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| U.S. Congressman Robert Hurt | |
|---|---|
| Name | Robert Hurt |
| Birth date | 16 October 1969 |
| Birth place | Charlottesville, Virginia |
| Party | Republican Party |
| Alma mater | University of Virginia School of Law, Washington and Lee University |
| Occupation | Attorney, Politician |
| Office | U.S. Representative for Virginia's 5th congressional district |
| Term start | January 3, 2011 |
| Term end | January 3, 2017 |
| Preceded | Tom Perriello |
| Succeeded | Tom Garrett |
U.S. Congressman Robert Hurt
Robert Hurt (born October 16, 1969) is an American attorney and former U.S. Representative who represented Virginia's 5th congressional district from 2011 to 2017. A member of the Republican Party, Hurt previously served in the Virginia Senate and the Virginia House of Delegates. After leaving Congress he returned to private legal practice and entered roles in higher education and policy organizations.
Hurt was born in Charlottesville, Virginia and raised in southern Virginia. He attended Chatham High School and enrolled at Washington and Lee University, where he studied political science and participated in campus organizations linked to Young Americans for Freedom and College Republicans. Hurt earned a Juris Doctor from the University of Virginia School of Law, where he engaged with clinics associated with American Bar Association accreditation and activities connected to the Federalist Society and local chapters of ACLU-adjacent student groups.
After law school, Hurt began practicing law at regional firms serving clients in Danville, Virginia and worked on matters involving VDOT contracts and transactions connected to Piedmont Regional Hospital and municipal authorities such as the City of Danville. He served as counsel in matters that crossed into arenas involving the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia and advised clients on interactions with agencies like the Internal Revenue Service and Virginia Department of Taxation. Concurrently, Hurt became active in Republican politics, working with local committees tied to the Republican National Committee and coordinating with statewide figures such as George Allen, Jim Gilmore, and Mark Warner-era opposition campaigns.
Hurt won election to the Virginia House of Delegates representing parts of southern Virginia where he collaborated with legislators associated with committees that interfaced with the Virginia Department of Education, Virginia State Police, and regional economic development authorities including Southside Virginia Economic Development District. In the Virginia Senate, Hurt served on panels that dealt with budgets overseen by the Governor of Virginia and worked alongside senators such as Bill Bolling and Ralph Northam. His tenure in Richmond involved negotiations touching on legislation referencing the Albemarle County, Pittsylvania County, and issues that required coordination with the Virginia Supreme Court on statutory interpretation.
In 2010 Hurt ran for the U.S. House of Representatives in the 5th district and defeated incumbent Tom Perriello in the 2010 midterm elections that were part of the nationwide gains by the Tea Party movement-aligned coalition and the Republican wave election of 2010. During his tenure in the 112th, 113th, and 114th he served on the United States House Committee on Appropriations, the Committee on Agriculture and subcommittees that oversaw programs related to the United States Department of Agriculture and federal appropriations affecting agencies such as the Small Business Administration and Department of Veterans Affairs. Hurt worked with colleagues including Eric Cantor, John Boehner, Paul Ryan, and Mick Mulvaney on budget and appropriations matters.
Hurt's record reflected alignment with conservative positions of the Republican Party caucus in the House Republican Conference. He supported tax policy changes advocated by leaders such as Kevin McCarthy and voted for budget measures tied to proposals from the Office of Management and Budget and Republican budget plans echoing themes from Grover Norquist-supported tax reduction advocacy. On health care, Hurt opposed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and backed amendments favored by Freedom Caucus-aligned members and critics of Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. He emphasized agricultural policy positions important to his district, coordinating with stakeholders including the National Association of Counties, Virginia Farm Bureau Federation, and United States Department of Agriculture. Hurt took stances on energy policy intersecting with interests of the Dominion Energy service area and infrastructure projects such as discussions involving pipeline and resource extraction debates.
Hurt first won his House seat in the 2010 election defeating Tom Perriello in a contest that also featured primary opponents associated with state and local Republican organizations. He was re-elected in 2012 and 2014, defeating Democratic challengers who included contenders from the Virginia Democratic Party apparatus and groups supported by national organizations like the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. In 2016 Hurt announced he would not seek re-election, paving the way for Tom Garrett (politician) to win the Republican nomination and general election in the district during a cycle that included presidential campaigning by Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton.
After leaving Congress Hurt joined a law firm and later accepted roles in higher education and policy advising, engaging with institutions such as Hampden–Sydney College, Liberty University, and regional nonprofits including the Danville Pittsylvania Foundation. He has participated in boards and advisory councils connected to the James Madison University ecosystem and worked with trade associations interacting with the United States Chamber of Commerce and the National Association of Manufacturers. Hurt has also contributed to public policy forums alongside former colleagues from the United States Congress and participating in events linked to the American Enterprise Institute and state-level policy institutes.
Category:Members of the United States House of Representatives from Virginia Category:Virginia Republicans Category:1969 births Category:Living people