Les Adams (politician)
{{short description|American politician and judge (born 1974)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2013}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| birth_name = Leslie Ray Adams
| name = Les Adams
| image = LRA Headshot-Color.2020-2021.jpg
| caption = Adams in 2020
| state_delegate = Virginia
| district = 16th
| term_start = January 8, 2014
| term_end = January 10, 2024
| predecessor = Don Merricks
| successor = Eric Phillips (redistricting)
| party = Republican
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1974|6|18}}
| birth_place = Montgomery County, Virginia, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| alma_mater = Liberty University (BS)
University of Richmond (JD)
| spouse = Melanie Evonne Schiefer
| children = 2
| residence = Chatham, Virginia, U.S.
| occupation = {{hlist|Lawyer|politician|judge}}
| committees = Courts of Justice
Privileges and Elections
Science and Technology
Transportation
Commerce and Energy
| website = {{URL|www.lesadams.org}}
}}
Leslie Ray Adams (born June 18, 1974) is an American politician and judge from Virginia. A member of the Republican Party, Adams was a member of the Virginia House of Delegates from the 16th district in 2014 until his resignation in 2023. He currently serves as a district judge.
Early life
Leslie Adams was born in Montgomery County, Virginia, in 1974.{{Cite news |url=https://www.chathamstartribune.com/news/article_61ee6a40-98fe-11ee-a505-9b8fa6e5204c.html |title=Les Adams resigns from Virginia House of Delegates |work=Star-Tribune |access-date=2023-12-13}}{{cite web |title=Virginia House of Delegates Member Listings - Delegate Leslie R. (Les) Adams |url=http://virginiageneralassembly.gov/house/members/members.php?id=H0252 |website=virginiageneralassembly.gov |access-date=2023-12-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231213141509/https://virginiageneralassembly.gov/house/members/members.php?id=H0252 |archive-date=2023-12-13 |url-status=live}} He graduated from Liberty University with a Bachelor of Science in 1996 and from the University of Richmond School of Law with a Juris Doctor in 1999.
Career
Adams was first elected to the Virginia House of Delegates in 2013, representing the 16th district.{{cite web |last=Rosenbaum |first=Heather |url=http://www.wset.com/story/23888386/les-adams-wins-16th-district-seat |title=Les Adams Wins 16th District Seat – WSET.com – ABC13 |publisher=WSET.com |date=October 24, 2013 |accessdate=November 8, 2013}} Despite being elected to represent the newly-drawn 48th district in the state's 2023 Virginia House of Delegates elections, he announced his resignation from the House on December 12, 2023, effective at the end of his current term. He was a member of the privileges and elections committee and the commerce and energy committee.
Adams is an attorney. Following his resignation, he was appointed as a general district court judge for the 22nd Judicial District. His six-year term started on February 1, 2024.{{Cite news |url=https://wset.com/news/local/former-delegate-les-adams-appointed-as-judge-for-22nd-judicial-district-city-of-danville-pittsylvania-franklin-county-virginia-general-assembly-january-2024 |title=Former Delegate Les Adams Appointed as Judge for the 22nd Judicial District |last=Hoffman |first=Cherisse |work=ABC13 News |date=2024-01-26 |access-date=2025-03-12}}
Personal life
Adams married Melanie Evonne Schiefer. They have two sons. He lives in Chatham, Virginia. He is a Baptist.
Electoral history
{{Election box begin no change |title=2013 Virginia House of Delegates election, 16th district{{cite web |title=2013 House of Delegates General Election District 16 |url=https://historical.elections.virginia.gov/elections/view/44066/ |publisher=Virginia Department of Elections |accessdate=2 April 2020}}}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = Republican Party (United States)
|candidate = Leslie Ray Adams
|votes = 13,292
|percentage = 63.1
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = Elizabeth Jackson Jones
|votes = 7,740
|percentage = 36.7
}}
{{Election box total no change
|votes = 21,075
|percentage = 100.0
}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change |title=2015 Virginia House of Delegates election, 16th district{{cite web |title=2015 House of Delegates General Election District 16 |url=https://historical.elections.virginia.gov/elections/view/66502/ |publisher=Virginia Department of Elections |accessdate=2 April 2020}}}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = Republican Party (United States)
|candidate = Leslie Ray Adams
|votes = 12,538
|percentage = 98.1
}}
{{Election box total no change
|votes = 12,775
|percentage = 100.0
}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change |title=2017 Virginia House of Delegates election, 16th district{{cite web |title=2017 House of Delegates General Election District 16 |url=https://historical.elections.virginia.gov/elections/view/87949/ |publisher=Virginia Department of Elections |accessdate=2 April 2020}}}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = Republican Party (United States)
|candidate = Leslie Ray Adams
|votes = 16,513
|percentage = 96.1
}}
{{Election box total no change
|votes = 17,181
|percentage = 100.0
}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change |title=2019 Virginia House of Delegates election, 16th district{{cite web |title=2019 House of Delegates General Election District 16 |url=https://historical.elections.virginia.gov/elections/view/135075/ |publisher=Virginia Department of Elections |accessdate=2 April 2020}}}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = Republican Party (United States)
|candidate = Leslie Ray Adams
|votes = 13,146
|percentage = 74.6
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Libertarian Party (United States)
|candidate = Dustin Wilson Evans
|votes = 4,402
|percentage = 25.0
}}
{{Election box total no change
|votes = 17,631
|percentage = 100.0
}}
{{Election box end}}{{Election box begin no change|title=2021 Virginia House of Delegates election, 16th district{{cite web |title=2021 House of Delegates General Election District 16 |url= https://historical.elections.virginia.gov/elections/view/150512/
|publisher=Virginia Department of Elections |accessdate=28 November 2022}}}}{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|party=Republican Party (United States)|candidate=Leslie Ray Adams|votes=19,412|percentage=69.9}}{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Chance Brian Trevillian|votes=8,308|percentage=29.9}}{{Election box total no change|votes=27,755|percentage=100.0}}{{Election box end}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{commons category}}
{{CongLinks | congbio= | votesmart=144507 | fec= | congress= }}
- [http://ballotpedia.org/Les_R._Adams Biography] at Ballotpedia
{{DEFAULTSORT:Adams, Les}}
Category:Republican Party members of the Virginia House of Delegates
Category:21st-century American lawyers
Category:People from Montgomery County, Virginia
Category:People from Chatham, Virginia
Category:Liberty University alumni
Category:University of Richmond School of Law alumni
Category:Virginia state court judges
Category:21st-century members of the Virginia General Assembly
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