Rich Anderson (Virginia politician)

Anderson was born in Roanoke, Virginia, and attended Northside High School there. He received a B.A. degree in political science from Virginia Tech in 1979.^[3]

Anderson was commissioned in the United States Air Force after graduation, serving as a nuclear missile operations officer in Titan II and Minuteman II intercontinental ballistic missile units, as well as other command and staff positions. He received an M.A. in public administration from Webster University in 1982. He also attended the Air War College, Air Command and Staff College and Armed Forces Staff College. He retired in 2009 in the rank of colonel. His wife, the former Ruth Valentine, also served in the U.S. Air Force for 21 years.^[3][4]

Anderson joined the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) as a cadet in 1969, and has been a CAP member since then. He progressed through the cadet program, becoming the 200th recipient of the General Carl A. Spaatz Award and promoting to the grade Cadet Colonel. He served as National Commander with the CAP rank of brigadier general August 1993 – August 1996,^[5] and was chairman of the CAP Board of Governors February 2011 – February 2013.^[6]

After his U.S. Air Force retirement, Anderson entered politics, gaining the Republican nomination for the Virginia House of Delegates 51st district in the 2009 election. He defeated first-term Democrat Paul F. Nichols by less than two percentage points.^[7] Anderson ran unopposed in 2011, and defeated Democrat Reed Heddleston by roughly 2,000 votes in 2013. In 2015, Anderson ran unopposed for re-election to his fourth term in office. His district was based in Prince William County.

Anderson was chairman of the Virginia House Committee on Science and Technology. He was defeated for re-election in the 2017 Virginia House of Delegates election.^[3]

In 2020, Anderson was elected to a four-year term as Chairman of the Virginia Republican Party.^[8]

In March 2025, Anderson was nominated by President Donald Trump to become an Assistant Secretary of the Air Force. He announced in a letter that he would step down as Chairman of the Virginia Republican Party once he was confirmed by the Senate.^[9]

After his U.S. Air Force retirement, Anderson entered politics, gaining the Republican nomination for the Virginia House of Delegates 51st district in the 2009 election. He defeated first-term Democrat Paul F. Nichols by less than two percentage points.^[10]