{{Short description|American politician (born 1970)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Todd Gilbert | image = File:Todd Gilbert 4-4-24 (cropped).jpg | caption = Gilbert in 2024 | office = Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Virginia | president = Donald Trump | term_start = July 14, 2025 | term_end = August 20, 2025 | predecessor = Zachary T. Lee (acting) | successor = Robert Tracci (acting) | office1 = 57th Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates | term_start1 = January 12, 2022 | term_end1 = January 10, 2024 | predecessor1 = Eileen Filler-Corn | successor1 = Don Scott | term_start2 = January 10, 2018 | term_end2 = January 8, 2020 | predecessor2 = Kirk Cox | successor2 = Charniele Herring | office3 = Minority Leader of the Virginia House of Delegates | term_start3 = January 10, 2024 | term_end3 = June 1, 2025 | predecessor3 = Don Scott | successor3 = Terry Kilgore | term_start4 = January 8, 2020 | term_end4 = January 12, 2022 | predecessor4 = Eileen Filler-Corn | successor4 = Eileen Filler-Corn | office5 = Member of the Virginia House of Delegates | constituency5 = 15th district (2006–2024)<br>33rd district (2024–2025) | term_start5 = January 11, 2006 | term_end5 = July 14, 2025 | predecessor5 = Allen Louderback | successor5 = Justin Pence | birth_name = Christopher Todd Gilbert | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1970|10|19}} | birth_place = Newton, Texas, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | party = Republican | spouse = Jennifer Wishon | education = University of Virginia (BA)<br>Southern Methodist University (JD) | office2 = Majority Leader of the Virginia House of Delegates }} '''Christopher Todd Gilbert''' (born October 19, 1970) is an American politician and attorney, who is the Senior Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney for Page County and served as 57th Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates from 2022 to 2024. He served as a Republican member of the Virginia House of Delegates from 2006 to 2025, representing the Shenandoah Valley and Blue Ridge Mountains region, and served in the House's Republican leadership, including as majority and minority leader.<ref name="hod2013">{{cite web | title = Bio for C. Todd Gilbert | publisher = Virginia House of Delegates | url = http://dela.house.virginia.gov/dela/MemBios.nsf/a7b082ef6ed01eac85256c0d00515644/d2b4c208b966bde985257b64004568e1?OpenDocument | access-date = May 22, 2013}}</ref> He also served as interim United States attorney for the Western District of Virginia for 38 days in summer 2025.
==Early life and education== Gilbert was born in Newton, Texas. He graduated in 1989 from Central High School in Woodstock, Virginia, where he served as student body president and played three varsity sports. He attended the University of Virginia, where he earned a bachelor's degree in government in 1993. While at UVA, he was a legislative intern in the Capitol Hill office of then U.S. Representative George Allen.<ref name="hod2013" />
Upon graduation, Gilbert attended the Southern Methodist University School of Law, where he earned his Juris Doctor in 1996 and led the student body as president of the Student Bar Association. While at SMU Law, Gilbert won the school's annual mock trial competition and participated on the school's competitive mock trial team.<ref name=":0" />
==Early career== Gilbert began his career as a prosecutor, and served in that role over fourteen years, working in four different jurisdictions.<ref>{{cite news |title=Warner, Kaine nominate candidates for U.S. attorney, including Republican leader Gilbert |url=https://cardinalnews.org/2025/04/03/warner-kaine-nominate-candidates-for-u-s-attorney-including-republican-leader-gilbert/ |access-date=May 3, 2025 |work=Cardinal News |date=April 3, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Jarvis |first1=Brandon |title=Gilbert puts his name in the running for US Attorney |url=https://www.virginiascope.com/gilbert-puts-his-name-in-the-running-for-us-attorney/ |access-date=May 3, 2025 |work=Virginia Scope |date=April 1, 2025}}</ref>
==Political career== ===Virginia House of Delegates=== ====Elections==== He was first elected to represent the 15th district in the Virginia House of Delegates in 2005.
====Tenure==== In 2010, Gilbert was appointed to be Deputy Majority Leader of the House of Delegates.
Gilbert became the Virginia House of Delegates Majority Leader on January 10, 2018, as Republicans maintained their majority following the 2017 elections. He was chosen by the House Republican Caucus following their decision to promote current House Majority Leader Kirk Cox to Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates.
Following the 2019 Virginia House of Delegates election, Gilbert became the Minority Leader following Democrats retaking the majority in the House of Delegates.<ref name=":0">{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/virginia-republicans-look-for-a-way-out-of-the-woods/2019/12/07/4f60016a-1930-11ea-9110-3b34ce1d92b1_story.html|title=Virginia Republicans look for a way out of the woods|last=Vozzella|first=Laura|date=December 7, 2019|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=December 10, 2019}}</ref>
When the Republicans regained control of the House of Delegates following the 2021 elections, Gilbert was elected Speaker of the House of Delegates.
Gilbert survived an attempt to oust him as Minority Leader after Republicans suffered losses in the 2023 elections and lost control of the chamber to Democrats.<ref>{{Cite web |date=November 13, 2023 |title=Virginia House Republicans stick with Todd Gilbert as their leader after election loss |url=https://apnews.com/article/virginia-elections-todd-gilbert-glenn-youngkin-09b07ed0618898eac076be412cd4e4ce |last=Rankin |first=Sarah |access-date=November 25, 2023 |website=AP News |language=en}}</ref>
====Committee assignments==== *Agriculture *Finance *Rules<ref>{{Cite web|title=Virginia House of Delegates Member Listings|url=https://virginiageneralassembly.gov/house/members/members.php?id=H0181|website=virginiageneralassembly.gov|access-date=May 27, 2020}}</ref>
===Other assignments=== *Virginia State Crime Commission
==U.S. attorney== In 2025, Gilbert stepped down from party leadership in the House of Delegates as he was presumed to be nominated to be the U.S. attorney for the Western District of Virginia<ref>{{Cite web|author=State Navigate|title=Terry Kilgore becomes Virginia House Minority Leader|url=https://statenavigate.org/terry-kilgore-becomes-virginia-house-minority-leader/|date=June 1, 2025|website=StateNavigate.org}}</ref> He was nominated to that position on June 30, and resigned his House of Delegates seat to assume the position as interim U.S. attorney on July 14.<ref name="nomination">{{cite web|url=https://www.congress.gov/nomination/119th-congress/379/10|title=PN379-10 - Nomination of Christopher Gilbert for Department of Justice, 119th Congress (2025-2026).|author=Library of Congress|date=June 30, 2025|access-date=August 20, 2025|website=Congress.gov}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nvdaily.com/nvdaily/gilbert-sworn-in-as-interim-u-s-attorney-gop-committee-to-choose-replacement-july-29/article_5c194bd3-1d67-5b01-b510-14e9b805016e.html|title=Gilbert sworn in as interim U.S. Attorney; GOP committee to choose replacement July 29|last=Fitzmaurice|first=Ryan|date=July 14, 2025|access-date=July 14, 2025|website=Northern Virginia Daily}}</ref> On August 20, he resigned his position as interim U.S. attorney, and Robert Tracci became the acting U.S. attorney.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://virginiapoliticalnewsletter.substack.com/p/gilbert-resigned-from-united-states|title=Gilbert resigned from United States attorney post|last=Jarvis|first=Brandon|date=August 20, 2025|access-date=August 20, 2025|website=Virginia Political Newsletter}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdva/meet-us-attorney|title= Acting United States Attorney Robert N. Tracci|author=United States Department of Justice|date=August 21, 2025|access-date=August 21, 2025|website=United States Department of Justice}}</ref> Gilbert's nomination was formally withdrawn in the Senate on September 3.<ref name="nomination" /> The Roanoke Times reported that Gilbert had wanted to keep the first assistant U.S. attorney, Zachary Lee, who had served under the previous Biden-appointed U.S. attorney and served as acting U.S. attorney before Gilbert, in place, but the Department of Justice, concerned that Lee had worked under the Biden-appointed U.S. attorney, removed Lee and replaced him with Tracci on August 4, after Gilbert refused to do so. Gilbert then created the position of senior counsel and executive assistant U.S. attorney for Lee, which led to the White House demanding Gilbert resign or be fired.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://roanoke.com/news/local/government-politics/article_d7720a91-0946-4cec-80e7-20cc2ce86061.html|title=Why Trump-appointed US attorney in Roanoke resigned|last=Hammack|first=Laurence|date=August 23, 2025|access-date=September 4, 2025|website=The Roanoke Times}}</ref>
Two weeks later, on September 3, 2025, Gilbert was hired into the position of Senior Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney for Page County, which he had represented in the House of Delegates his entire career.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.whsv.com/2025/09/04/page-county-commonwealths-attorney-hires-todd-gilbert/|title=Page County Commonwealth's Attorney hires Todd Gilbert|last=Rizzari|first=Taylor|date=September 4, 2025|access-date=September 4, 2025|website=WHSV-TV}}</ref>
==Personal life== Gilbert is married to Jennifer Wishon Gilbert. He is a member of the First Baptist Church of Woodstock. Outside of his political functions in Richmond, Gilbert also has a private law practice.<ref name="hod2013"/>
=== Jay Jones texts === In October 2025, conservative news outlets ''New York Post'' and ''National Review'' revealed that Jay Jones, Virginia’s Democratic nominee for attorney general in 2025, sent a series of text messages to former colleague Carrie Coyner in 2022, where he created a theoretical scenario about killing Gilbert.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=2025-10-04 |title=Dem Virginia AG candidate Jay Jones fantasized about a GOP pol getting ‘two bullets to the head’ in shocking text messages |url=https://nypost.com/2025/10/03/us-news/dem-virginia-ag-candidate-jay-jones-fantasized-about-a-gop-pol-getting-two-bullets-to-the-head-in-shocking-text-messages/ |access-date=2025-10-05 |language=en-US}}</ref> Jones confirmed he sent those text messages and apologized to Gilbert and his family.
==Awards and honors== Some of Gilbert's awards and honors: *Virginia YMCA "Service to Youth Award" *Family Foundation "Legislator of the Year" *Virginia Association of Commonwealth's Attorneys "Champion of Justice Award" *Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police "Legislator of the Year" *Virginia State Police Association "Legislator of the Year" *American Conservative Union "Defender of Liberty" *Virginia Chamber of Commerce "Champion of Free Enterprise" *Virginia Chamber of Commerce "Advocate in Legal Reform Award"
==Electoral history== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Date !! Election !! Candidate !! Party !! Votes !! % |- ! colspan="6" | Virginia House of Delegates, 15th district |- ! rowspan="4" | November 8, 2005<ref name="sbe2005">{{cite web | title = Virginia Elections Database » 2005 House of Delegates General Election District 15 | url=https://historical.elections.virginia.gov/elections/view/40615/ | access-date = September 4, 2025 | website=Virginia Elections Database|language=en-US }}</ref> | rowspan="4" align="center" | General | '''C T Gilbert''' | {{party shading/Republican}} | '''Republican''' | align="right" | '''14,050''' | align="right" | '''64.46''' |- | J K Blubaugh | {{party shading/Democratic}} | Democratic | align="right" | 7,721 | align="right" | 35.42 |- | colspan="2" | Write Ins | align="right" | 26 | align="right" | 0.12 |- | colspan="4" style="background:Beige" | ''Allen Louderback retired; seat stayed Republican'' |- ! rowspan="2" | November 6, 2007<ref name="sbe2007">{{cite web | title = Virginia Elections Database » 2007 House of Delegates General Election District 15 | url=https://historical.elections.virginia.gov/elections/view/31888/ | access-date = September 4, 2025 | website=Virginia Elections Database|language=en-US }}</ref> | rowspan="2" align="center" | General | '''C. Todd Gilbert''' | {{party shading/Republican}} | '''Republican''' | align="right" | '''15,156''' | align="right" | '''98.05''' |- | colspan="2" | Write Ins | align="right" | 301 | align="right" | 1.94 |- ! rowspan="3" | November 3, 2009<ref name="sbe2009">{{cite web | title = Virginia Elections Database » 2009 House of Delegates General Election District 15 | url=https://historical.elections.virginia.gov/elections/view/38763/ | access-date = September 4, 2025 | website=Virginia Elections Database|language=en-US }}</ref> | rowspan="3" align="center" | General | '''C. Todd Gilbert''' | {{party shading/Republican}} | '''Republican''' | align="right" | '''16,168''' | align="right" | '''69.26''' |- | John D. Lesinski | {{party shading/Democratic}} | Democratic | align="right" | 7,155 | align="right" | 30.65 |- | colspan="2" | Write Ins | align="right" | 19 | align="right" | 0.08 |- ! rowspan="2" | November 8, 2011<ref name="sbe2011">{{cite web | title = Virginia Elections Database » 2011 House of Delegates General Election District 15 | url =https://historical.elections.virginia.gov/elections/view/46424/ | access-date = September 4, 2025 | website=Virginia Elections Database|language=en-US }}</ref> | rowspan="2" align="center" | General | '''C. Todd Gilbert''' | {{party shading/Republican}} | '''Republican''' | align="right" | '''13,617''' | align="right" | '''97.85''' |- | colspan="2" | Write Ins | align="right" | 299 | align="right" | 2.14 |- ! rowspan="2" | June 11, 2013<ref name="sbe2013p">{{cite web | title =Virginia Elections Database » 2013 House of Delegates Republican Primary District 15 | url=https://historical.elections.virginia.gov/elections/view/26297/ | access-date = September 4, 2025|website=Virginia Elections Database|language=en-US }}</ref> | rowspan="2" align="center" {{party shading/Republican}} | Republican primary | colspan="2" | '''C. Todd Gilbert''' | align="right" | '''3,661''' | align="right" | '''92.10''' |- | colspan="2" | Mark W. Prince | align="right" | 314 | align="right" | 7.90 |- ! rowspan="2" |November 5, 2013<ref name="sbe2013">{{Cite web|title=Virginia Elections Database » 2013 House of Delegates General Election District 15|url=https://historical.elections.virginia.gov/elections/view/44162/|access-date=January 7, 2022|website=Virginia Elections Database|language=en-US}}</ref> | rowspan="2" align="center" |General |'''C. Todd Gilbert''' | {{party shading/Republican}} |'''Republican''' | align="right" |'''17,376''' | align="right" |'''96.60''' |- | colspan="2" |Write Ins | align="right" |615 | align="right" |3.40 |- ! rowspan="2" |November 3, 2015<ref name="sbe2015">{{Cite web|title=Virginia Elections Database » 2015 House of Delegates General Election District 15|url=https://historical.elections.virginia.gov/elections/view/66832/|access-date=January 7, 2022|website=Virginia Elections Database|language=en-US}}</ref> | rowspan="2" align="center" |General |'''C. Todd Gilbert''' | {{party shading/Republican}} |'''Republican''' | align="right" |'''16,102''' | align="right" |'''97.90''' |- | colspan="2" |Write Ins | align="right" |350 | align="right" |2.10 |- ! rowspan="2" |November 7, 2017<ref name="sbe2017">{{Cite web|title=Virginia Elections Database » 2017 House of Delegates General Election District 15|url=https://historical.elections.virginia.gov/elections/view/88041/|access-date=January 7, 2022|website=Virginia Elections Database|language=en-US}}</ref> | rowspan="2" align="center" |General |'''C. Todd Gilbert''' | {{party shading/Republican}} |'''Republican''' | align="right" |'''19,284''' | align="right" |'''94.30''' |- | colspan="2" |Write Ins | align="right" |1,171 | align="right" |5.70 |- ! rowspan="3" | November 5, 2019<ref name="sbe2019">{{Cite web|title=Virginia Elections Database » 2019 House of Delegates General Election District 15|url=https://historical.elections.virginia.gov/elections/view/135375/|access-date=January 7, 2022|website=Virginia Elections Database|language=en-US}}</ref> | rowspan="3" align="center" | General | '''C. Todd Gilbert''' | {{party shading/Republican}} | '''Republican''' | align="right" | '''18,914''' | align="right" | '''74.40''' |- | Beverly Harrison | {{party shading/Democratic}} | Democratic | align="right" | 6,493 | align="right" | 25.50 |- | colspan="2" | Write Ins | align="right" | 31 | align="right" | 0.10 |- ! rowspan="3" | November 2, 2021<ref name="sbe2021">{{Cite web|title=Virginia Elections Database » 2021 House of Delegates General Election District 15|url=https://historical.elections.virginia.gov/elections/view/150519/|access-date=September 4, 2025|website=results.elections.virginia.gov}}</ref> | rowspan="3" align="center" | General | '''C. Todd Gilbert''' | {{party shading/Republican}} | '''Republican''' | align="right" | '''26,613''' | align="right" | '''77.69''' |- | Emily Scott | {{party shading/Democratic}} | Democratic | align="right" | 7,601 | align="right" | 22.19 |- | colspan="2" | Write Ins | align="right" | 41 | align="right" | 0.12 |- ! rowspan="3" | November 7, 2023<ref name="sbe2023">{{Cite web|title=Virginia Elections Database » 2023 House of Delegates General Election District 33 |url=https://historical.elections.virginia.gov/elections/view/162063/|access-date=September 4, 2025|website=results.elections.virginia.gov}}</ref> | rowspan="3" align="center" | General | '''C. Todd Gilbert''' | {{party shading/Republican}} | '''Republican''' | align="right" | '''21,554''' | align="right" | '''77.71''' |- | Bob W. Smith | {{party shading/Democratic}} | Democratic | align="right" | 6,139 | align="right" | 22.13 |- | colspan="2" | Write Ins | align="right" | 44 | align="right" | 0.16 |}
==Notes== {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{cite web | title = Todd Gilbert | publisher = Virginia Public Access Project | url = http://www.vpap.org/candidates/profile/home/185609}} (campaign finance) *{{cite web | title = Delegate Todd Gilbert (R-Woodstock) | publisher = Richmond Sunlight | url = http://www.richmondsunlight.com/legislator/ctgilbert/}} *{{cite web | title = Election Results | publisher = Virginia State Board of Elections | url = https://historical.elections.virginia.gov/ }}
{{s-start}} {{s-par|us-va-hs}} {{s-bef|before=Allen Louderback}} {{s-ttl|title=Member of the Virginia House of Delegates<br>from the 15th district|years=2006–2024}} {{s-aft|after=Laura Jane Cohen}} |- {{s-bef|before=Dave LaRock}} {{s-ttl|title=Member of the Virginia House of Delegates<br>from the 33rd district|years=2024–2025}} {{s-vac}} |- {{s-bef|before=Kirk Cox}} {{s-ttl|title=Majority Leader of the Virginia House of Delegates|years=2018–2020}} {{s-aft|after=Charniele Herring}} |- {{s-bef|before=Eileen Filler-Corn}} {{s-ttl|title=Minority Leader of the Virginia House of Delegates|years=2020–2022}} {{s-aft|after=Eileen Filler-Corn}} |- {{s-bef|before=Don Scott}} {{s-ttl|title=Minority Leader of the Virginia House of Delegates|years=2024–2025}} {{s-aft|after=Terry Kilgore}} |- {{s-off}} {{s-bef|before=Eileen Filler-Corn}} {{s-ttl|title=Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates|years=2022–2024}} {{s-aft|after=Don Scott}} {{s-end}}
{{Speakers of the Virginia House of Delegates}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gilbert, Todd}} Category:1970 births Category:21st-century members of the Virginia General Assembly Category:Baptists from Texas Category:Baptists from Virginia Category:Living people Category:People from Mount Jackson, Virginia Category:People from Newton, Texas Category:Republican Party members of the Virginia House of Delegates Category:Southern Methodist University alumni Category:Speakers of the Virginia House of Delegates Category:University of Virginia alumni Category:Virginia lawyers Category:Resignations from the United States Department of Justice