ANNOUNCEMENT FROM SEN. STEVE NEWMAN

Central Virginia State Senator Steve Newman to Retire From Senate After 35 Years of Service

FOREST, Va. – Virginia State Senator Steve Newman announced today that he is not seeking re-election to the Senate of Virginia in 2023, ending a 35-year career in public service to Central Virginia. Newman said, “After 35 years of service I look forward to spending much more time with my wife, children, and a new grandbaby.  We have run a good race and its time to allow others to serve.”

35 Years of Service

Senator Newman began his public service career in 1988 when he was elected to Lynchburg City Council to represent Ward 3 at the age of 23, the youngest ever to be elected to Council.  He then went on to serve in the Virginia House of Delegates from 1992 to 1996.  During that time, he became engaged to and married his childhood sweetheart, Kimberly Norton.  They also welcomed their two sons, Tyler in January of 1996 and Wesley in January of 1999, both during the General Assembly Session.  In 1996, he was elected to the Senate of Virginia where he has proudly served this community ever since. Over his legislative career, Senator Newman served under nine Governors of Virginia, from Governor Doug Wilder to Governor Glenn Youngkin.

Seniority in Senate of Virginia

During his time in the Senate of Virginia, Senator Newman served as the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, the highest elected office in the Senate.  This position is elected by all the members of the body.  Newman was also selected to serve as Chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee and the Senate Education & Health Committee. He has also been a member of the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee since 2012, where he’s served as a budget negotiator for many years.  

Personal Reflections on Service

Newman said, “This is a bittersweet time for me and my family. It’s bitter because I’m leaving an institution I love and the individuals in the Senate and on my staff that have worked with me to better serve Central Virginia.  But it’s a sweet time because I know I will be able to now spend more time with my family, friends, and business.  The Lord tells us to run with perseverance the race marked out for us.  Kim and I believe we have finished this part of our race and it is our prayer that we one day hear “well done good and faithful servants.”

I have so many reasons to be thankful!  I’ve enjoyed serving the good people of our community through Lynchburg City Council, the Virginia House of Delegates, and the Senate of Virginia.  I am grateful for the confidence placed in me by each and every voter.  In the end, I’ve spent the majority of my legislative career in the Senate – 28 years in total.  The Senate of Virginia is different from the House of Delegates or the United States Congress.  We are a collegial body and I count friends on both sides of the political aisle.  We often disagree on policy, but always work well together and debate our disagreements in a respectful manner.  I will take with me many lifelong friends from my time in the Senate.  I am so gratified that so many leaders of the Senate both Republican and Democrats that have expressed such kind remarks about my decision to retire.  Words cannot express my gratitude for their kindness. 

Legislation

I’m grateful for the many major pieces of legislation I’ve been fortunate to be to carry over the years including: the Transportation Reform Act and the state’s major Education Reform package under Governor McDonnell that gave Virginia’s parents more options in education.  There were so many more bill that I was privileged to carry:

Cutting Taxes and Improving Life for Working Virginians

I have been one of the Senate’s strongest supporters of tax relief including the original car tax relief under Governor Gilmore. Over the past many years, I have carried or authored many other tax relief bills.  I was able to write, along with Senator Norment, the largest tax cut in Virginia history: the $1 billion in tax relief that went back to working Virginians in 2019.  My office and I have worked with many businesses and families in Central Virginia as they navigated state government agencies.  And during the depths of the COVID-19 pandemic, I tried to communicate as much information as I could via social media to help all Central Virginians through the confusing and debilitating government restrictions with a goal of keeping everyone safe while helping businesses stay afloat and enabling families to be connected.

Mental Health and CVTC

I am also pleased to have worked on many mental health bills for adults and children.  I’ve worked with Horizon Behavior Health Care to bring a Regional Crisis Receiving Center to Lynchburg that will serve our friends and neighbors in mental health crisis, while also freeing local law enforcement to do the job they are called to do.  

In recent years I have worked to pass bills related to the state training centers.  I believe that God has asked us to take care of those who cannot take care of themselves.  Even as a conservative legislator, I have fought for these individuals in the training centers that needed the most help.   Now that our local training center is closed, I have worked closely with our legislative delegation and economic development advocates to prepare the property for its next great chapter in the Lynchburg region.  This year we passed a bill authorizing 90 new nursing home beds on a small portion of the former Central Virginia Training Center property.  This bill will produce scores of jobs, provide nursing home beds we desperately need for our elderly, and provide millions of needed dollars for the removal of the dilapidated buildings at CVTC.

STATE Budget: Over $100 Million for our Area

I am grateful for the trust my Senate colleagues have placed in me as a Senate budget negotiator.  This senior budget position has allowed me to bring back nearly $100 Million in special funding for our area.  This has included tens of million for bridges (such as Odd Fellows Road over Rt. 460) and special appropriation for the new College Lake project.  I’ve had the honor of advocating for scores of other transportation projects in our region.  Recently, I helped get the study funds for an inland port and this year another $200,000 to find rail-centric economic development opportunities in Region 2000.  I added nearly $100,000 for local police mental health screening.  Working with my staff we were able to accomplish the defeasment of $25 million in outstanding bonds at CTVC a full 14 years ahead of schedule.  We added even more in February 2023 by placing an additional $6 million in the Senate budget to incentivize investors in the CVTC property.  We have also added millions to the state budget for salary increases for sheriff’s offices and police officers in our area to ensure local public safety is top notch. 

Constituents – Thank you

Throughout the years there have also been numerous donors and volunteers who’ve given of their time, talents, and treasures to allow me the opportunity to serve the good people of Central Virginia.  I am so grateful for each of you.  I want to express how honored I have been to represent you and vote for you on the floor of the Senate of Virginia.  This trust represents one of the greatest honors of my life.

Also, I have been so blessed to have Sarah Owen provide all my constituent and legislative services for many years.  Sarah is the best of the best.  I am excited to see what God has next for Sarah, as she is an amazing talent with much more to give our Commonwealth.  Over the years I have also enjoyed the service of many remarkable staff members like Patti Dempsey and so many more.

My Sweet Family

Most of all, I am thankful for my wonderful family.  My parents, Roy and Iva, who told me at the age of 23 they were ‘all in’ for my race to be on Lynchburg City Council.  They have been there for me ever since.  And my wife, Kim, who I literally could not be here without.  She is my childhood sweetheart and a tremendous helpmate during every single day of my public service.  She was there with me at age 23 when I knocked on my very first door in Fairview Heights and nervously asked the residents for their vote. She was here at home in Forest managing a family when I was serving in Richmond.  We now have two grown sons, and they are a great testament to her strength and kindness.  Kim has loved me through all the ups and downs of public service, and I love her for her sacrifice and support every single day.  My son Wesley is now a graduate student at Liberty University and is also a great friend to me.  And my wonderful Tyler is married to Callie, and they have a successful small business and provided me and Kim with our first grandchild, Brooks.  There is nothing like being “papa”. Our children and grandchild are Kim’s and my future and I am looking forward to spending much more time with my sweet family in the years ahead.

IN CLOSING…

So, this is not a final farewell as we will see even more of one another around town, but a heartfelt ‘thank you.’  Thank you to all the citizens of Central Virginia for the honor of allowing me and my family to serve you and your family over the past 35 years.”

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