Don Beyer
Donald Sternoff Beyer Jr. (/ˈbaɪ.ər/ BY-ər; born June 20, 1950) is an American businessman, diplomat, and politician serving as the U.S. representative for Virginia's 8th congressional district since 2015. A member of the Democratic Party, his district is in the heart of Northern Virginia and includes Alexandria, Falls Church, and Arlington.
Don Beyer | |
|---|---|
Official portrait, 2023 | |
| Chair of the Joint Economic Committee | |
| In office January 3, 2021 – January 3, 2023 | |
| Preceded by | Mike Lee |
| Succeeded by | Martin Heinrich |
| Vice Chair of the Joint Economic Committee | |
| In office January 16, 2020 – February 3, 2021 | |
| Preceded by | Carolyn Maloney |
| Succeeded by | Martin Heinrich |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Virginia's 8th district | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2015 | |
| Preceded by | Jim Moran |
| United States Ambassador to Switzerland and Liechtenstein | |
| In office September 8, 2009 – May 29, 2013 | |
| President | Barack Obama |
| Preceded by | Peter Coneway |
| Succeeded by | Suzan G. LeVine |
| 36th Lieutenant Governor of Virginia | |
| In office January 13, 1990 – January 17, 1998 | |
| Governor | Douglas Wilder George Allen |
| Preceded by | Douglas Wilder |
| Succeeded by | John Hager |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Donald Sternoff Beyer Jr. June 20, 1950 Trieste, Free Territory of Trieste (now Italy) |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouses | Carolyn McInerney
(m. 1972; div. 1986)Megan Carroll (m. 1987) |
| Children | 4 |
| Education | Williams College (BA) George Mason University |
| Website | House website |
Beyer has owned automobile dealerships in Virginia and has a long record of involvement in community and philanthropic work. From 1990 to 1998 he served as the 36th lieutenant governor of Virginia during the gubernatorial administrations of Doug Wilder (1990–1994) and George Allen (1994–1998). His party's nominee for governor of Virginia in 1997, he lost to Republican Jim Gilmore, who was then the Attorney General of Virginia. From 2009 to 2013, he served as United States Ambassador to Switzerland and Liechtenstein under President Barack Obama.
In 2014, Beyer announced his candidacy for the U.S. House of Representatives seat for Virginia's 8th congressional district held by the retiring Jim Moran. Beyer won the 12-candidate Democratic primary in June with 45% of the vote and defeated Republican Micah Edmond, 63% to 33%, in the general election.