David Ramadan
{{short description|American politician}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2024}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix =
| name = David-Imad Ramadan
| honorific-suffix =
| image =
| caption =
| state_delegate = Virginia
| district = 87th
| term_start = January 11, 2012
| term_end = January 5, 2016
| preceded = Paula Miller
| succeeded = John Bell
| birth_name = David-Iman Ramadan
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1970|5|31}}
| birth_place = Beirut, Lebanon
| death_date =
| death_place =
| restingplace =
| party = Republican
| spouse =
| residence = South Riding, Virginia[http://ikhras.com/tag/david-ramadan/ David Ramadan | Ikhras اخرس] Retrieved May 8, 2018.
| age =
| education = George Mason University (BA, MA)
| occupation = Entrepreneur, consultant, pundit
| website = http://www.davidramadan.com/
}}
David-Imad Ramadan (born May 31, 1970) is a Lebanese-born American politician and businessman. He is a former Republican member of the Virginia House of Delegates, representing the 87th district in Loudoun and Prince William counties from 2012 to 2016.{{cite web | title = Virginia House of Delegates 2013; Delegate David I. Ramadan | publisher = Virginia House of Delegates | url = http://dela.state.va.us/dela/MemBios.nsf/a7b082ef6ed01eac85256c0d00515644/b992dd6f4701ceec85257535005773fd?OpenDocument&Click=85256823005F1997.f0a3d2c6f9f07af1852570bd00646e36/$Body/0.1A96 | accessdate = April 16, 2013}} He opted not to seek re-election in 2015, and was succeeded by his 2013 opponent, Democrat John J. Bell.
Early life and education
Ramadan grew up in Lebanon and completed his high school studies at International College, Beirut. He emigrated to the United States in 1989 and has resided in Virginia since then. He is a graduate of George Mason University, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in government and politics and a Master of Arts degree in international trade and transactions. He completed graduate studies at Oxford University, the American Graduate School of Business (Geneva, Switzerland), Johns Hopkins University, and Georgetown University.
Career
Prior to entering politics, Ramadan worked at Curves International and in the government relations sector.{{cite news|title=D.C.-area businessman expands Curves overseas |url=http://www.bizjournals.com/washington/blog/2011/03/local-businessman-expands-curves.html |newspaper=Washington Business Journal |accessdate=March 8, 2011 |first=Tierney |last=Plumb |date=March 8, 2011}}
Ramadan is also a frequent commentator on TV and radio news networks such as ABC's Good Morning America, LBC, MSNBC, France 24, Al-Hurra, BBC, CNN, and NPR.{{cite web |title=David Ramadan {{!}} Biography |url=https://www.gmu.edu/profiles/dramada1 |website=George Mason University |access-date=December 16, 2024 |language=en}}
Ramadan served on the Board of Visitors of George Mason University, where he was appointed by Governor Bob McDonnell on July 1, 2010.{{cite press release |title=Governor McDonnell Announces Board Appointments and Additional Appointments to Administration |url=http://www.governor.virginia.gov/News/viewRelease.cfm?id=222 |publisher=Gov. McDonnell's Press Office |date=July 1, 2010 |accessdate=December 1, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101118072351/http://www.governor.virginia.gov/News/viewRelease.cfm?id=222 |archive-date=November 18, 2010 |url-status=dead }} The Washington Post on July 1, 2010, described the appointment by Governor McDonnell "as a thank you to longtime supporters and friends".{{cite news |title=McDonnell appoints supporters to universities's boards of visitors |url=http://voices.washingtonpost.com/virginiapolitics/2010/07/mcdonnell_appoints_supporters.html?wprss=virginiapolitics |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121010201805/http://voices.washingtonpost.com/virginiapolitics/2010/07/mcdonnell_appoints_supporters.html?wprss=virginiapolitics |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 10, 2012 |first=Anita |last=Kumar | date=July 1, 2010 |accessdate=December 6, 2010 | newspaper=The Washington Post}} He is also an adjunct professor at George Mason University, teaching "Global Affairs - Middle East Realities" and "Virginia Government and Politics" courses.{{cite web|url=http://chss.gmu.edu/articles/9431|title=The New Realities in the Middle East with David Imad Ramadan|website=gmu.edu|accessdate=September 15, 2018}}
Ramadan is a political activist with active roles in the Republican Party of Virginia, the Loudoun County Republican Committee,{{cite web|title=Loudoun GOP|url=http://www.loudoungop.com/|work=Loudoun County (VA) Republican Party|accessdate=December 1, 2010}} and the Arab-American Republican community. He has served on presidential political campaigns as well as on gubernatorial and senatorial campaigns, and was appointed by RPV Chair in 2008 to ethnic outreach leadership.{{cite web|title=Republicans name ethnic outreach leadership |url=http://www.rpv.org/news_media/detail/republicans-name-ethnic-outreach-leadership/ |work=Republican Party of Virginia |accessdate=December 6, 2010 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100704200331/https://www.rpv.org/news_media/detail/republicans-name-ethnic-outreach-leadership |archivedate=July 4, 2010 }}
In November 2018, when Republican Congresswoman Barbara Comstock was ousted by Democratic nominee Jennifer Wexton, Ramadan told The Washington Post that her loss is to be blamed on factors at the national level, not the district level.[https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/comstock-vs-wexton-virginias-10th-congressional-district-race/2018/11/06/f3d406ca-deb6-11e8-85df-7a6b4d25cfbb_story.html?noredirect=on Portnoy, Jenna. "Democrat Jennifer T. Wexton defeats Rep. Barbara Comstock, turning a GOP stronghold district in Virginia blue" The Washington Post November 6, 2018] He has been outspoken about his belief that the Virginia Republican party needs to pay more attention to the needs and opinions of Northern Virginia, and not just to rural voters in the rest of the Commonwealth.[https://www.roanoke.com/opinion/editorials/editorial-ramadan-says-rural-republicans-need-to-be-educated-about/article_23bf0c20-ecd8-531b-9d9f-eedb6338eb36.html "Editorial: Ramadan says rural Republicans need to be educated about political reality" Roanoke Times October 24, 2018] In November 2024, Ramadan joined Comstock and Democratic officials state senator Suhas Subramanyam, Wexton, and state senator Russet Perry to help elect Democratic candidates including Kamala Harris.{{cite web|url=https://www.loudounnow.com/news/former-republican-lawmakers-join-democratic-candidates-in-loudoun-for-final-voter-push/article_3d98d166-9ab1-11ef-b680-a3368277d2b8.html|title=Former Republican Lawmakers Join Democratic Candidates in Loudoun for Final Voter Push|last=Pampolani|first=Hanna|date=November 3, 2024|access-date=May 4, 2025|website=Loudoun Now}}
=Legislative history=
Ramadan served on the several committees in the Virginia House of Delegates, specifically Privileges & Elections (P&E), Science & Technology (S&T), and the General Laws Committee. He served as the chairman of the P&E Constitutional Amendments Subcommittee.{{cite web|url=http://www.vpap.org/legislators/155416/committees/|title=Legislator: David Ramadan|website=www.vpap.org|accessdate=September 15, 2018}}
Ramadan was the co-founder and co-chairman of the "Business Development Caucus,"{{cite web|url=http://www.loudountimes.com/news/article/ramadan_among_founders_of_statehouse_business_development_caucus423|title=Ramadan among founders of statehouse Business Development Caucus|first=Trevor|last=Baratko|website=loudountimes.com|date=April 30, 2012 |accessdate=September 15, 2018}} and the co-founded and co-chairman of the "Redskins Pride Caucus".{{cite web|url=http://www.richmond.com/news/virginia/n-va-legislators-announce-redskins-pride-caucus/article_345f61c0-fae7-11e3-8ebf-0017a43b2370.html|title=3 N.Va. legislators announce Redskins Pride Caucus|first=RICHMOND|last=TIMES-DISPATCH|website=richmond.com|date=June 23, 2014 |accessdate=September 15, 2018}}
Ramadan authored several pieces of legislation which became law during his four years in the Virginia House:
- Constitutional Amendment in support of military families{{cite web|url=http://wamu.org/story/14/10/29/va_amendment_would_erase_property_taxes_for_families_of_slain_soldiers/|title=Virginia Amendment Would Erase Property Taxes For Families Of Slain Soldiers|website=wamu.org|accessdate=September 15, 2018}}
- Online Voter Registration{{cite web|url=http://www.virginiabusiness.com/news/article/online-voter-registration-takes-effect-in-virginia|website=www.virginiabusiness.com|title=Online voter registration takes effect in Virginia Industries|date=July 23, 2013 |accessdate=September 15, 2018}}
- High School to Work Partnerships{{cite web | url=https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?131+sum+HB2101 | title=LIS > Bill Tracking > HB2101 > 2013 session }}
- Diwali Day{{cite web|url=http://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?131+sum+HJ550|title=LIS > Bill Tracking > HJ550 > 2013 session|website=lis.virginia.gov|accessdate=September 15, 2018}}
- Securing the State Corporation Commission electronic system{{cite web | url=https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?141+sum+HB168S | title=LIS > Bill Tracking > HB168 > 2014 session }}
- High School Biliteracy Diploma Seal{{cite web | url=https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?151+sum+HB1351 | title=LIS > Bill Tracking > HB1351 > 2015 session }}
- Sex Offenders and Crimes Against Minors Supplement to Registry{{cite web|url=https://www.richmondsunlight.com/bill/2015/hb1353/|title=HB1353: Sex Offender and Crimes Against Minors Registry; Supplement to Registry.|website=Richmond Sunlight|accessdate=September 15, 2018}}
Electoral history
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20181031035929/http://www.davidramadan.com/ Official website]
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ramadan, David}}
Category:20th-century American businesspeople
Category:21st-century American businesspeople
Category:Alumni of the University of Oxford
Category:American political commentators
Category:American politicians of Lebanese descent
Category:Businesspeople from Virginia
Category:George Mason University alumni
Category:Georgetown University alumni
Category:Johns Hopkins University alumni
Category:Lebanese emigrants to the United States
Category:Republican Party members of the Virginia House of Delegates
Category:Politicians from Beirut
Category:People from Loudoun County, Virginia
Category:21st-century members of the Virginia General Assembly