Thelma Drake

Thelma Drake
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Virginia's 2nd district
In office January 3, 2005 – January 3, 2009
Preceded by	Ed Schrock
Succeeded by	Glenn Nye
Member of the Virginia House of Delegates from the 87th district
In office January 10, 1996 – January 3, 2005
Preceded by	Howard Copeland
Succeeded by	Paula Miller
Personal details
Born	(1949-11-20) November 20, 1949 Elyria, Ohio
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Ted Drake
Children	2
Residence	East Ocean View, Norfolk, Virginia
Occupation	Real estate agent

Thelma D. Drake (born November 20, 1949) is an American politician and former member of Congress of the Republican party from the state of Virginia. She was first elected to the United States House of Representatives in November 2004 to represent Virginia's 2nd congressional district. She was defeated by Democrat Glenn Nye in 2008.

Personal life

Thelma Drake was born in Elyria, Ohio. She grew up in Ohio and attended Elyria High School. She later attended Old Dominion University, but did not graduate. She worked as a real estate agent in Norfolk, Virginia.

Drake is married and has two adult children. She and her husband reside in East Ocean View, Norfolk. She was the director of the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transit under the McDonnell administration.

Career in the House of Delegates

In 1995 Drake became the second Republican to be elected from the Norfolk area to the Virginia House of Delegates since Reconstruction. She served in the House of Delegates for nine years representing the 87th District. Drake served as chairman of the Virginia Housing Commission and as a member of the Chesapeake Bay Commission.

Career in the U.S. Congress

Election history

See also: Virginia's 2nd congressional district election, 2006 and United States House of Representatives elections in Virginia, 2008 § District 2

In 2004, Drake was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives of the 109th United States Congress. She entered the race after incumbent Republican congressman Ed Schrock dropped out on August 30, 2004. Drake defeated Democrat David Ashe 55%-45% in the general election, becoming the third woman to represent Virginia in Congress after Leslie Byrne and Jo Ann Davis.

In 2006, Drake defeated Democrat Phillip Kellam 51% to 49%. Kellam, a Democratic officeholder in Virginia Beach, Virginia, currently serves as its Commissioner of Revenue. Her former staffers include Carrie Melvin Domnitch, Jordan Davis, Tyler Brown, Mike Cosio, Dena Kozanas, Kate MacGregor and Jeff Scott.

In 2008, Drake's opponent was Democratic nominee Glenn Nye. Nye received the endorsement of The Virginian-Pilot, which endorsed Drake in 2006. The Virginian-Pilot editors stated that Drake had been ineffective in Congress. Nye won the election and took office in January 2009.

Virginia's 2nd congressional district: Results 2004–2008

Year		Democrat	Votes	Pct		Republican	Votes	Pct
2004		David Ashe	108,180	45%		Thelma D. Drake	132,946	55%	*
2006		Philip J. Kellam	83,901	48%		Thelma D. Drake	88,777	51%	*
2008		Glenn Nye	141,857	52%		Thelma D. Drake	128,486	47%	*

*Write-in and minor candidate notes: In 2004, write-ins received 254 votes. In 2006, write-ins received 481 votes. In 2008, write-ins received 368 votes.

See also

• United States House of Representatives elections in Virginia, 2008#District 2
• Virginia's 2nd congressional district
• Women in the United States House of Representatives

External links

• Thelma Drake official website
• Congresswoman Thelma Drake U.S. House website via Internet Archives
• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
• Biography from the Virginia House of Delegates, Session 2002