Anderson takes on Marshall for delegate

The 14th District, which includes the city of Danville and parts of Pittsylvania and Henry counties, is one of 71 contested races for the Virginia House of Delegates in November.

Republican incumbent Danny Marshall faces former Danville Mayor Seward Anderson in a district that could swing either Republican or Democrat. According to the Virginia Public Access Project, the 14th District, where Marshall has served since 2002, leaned Democratic in 2008, electing President Barack Obama with 53 percent of the vote and Sen. Mark Warner with 70 percent.

Take a look at the candidates:

Danny Marshall, incumbent (R)

D.O.B.: Jan. 20, 1952

Birthplace: Danville

Trivia: Marshall is an avid racer and has raced cars since the early 1990s. In 1998, he won second place in the United States Road Racing Championship’s GT3 class race. 

Early Life: Marshall grew up in Pittsylvania County and later in Danville, where he attended George Washington High School and graduated in 1970.

College: Danville Community College from 1971-72 and Averett University in 1974, studying business.

Professional Career: When he was 13, Marshall started working summer jobs for his father at Marshall Concrete Products, the company his parents started in 1960. Marshall also worked at Dan River Inc. and as a janitor at Riverside Building Supply before working full-time at Marshall Concrete Products with his brother. They sold the business — which had grown to 180 employees in 10 cities — in 2006.

Political Career: Elected to Danville City Council in 2000, serving a year and a half before running for the House of Delegates in 2001. Marshall was elected by a wide margin and sworn in as delegate for the 14th District in 2002.

He serves on the following House committees: Counties, Cities and Towns, of which Marshall is vice chairman as well as chairman of a subcommittee; Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources; and Commerce and Labor. Marshall also serves on the Virginia Housing Commission, the Virginia Manu-facturers Commission, the Martin Luther King Jr. Commission and the Tobacco Commission.

Family: Wife, Kaye, of 38 years; one daughter and two grandchildren.

F. Seward Anderson (D)

D.O.B.: Dec. 22, 1946

Birthplace: Danville

Trivia: Anderson used to ride a Harley Davidson with the Danville chapter of the Blue Knights Law Enforcement Motorcycle Club from 2000-07. He bought a bike on a whim and joined the club after befriending Danville police officers during ride-alongs while serving as mayor of Danville in the 1990s.

Early Life: Anderson and his younger brother grew up in Danville. Anderson attended George Washington High School, graduating in 1965. His parents owned Anderson Furniture Company on Union Street, where he started working as a teenager.

College: University of Virginia, bachelor’s degree in religious studies, graduated in 1969.

Professional Career: Anderson has worked as a financial advisor since 1993. From 1959 through 1993, he worked at Anderson Furniture with his parents and brother, which he described as “a very valuable time in his life,” serving the employees of local industries such as Goodwill, Dan River Inc. and Corning.

Political Career: Served on Danville City Council from 1982-1996 and served as mayor of Danville from 1986-1996. In 2002, Anderson ran again for City Council but was not elected. 

Family: Two sons, ages 26 and 30.

• Contact Amos at or (434) 791-7983.