{{Short description|American politician (1961–2022)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=November 2022}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Donald McEachin | image = Donald McEachin portrait 116th Congress.jpg | alt = McEachin smiling, wearing a suit in front of an American flag | state = Virginia | district = {{ushr|VA|4|4th}} | term_start = January 3, 2017 | term_end = November 28, 2022 | predecessor = Randy Forbes | successor = Jennifer McClellan | state_senate1 = Virginia | district1 = 9th | term_start1 = January 9, 2008 | term_end1 = January 3, 2017 | predecessor1 = Benjamin Lambert | successor1 = Jennifer McClellan | state_delegate2 = Virginia | district2 = 74th | term_start2 = January 11, 2006 | term_end2 = January 9, 2008 | predecessor2 = Floyd Miles | successor2 = Joe Morrissey | term_start3 = January 10, 1996 | term_end3 = January 9, 2002 | predecessor3 = Robert Ball | successor3 = Floyd Miles | birth_name = Aston Donald McEachin | birth_date = {{birth date|1961|10|10}} | birth_place = Nuremberg, Bavaria, West Germany<br/>(now Germany) | death_date = {{death date and age|2022|11|28|1961|10|10}} | death_place = Richmond, Virginia, U.S. | party = Democratic | spouse = {{marriage|Colette McEachin|1986}} | children = 3 | resting_place = Mount Calvary Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia | education = {{plainlist| * American University (BA) * University of Virginia (JD) * Virginia Union University (MDiv) }} }}
'''Aston Donald McEachin''' ({{IPAc-en|m|ə|ˈ|k|iː|tʃ|ə|n}} {{Respell|mə|KEE|chən}}; October 10, 1961 – November 28, 2022) was an American politician and lawyer who served as the U.S. representative for Virginia's 4th congressional district from 2017 until his death in 2022.<ref>{{cite web|title=Rep. Donald McEachin passes away at 61 after battle with colorectal cancer|url=https://www.wtvr.com/news/local-news/donald-mceachin-obit-november-28-2022|access-date=November 28, 2022}}</ref> His district was based in the state capital, Richmond; it included much of the area between Richmond, a portion of its suburbs, and Hampton Roads.
A member of the Democratic Party, McEachin served in the Virginia House of Delegates from 1996 until 2002 and then served an additional term from 2006 until 2008.<ref name="sov">{{cite web | title = Senator A. Donald McEachin; Democrat-District 9 | publisher = Senate of Virginia | url = http://apps.lis.virginia.gov/sfb1/Senate/senatorwebprofile.aspx?id=210 | access-date = November 16, 2012 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130109190013/http://apps.lis.virginia.gov/sfb1/Senate/senatorwebprofile.aspx?id=210 | archive-date = January 9, 2013 }}</ref> In 2001, he was the Democratic nominee in the Virginia Attorney General election, which he lost to Jerry Kilgore. {{as of|2012|11|alt=McEachin subsequently served in the Senate of Virginia from 2008 until 2017, representing the 9th district, made up of Charles City County, plus parts of Henrico County and the city of Richmond.}} He was first elected to represent Virginia's 4th congressional district in 2016, filling an open seat vacated by Randy Forbes.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/elections/results/virginia-house-district-4-mceachin-wade |title=Virginia U.S. House 4th District Results: Donald McEachin Wins |last=The New York Times |work=The New York Times |date=November 9, 2016}}</ref>
McEachin was the first African American nominated by a major party for Virginia Attorney General. He was the third African American elected to Congress from Virginia and the second elected from the state since the 19th century.<ref>[https://richmond.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/tonight-he-lost-that-battle-congressman-donald-mceachin-dies-at-61/article_a43716c5-1c6b-53db-a601-17fb27c6f8fc.html 'Tonight, he lost that battle': Congressman Donald McEachin dies at 61]</ref>
==Early life, education, and legal career== McEachin was born in Nuremberg, West Germany, while his father was serving in the United States Army. He attended St. Christopher's School in Richmond. In 1982, he received a bachelor's degree in political history from American University. After that, he attended the University of Virginia School of Law, where he received a J.D. in 1986. He also received a Master of Divinity from Virginia Union University in 2008.<ref name="sov"/> In 2012, he was awarded ''honoris causa'' membership in Omicron Delta Kappa, the National Leadership Honor Society.{{citation needed|date = November 2022}}
McEachin began to practice law in Richmond after completing law school, eventually becoming a partner in his own firm, McEachin and Gee.<ref name="ownwebsite">{{cite web | title = Donald McEachin | url = http://www.donaldmceachin.com | access-date = November 16, 2012}}</ref>
==Virginia Legislature== McEachin was first elected to the House of Delegates from the 74th district in 1995. After three terms there, he ran in the 2001 Virginia Attorney General election. He won a four-way Democratic primary with 33.6% of the vote,<ref name="sbe200106">{{cite web|title=Commonwealth of Virginia; June 12, 2001 - Primary Election |url=http://www2.sbe.state.va.us/web_docs/election/results/2001/jun2001/June12/ |publisher=Virginia State Board of Elections |access-date=January 25, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070221170843/http://www.sbe.state.va.us/web_docs/election/results/2001/jun2001/June12/ |archive-date=February 21, 2007 }}</ref> but lost the general election to Republican nominee Jerry Kilgore by 20 percentage points.<ref>{{cite news | title = Virginia Election Results | newspaper = Washington Post | date = November 6, 2001 | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/metro/va/elections/2001/1720.htm}}</ref>
In 2005 he ran again for the 74th House district, defeating his predecessor, Floyd Miles, by 44 votes in the Democratic primary,<ref name="sbe2005p">{{cite web|title=Commonwealth of Virginia; June 14, 2005 - Primary Election |url=http://www.sbe.virginia.gov/ElectionResults/2005/Junr2005Primary/index.htm |publisher=Virginia State Board of Elections |access-date=November 16, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130813132134/http://www.sbe.virginia.gov/ElectionResults/2005/Junr2005Primary/index.htm |archive-date=August 13, 2013 }}</ref> and winning the general election with 75% of the vote.<ref name="sbe2005">{{cite web|title=Commonwealth of Virginia; November 8, 2005 - General Election |url=http://www.sbe.virginia.gov/ElectionResults/2005/nov2005/html/h_74.htm |publisher=Virginia State Board of Elections |access-date=November 16, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121228235514/http://www.sbe.virginia.gov/ElectionResults/2005/nov2005/html/h_74.htm |archive-date=December 28, 2012 }}</ref>
thumb|McEachin in 2010 In 2007, McEachin ran for the state senate, challenging 9th district incumbent Benjamin Lambert, who drew criticism within the Democratic Party for his endorsement of Republican U.S. Senator George Allen in Allen's unsuccessful 2006 reelection campaign against Jim Webb.<ref name="washtimes">{{cite news | title = Allen endorsement dogs Lambert's re-election bid | work = The Washington Times | date = June 9, 2007 | url = http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2007/jun/09/20070609-111020-1267r/ | access-date = January 25, 2009}}</ref> After defeating Lambert 58%-42% in the primary,<ref name="sbe200706">{{cite web|title=2007 June Democratic Primary Official Results |publisher=Virginia State Board of Elections |url=https://www.voterinfo.sbe.virginia.gov/election/Data/2007/FF531BB4-AA39-4797-9CCE-21999D9EC84D/official/7_s.shtml |access-date=January 25, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111002102634/https://www.voterinfo.sbe.virginia.gov/election/Data/2007/FF531BB4-AA39-4797-9CCE-21999D9EC84D/official/7_s.shtml |archive-date=October 2, 2011 }}</ref> McEachin won 81% of the vote against independent Silver Persinger in the general election.<ref name="sbe2007">{{cite web|title=November 6, 2007 General Election Official Results |publisher=Virginia State Board of Elections |url=https://www.voterinfo.sbe.virginia.gov/election/DATA/2007/196E44FA-8B19-4240-9A44-737216DAA55D/Unofficial/7_s.shtml |access-date=November 16, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111002101836/https://www.voterinfo.sbe.virginia.gov/election/DATA/2007/196E44FA-8B19-4240-9A44-737216DAA55D/Unofficial/7_s.shtml |archive-date=October 2, 2011 }}</ref>
McEachin was unopposed for reelection in 2011.<ref name="sbe2011">{{cite web | title = November 2011 General Election Official Results | publisher = Virginia State Board of Elections | url = https://www.voterinfo.sbe.virginia.gov/election/DATA/2011/EB178FD6-875D-4B0D-A295-900A0482F523/Official/7_s.shtml | access-date = November 16, 2012 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130708165741/https://www.voterinfo.sbe.virginia.gov/election/DATA/2011/EB178FD6-875D-4B0D-A295-900A0482F523/Official/7_s.shtml | archive-date = July 8, 2013 }}</ref>
== United States House of Representatives == Midway through his third term in the state senate, McEachin got an opportunity to transfer to federal politics. A federal court threw out Virginia's original congressional map as an unconstitutional racial gerrymander. A new map saw all of Petersburg and most of the majority-black precincts in Henrico County shifted from the 3rd district to the 4th district. The 4th also picked up all of Richmond, which had previously been split between the 3rd and 7th districts. The 4th had been represented by Republican Randy Forbes since a 2001 special election, but the addition of these majority-black areas turned the 4th from a Republican-leaning swing district into a heavily Democratic district. Rather than face certain defeat in the redrawn 4th, Forbes made an unsuccessful bid for the Republican nomination in the neighboring 2nd district. McEachin, whose then-home in unincorporated Henrico County lay just outside the redrawn 4th's boundaries, defeated Chesapeake City Councilwoman Ella Ward for the Democratic nomination. He then handily defeated Republican Henrico County Sheriff Mike Wade in the general election. He was reelected three times with no substantive opposition.
===Committee assignments=== McEachin was a member of the following committees and subcommittees during the 117th Congress:<ref name = Clerk>{{cite web|url = https://clerk.house.gov/members/M001200|title = A. Donald McEachin|website = Clerk of the United States House of Representatives|accessdate = November 29, 2022}}</ref> *Committee on Energy and Commerce **Subcommittee on Communications and Technology **Subcommittee on Energy **Subcommittee on Environment and Climate Change *Committee on Natural Resources **Energy and Mineral Resources **Oversight and Investigations *Select Committee on the Climate Crisis
===Caucus memberships=== *New Democrat Coalition<ref>{{cite web|title=Members|url=https://newdemocratcoalition-himes.house.gov/members|publisher=New Democrat Coalition|access-date=February 5, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180208100356/https://newdemocratcoalition-himes.house.gov/members|archive-date=February 8, 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref> *Congressional Black Caucus<ref>{{cite web|title=Membership|url=https://cbc.house.gov/membership/|publisher=Congressional Black Caucus|access-date=March 6, 2018}}</ref>
== Political positions == McEachin voted with President Joe Biden's stated position 100% of the time in the 117th Congress, according to a ''FiveThirtyEight'' analysis.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bycoffe |first=Aaron |last2=Wiederkehr |first2=Anna |date=2021-04-22 |title=Does Your Member Of Congress Vote With Or Against Biden? |url=https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/biden-congress-votes/house/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210522014239/https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/biden-congress-votes/house/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 22, 2021 |access-date=2023-11-15 |website=FiveThirtyEight |language=en}}</ref>
== Electoral history == {{Election box begin no change | title = 2016 Virginia's 4th congressional district election<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=807649 | title=Our Campaigns - VA District 04 Race - Nov 08, 2016 }}</ref> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change | party = Democratic Party (US) | candidate = Donald McEachin | votes = 200,136 | percentage = 57.7 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | party = Republican Party (US) | candidate = Mike Wade | votes = 145,731 | percentage = 42.0 }} {{Election box total no change | votes = 346,656 | percentage = 100.00 }} {{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change | title = 2018 Virginia's 4th congressional district election<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=831506 | title=Our Campaigns - VA District 04 Race - Nov 06, 2018 }}</ref> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change | party = Democratic Party (US) | candidate = Donald McEachin (incumbent) | votes = 187,642 | percentage = 62.6 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | party = Republican Party (US) | candidate = Ryan McAdams | votes = 107,706 | percentage = 35.9 }} {{Election box total no change | votes = 299,854 | percentage = 100.00 }} {{Election box end}} {{Election box begin no change | title = 2020 Virginia's 4th congressional district election<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=873939 | title=Our Campaigns - VA District 04 Race - Nov 03, 2020 }}</ref> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change | party = Democratic Party (US) | candidate = Donald McEachin (incumbent) | votes = 240,510 | percentage = 61.6 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | party = Republican Party (US) | candidate = Leon Benjamin | votes = 149,481 | percentage = 38.3 }} {{Election box total no change | votes = 389,991 | percentage = 100.00 }} {{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change | title = 2022 Virginia's 4th congressional district election }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change | candidate = Donald McEachin (incumbent) | party = Democratic Party (United States) | votes = 159,044 | percentage = 65.0 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | candidate = Leon Benjamin | party = Republican Party (United States) | votes = 85,503 | percentage = 35.0 }} {{Election box write-in with party link no change | votes = 431 | percentage = 0.2 }} {{Election box total no change | votes = 245,046 | percentage = 100.00 }} {{Election box end}}
==Illness and death== {{Wikinews|US Representative Donald McEachin dies at age 61}} In 2018, McEachin revealed that he had developed a fistula after completing treatment for colorectal cancer in 2014, losing more than {{convert|60|lb|kg}} as a result.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Martz |first1=Michael |title=Slimmed-down McEachin dealing with non-life-threatening medical condition |url=https://www.richmond.com/news/virginia/government-politics/slimmed-down-mceachin-dealing-with-non-life-threatening-medical-condition/article_b72d7a03-e1a9-5122-8555-f1e31473acd3.html |website=Richmond Times-Dispatch |date=October 8, 2018 |access-date=February 10, 2019}}</ref> He advocated regular testing for colon cancer/colorectal cancer, telling attendees at a 2022 special screening of the film ''Black Panther: Wakanda Forever'' (a sequel to ''Black Panther'', whose star, Chadwick Boseman, died of colon cancer), "Don't fool around. Don't go through my journey", two weeks before his death.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Vozzella |first1=Laura |last2=Flynn |first2=Meagan |title=Congressman Donald McEachin of Virginia dies at 61 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2022/11/28/donald-mceachin-congress-dies/ |access-date=November 29, 2022 |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=November 29, 2022|url-access = limited}}</ref>
McEachin died at his home in Richmond of complications of cancer on November 28, 2022, at the age of 61.<ref>{{cite news|title=Funeral arrangements set for Rep. A. Donald McEachin of Virginia|last=Flynn|first=Meagan|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2022/11/30/donald-mceachin-funeral-arrangements/|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=November 30, 2022|access-date=December 1, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url = https://www.whsv.com/2022/11/29/us-rep-donald-mceachin-dies/|title = 'Virginia has lost a great leader': U.S. Rep. McEachin dies|work = WWBT|date = November 29, 2022|accessdate = November 29, 2022}}</ref> His death came a few weeks after his reelection to a fourth term in the 2022 elections. Tributes to McEachin were paid by outgoing Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, as well as fellow Virginia Democratic representative Gerry Connolly and both of Virginia's U.S. Senators, Mark Warner and Tim Kaine (who had known McEachin since 1984).<ref>{{cite news |title=Virginia Rep. Donald McEachin, recently reelected to 4th term in US Congress, dies at 61 |url=https://www.dailypress.com/news/obituaries/vp-nw-mceachin-congressman-dies-20221129-w3pk2yok7rhmzk5ktzco4r3cva-story.html |access-date=November 29, 2022 |work=Associated Press |agency=Daily Press}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.wtvr.com/news/virginia-politics/sen-kaine-mourns-donald-mceachin-november-29-2022|title=Sen. Kaine mourns Donald McEachin: 'He will have a successor but won't really have a replacement'|publisher=WTVR|date=November 29, 2022|accessdate=November 29, 2022}}</ref> McEachin was succeeded by Jennifer McClellan, a fellow Democrat who held McEachin's former state senate seat, in a special election on February 21, 2023.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.politico.com/news/2023/02/21/jennifer-mcclellan-virginia-congress-00083883 | title=McClellan elected as Virginia's first Black woman in Congress | website=Politico | date=February 21, 2023 }}</ref>
McEachin is buried in the Mount Calvary Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Moors |first1=Macy |title='He was a wonderful friend': U.S. Rep. McEachin laid to rest Wednesday |url=https://www.nbc12.com/2022/12/07/he-was-wonderful-friend-us-rep-mceachin-laid-rest-wednesday/ |website=WWBT NBC 12 Richmond, VA |date=December 7, 2022 |publisher=Gray Television, Inc. |access-date=3 March 2023}}</ref>
== Personal life == McEachin and his wife, Colette, had three children and lived in Richmond.<ref name="ownwebsite" /> In 2019, Colette McEachin became interim Commonwealth's Attorney for Richmond (having served in that office for 20 years),<ref>{{cite web |title=Collette Wallace McEachin, Deputy in Richmond Commonwealth's Attorney's Office, to Seek Democratic Nomination for Commonwealth's Attorney |url=https://bluevirginia.us/2019/06/colette-wallace-mceachin-deputy-prosecutor-in-richmond-commonwealths-attorneys-office-to-seek-democratic-nomination-for-commonwealths-attorney.html |access-date=November 16, 2020 }}{{Dead link|date=February 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> won the Democratic nomination on August 10,<ref>{{cite web |title=Colette McEachin wins Democratic nomination for Richmond commonwealth's attorney data |date=August 10, 2019 |url=https://www.richmond.com/news/local/crime/colette-mceachin-wins-democratic-nomination-for-richmond-commonwealth-s-attorney/article_e9cada94-42fa-5c73-9b31-88edf43c5c1b.html |access-date=August 11, 2019}}</ref> and was unopposed in the special election on November 5.<ref>{{cite web |title=Colette McEachin - Ballotpedia |url=https://ballotpedia.org/Colette_McEachin}}</ref>
On August 25, 2015, McEachin's name was found on the userlist leaked from the data breach of the Ashley Madison website.<ref>{{cite web |title=Legislators' names appear in hacked Ashley Madison data |date=August 25, 2015 |url=http://www.richmond.com/news/virginia/government-politics/article_7a015f15-6971-5f4f-873d-ab78d9d74605.html |access-date=August 27, 2015}}</ref> His response was, "At this time, this is a personal issue between my family and me. I will have no further statement on this issue."<ref>{{cite web |date=August 26, 2015 |title=McEachin on link to Ashley Madison: 'This is a personal issue' |url=http://wtvr.com/2015/08/26/virginia-lawmakers-tommy-norment-donald-mceachin-ashley-madison-hack/ |access-date=August 27, 2015 |website=WTVR.com}}</ref>
McEachin was a Baptist.<ref>[https://www.pewforum.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2021/01/01.04.21_faith_on_the_hill_detailed.table_.update.pdf Religious affiliation of members of 117th Congress]</ref>
==See also== * List of African-American United States representatives * List of members of the United States Congress who died in office (2000–present)#2020s
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== {{commons category}} * {{C-SPAN|103621}} {{ CongLinks | congbio = M001200 | fec = H6VA04061 | votesmart = 8230 | congress = a-mceachin/M001200}} * {{cite web | title = Don McEachin | publisher = Virginia Public Access Project | url = http://www.vpap.org/candidates/profile/home/1657}} * {{cite web | title = Senator Don McEachin (D-Richmond) | work = Richmond Sunlight | url = http://www.richmondsunlight.com/legislator/admceachin/}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:McEachin, A. Donald}} Category:1961 births Category:2022 deaths Category:20th-century African-American politicians Category:20th-century American lawyers Category:21st-century African-American politicians Category:21st-century American lawyers Category:African-American United States representatives Category:African-American state legislators in Virginia Category:American University alumni Category:Baptists from Virginia Category:Candidates in the 2001 United States elections Category:Deaths from colorectal cancer in Virginia Category:Democratic Party United States representatives from Virginia Category:Democratic Party members of the Virginia House of Delegates Category:Democratic Party Virginia state senators Category:Elected officials who died without taking their seats Category:Lawyers from Richmond, Virginia Category:People from Henrico County, Virginia Category:Politicians from Nuremberg Category:Politicians from Richmond, Virginia Category:St. Christopher's School (Richmond, Virginia) alumni Category:University of Virginia School of Law alumni Category:Virginia Union University alumni Category:20th-century African-American lawyers Category:21st-century African-American lawyers Category:21st-century United States representatives Category:21st-century members of the Virginia General Assembly Category:20th-century members of the Virginia General Assembly