Marsden defeated Steve Hunt in a special Senate election to replace Republican Ken Cuccinelli who was elected Attorney General the previous fall. On January 13, 2010, Marsden was sworn in. An additional special election was held March 2, 2010 to replace Marsden in the Virginia House of Delegates. It was won by Democrat Eileen Filler-Corn.
Recent Elections
2019 State SenatorArray
| Dave W. Marsden (D) | 41,278 | 90.28% |
| Write-In (Write-in) | 4,443 | 9.72% |
| TOTAL | 45,721 |
2015 State SenatorArray
| Dave Marsden (D) | 18,966 | 55.4% |
| David Michael Bergman (R) | 15,216 | 44.5% |
| Write In (Write-in) | 38 | 0.1% |
| TOTAL | 34,220 |
2011 State SenatorArray
| Dave Marsden (D) | 19,841 | 53.7% |
| Jason Andrew Flanary (R) | 17,036 | 46.1% |
| Write In (Write-in) | 48 | 0.1% |
| TOTAL | 36,925 |
2010 State SenatorArray
| Dave Marsden (D) | 11,954 | 50.6% |
| Steve M. Hunt (R) | 11,627 | 49.3% |
| Write In (Write-in) | 21 | 0.1% |
| TOTAL | 23,602 |
Finances
MARSDEN, DAVE has run in 4 races for public office, winning 4 of them. The candidate has raised a total of$1,717,979.
Source: Follow the Money
Committees
Committees
Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources
Local Government
Transportation
Appointments
Civic Education, Commission on
Civic Education Subcommittee #1
Disability Commission
School Facility Modernization
Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth
Youth, Commission on
Voting Record
See: Vote Smart
New Legislation
Source: Ballotpedia
News
News Posts
Divided States of America
Campaign Site – May 2, 2017
I recently had lunch with esteemed political reporter, Charlie Cook, author of The Cook Political Report (http://cookpolitical.com/). I discussed with him my theory of what truly divides Americans, a Republican/rural/liberty vs. Democratic/urban/justice divide. In his most recent newsletter he discusses that theory. I think he is spot on in his commentary, especially the part about me being one of the smartest state legislators around! All jokes aside, he makes good points about needing to better understand each other and work together for the betterment of our country. I hope legislators on both sides of the aisle pay attention.
Below is an excerpt of the article and here is a link to the entire story
“One of the smartest state legislators around, Virginia state Sen. Dave Marsden, has a theory centered on the Pledge of Allegiance: “I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Re public, for which it stands, one Nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice, for all.” Marsden, who represents part of Fairfax County in Northern Virginia, argues that while most Americans agree with both liberty and justice, Republicans tend to put the emphasis on liberty, Democrats on justice. Pushing Marsden’s point a little further than he might want, one could argue that Democrats don’t trust Republicans not to in fringe on justice, while Republicans don’t trust Democrats not to constrain liberty.”
“Basically, Democrats and Republicans tend not only to have a very different view of the role of government, but also a different value structure: Democrats are obsessed with justice, and Republicans are equally obsessed with liberty.”
“Politicians and citizens would do well to try to under stand the views and values of people who don’t share their party affiliation. Each side would find the other less threatening, and the hyper-partisanship gripping the country would ease, helping the government function more effectively and letting people from opposite sides of town be friends again.”
Videos
Speeches
VA Senator Dave W. Marsden SB 1098
Published on February 7, 2019
