Bob McDonnell was elected the 44th Attorney General of Virginia on November 8, 2005, and inaugurated on January 14, 2006. As Attorney General of Virginia, McDonnell has focused on issues that will keep Virginia safe and strong, including tougher sentencing for violent sexual predators, cracking down on dealers who sell drugs to children, protecting Virginians from terrorist threats, and continuing to put Virginia in the national lead in combating internet crimes and identity theft.

Before his election as Attorney General, McDonnell represented the 84th District in the Virginia House of Delegates for 14 years, defeating a 20-year incumbent to win the seat in 1991. In the House of Delegates, McDonnell served as the Assistant Majority Leader and as Chairman of the House Courts of Justice Committee, which acts upon nearly twenty percent of the legislation introduced in the House. In the General Assembly, Bob was known as a leader on criminal justice and victims’ rights issues, as well as welfare, taxation and family policy. He was Chief Patron of Governor Allen’s Juvenile Justice Reform Initiative, Chief Patron of Virginia’s historic Welfare Reform legislation, Chief Patron of Virginia’s drunk driving reform laws, as well as initiatives to crack down on sexually violent predators, Chief Co-Patron of legislation in the 2003 General Assembly to abolish the death tax, and Chief Patron of legislation to rewrite Virginia’s Public Private Partnership Act.

He also authored legislation and secured funding for the creation of Virginia’s first Judicial Performance Evaluation Program to assist the General Assembly in reappointing judges. Bob has served on many major policy reform commissions, including the 2005 Crime Commission Task Force on Sexually Violent Predators (Chair), Governor Allen’s Commission to Abolish Parole, the Attorney General’s Task Force on Youth and Gang Violence, and the Governor's Commission on Environmental Stewardship. As Attorney General in 2006, he initiated the Task Force on Youth Internet Safety Task Force, and the Task Force on Regulatory and Government Reform. During his race for Attorney General, he received many high-profile endorsements including the Fraternal Order of Police, the Virginia Association of Realtors, the Northern Virginia Technology Council and the Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce.

Bob has also been recognized for his public service with many awards. He was named Legislator of the Year by the Virginia Sheriff’s Association in 2005, by the Family Foundation in 1998 and 2001, by the Network of Victims of Crime in 1996, and was named the National Legislator of the Year in 1998 by the National Child Support Enforcement Association. He received an award in 2005 from the National Transportation Safety Board for his efforts to reform Virginia’s drunk-driving laws, making them a model for the nation.