Owen B. Pickett
{{Short description|American politician (1930–2010)}}
{{More citations needed|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name= Owen B. Pickett
| image name= Owen Pickett 106th Congress.jpg
| state= Virginia
| district= 2nd
| term_start = January 3, 1987
| term_end = January 3, 2001
| preceded= G. William Whitehurst
| succeeded= Edward Schrock
| state_delegate2 = Virginia
| district2 = 81st
| term_start2 = January 12, 1983
| term_end2 = December 30, 1986
| preceded2 = None (district created)
| succeeded2 = Glenn R. Croshaw
| state_delegate3 = Virginia
| district3 = 38th
| term_start3 = January 13, 1982
| term_end3 = January 12, 1983
| alongside3 = Buster O'Brien, Glenn McClanan, Billy O'Brien, and Melvin Spence
| preceded3 = Frederick H. Creekmore
Tom Forehand
| succeeded3 = Nora Anderson Squyres
| office4 = Chair of the Democratic Party of Virginia
| term_start4 = 1980
| term_end4 = 1982
| preceded4 = Richard J. Davis
| succeeded4 = Alan Diamonstein
| state_delegate5 = Virginia
| district5 = 40th
| term_start5 = January 12, 1972
| term_end5 = January 13, 1982
| preceded5 = Richard D. Guy
| succeeded5 =
| birth_date = {{birth date|1930|8|31|mf=y}}
| birth_place= Richmond, Virginia
| death_date = {{death date and age|2010|10|27|1930|8|31|mf=y}}
| death_place=Virginia Beach, Virginia
| spouse=
| profession= Politician, lawyer
| party= Democrat
| alma_mater = Virginia Tech (B.S.)
University of Richmond (LL.B.)
}}
Owen Bradford Pickett (August 31, 1930 – October 27, 2010) was a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives from Virginia.
Early life
Pickett was born in Richmond, Virginia, on August 31, 1930. He graduated from Virginia Tech in 1952 and the University of Richmond School of Law in 1955. Pickett was admitted to the Virginia State bar in 1955, and practiced law in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
State political career
Pickett served as a member of the Virginia House of Delegates from 1972 until 1986, representing a district centered on Virginia Beach. During this time, he also served as chairman of the Democratic Party of Virginia from 1980 until 1982.{{cite news |url=http://www.wtkr.com/news/dp-va--obit-pickett1028oct28,0,5094472.story |title=Former Va congressman Owen Pickett dies at 80 |work=WTKR |date=October 28, 2010 }}{{Dead link|date=April 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
Pickett was considered the unopposed favorite for the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate in 1982 to run for the seat of retiring Democratic-turned-independent U.S. Senator Harry F. Byrd Jr. In announcing his candidacy, Pickett paid tribute to the Byrd Organization, the political "machine" led by Senator Byrd's father, the late Virginia Governor and U.S. Senator Harry F. Byrd, Sr. The reference enraged State Senator L. Douglas Wilder of Richmond, who found Pickett's glowing references to a political machine that supported segregation unacceptable. Wilder said he would mount an independent candidacy if Pickett won the Democratic nomination.{{cite book |last1=Barone |first1=Michael |author-link1=Michael Barone (pundit) |last2=Ujifusa |first2=Grant |title=The Almanac of American Politics 1988|publisher=National Journal |year=1987 |page=1227}} Pickett realized that Wilder was serious, and concluded that he would likely lose a three-way race with Wilder and the Republican nominee, Congressman Paul Trible. He pulled out of the race, and the Democrats instead nominated Lt. Governor Richard Joseph Davis, who lost narrowly to Trible in the 1982 general election.
Congressional career
Meanwhile, voters of Virginia's 2nd congressional district elected Pickett in 1986 to become their U.S. Representative. Re-elected several times (and facing no opponent in 1998), Pickett represented the district from January 3, 1987, until January 3, 2001, announcing in 2000 that he was not a candidate for reelection to the 107th Congress. The Owen B. Pickett U.S. Custom House in Norfolk, Virginia, was named in his honor in 2001.
=Electoral history=
- 1986; Pickett defeated Republican A. Joe Canada Jr. and Independent Stephen P. Shao, winning 49.48% of the vote.
- 1988; Pickett defeated Republican Jerry R. Curry and Independents Stephen P. Shao and Robert A. Smith, winning 60.55% of the vote.
- 1990; Pickett defeated Independent Harry G. Broskie, winning 77.61% of the vote.
- 1992; Pickett defeated Republican J.L. Chapman, winning 56.03% of the vote.
- 1994; Pickett defeated Republican Chapman, winning 59.05% of the vote.
- 1996; Pickett defeated Republican John F. Tate, winning 57.72% of the vote.
- 1998; Pickett was unopposed for re-election in 1998.
Death
Electoral history
{{Election box begin no change
| title = Virginia's 2nd congressional district election, 1986 }}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| candidate = Owen B. Pickett
| votes = 54,491
| percentage = 49.46% }}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| candidate = A. Joe Canada Jr.
| votes = 46,137
| percentage = 41.88% }}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Independent (United States)
| candidate = Stephen P. Shao
| votes = 9,492
| percentage = 8.62% }}
{{Election box candidate no change
| party = Write-in
| candidate =
| votes = 49
| percentage = 0.04% }}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 110,169
| percentage = 100% }}
{{Election box gain with party link without swing
| winner = Democratic Party (United States)
| loser = Republican Party (United States) }}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change
| title = Virginia's 2nd congressional district election, 1988 }}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| candidate = Owen B. Pickett (Incumbent)
| votes = 106,666
| percentage = 60.53% }}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| candidate = Jerry R. Curry
| votes = 62,564
| percentage = 35.51% }}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Independent (United States)
| candidate = Stephen P. Shao
| votes = 4,255
| percentage = 2.41% }}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Independent (United States)
| candidate = Robert A. Smith
| votes = 2,691
| percentage = 1.53% }}
{{Election box candidate no change
| party = Write-in
| candidate =
| votes = 32
| percentage = 0.02% }}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 176,208
| percentage = 100% }}
{{Election box hold with party link without swing
| winner = Democratic Party (United States) }}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change
| title = Virginia's 2nd congressional district election, 1990 }}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| candidate = Owen B. Pickett (Incumbent)
| votes = 55,179
| percentage = 74.95% }}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Independent (United States)
| candidate = Harry G. Broskie
| votes = 15,915
| percentage = 21.62% }}
{{Election box candidate no change
| party = Write-in
| candidate =
| votes = 2,524
| percentage = 3.43% }}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 73,618
| percentage = 100% }}
{{Election box hold with party link without swing
| winner = Democratic Party (United States) }}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change
| title = Virginia's 2nd congressional district election, 1992 }}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| candidate = Owen B. Pickett (Incumbent)
| votes = 99,253
| percentage = 56.03% }}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| candidate = J. L. Chapman IV
| votes = 77,797
| percentage = 43.92% }}
{{Election box candidate no change
| party = Write-in
| candidate =
| votes = 83
| percentage = 0.05% }}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 177,133
| percentage = 100% }}
{{Election box hold with party link without swing
| winner = Democratic Party (United States) }}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change
| title = Virginia's 2nd congressional district election, 1994 }}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| candidate = Owen B. Pickett (Incumbent)
| votes = 81,372
| percentage = 59.05% }}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| candidate = J. L. Chapman IV
| votes = 56,375
| percentage = 40.91% }}
{{Election box candidate no change
| party = Write-in
| candidate =
| votes = 55
| percentage = 0.04% }}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 137,802
| percentage = 100% }}
{{Election box hold with party link without swing
| winner = Democratic Party (United States) }}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change
| title = Virginia's 2nd congressional district election, 1996 }}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| candidate = Owen B. Pickett (Incumbent)
| votes = 106,215
| percentage = 64.77% }}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| candidate = John F. Tate
| votes = 57,586
| percentage = 35.11% }}
{{Election box candidate no change
| party = Write-in
| candidate =
| votes = 195
| percentage = 0.12% }}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 163,996
| percentage = 100% }}
{{Election box hold with party link without swing
| winner = Democratic Party (United States) }}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change
| title = Virginia's 2nd congressional district election, 1998 }}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| candidate = Owen B. Pickett (Incumbent)
| votes = 67,975
| percentage = 94.29% }}
{{Election box candidate no change
| party = Write-in
| candidate =
| votes = 4,116
| percentage = 5.71% }}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 72,091
| percentage = 100% }}
{{Election box hold with party link without swing
| winner = Democratic Party (United States) }}
{{Election box end}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{CongBio|P000326}}
{{commons}}
- {{C-SPAN|7250}}
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{{US House succession box|
state=Virginia|
district=2|
before=G. William Whitehurst|
years=1987–2001|
after=Edward Schrock
}}
{{s-end}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Pickett, Owen B.}}
Category:Democratic Party members of the Virginia House of Delegates
Category:Democratic Party of Virginia chairs
Category:Politicians from Richmond, Virginia
Category:University of Richmond School of Law alumni
Category:Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Virginia
Category:Lawyers from Richmond, Virginia
Category:20th-century American lawyers
Category:20th-century members of the United States House of Representatives
Category:20th-century members of the Virginia General Assembly
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