Brandon Bell (Virginia politician) explained

Brandon Bell
State Senate1:Virginia
District1:22nd
Term Start1:January 14, 2004
Term End1:January 9, 2008
Preceded1:Bo Trumbo
Succeeded1:Ralph K. Smith
State Senate2:Virginia
District2:21st
Term Start2:January 11, 1992
Term End2:January 10, 1996
Preceded2:Granger Macfarlane
Succeeded2:John Edwards
Birth Date:20 December 1958
Birth Place:Charlottesville, Virginia, U.S.
Birthname:John Brandon Bell II
Party:Independent
Otherparty:Republican (formerly)
Spouse:Debbie Hurley Bell[1]
Residence:Roanoke County, Virginia
Alma Mater:BA, Business Administration, Mississippi State University, 1980[2]
Occupation:Small Businessman, Financial Consultant

John Brandon Bell II (born December 20, 1958)[1] is an American former Virginia state senator and small businessman from Charlottesville. Bell was state senator for two non-consecutive terms, replacing Republican State Senator Malfourd W. Trumbo in an open race over Democratic Party Candidate Stephen H. Emick (a relative of Malfourd's predecessor Dudley J. Emick Jr.) when Trumbo retired after 3 terms, having first been elected in 1991.

Bell did not continue on to the General Election four years later in 2007, having lost the Republican Party Primary by 75 votes to the former one term Roanoke Mayor Ralph K. Smith, largely due to his proposal of a bill seeking to ban smoking in private businesses throughout the state, a bill which failed, however a similar bill, sponsored by Senator Ralph Northam, a Democrat from Norfolk, succeeded in banning smoking in private businesses in 2009.[3]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Extended interview with Independent candidate Brandon Bell.
  2. Web site: The Voter's Self Defense System.
  3. Web site: Independent Brandon Bell helped clear the air in Virginia.