Jo Ann Davis
| Jo Ann Davis | |
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Virginia's 1st district |
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In office January 3, 2001 – October 6, 2007 |
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| Preceded by | Herbert H. Bateman |
| Succeeded by | Robert J. Wittman |
| Member of the Virginia House of Delegates from the 96th district |
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In office January 14, 1998 – January 3, 2001 |
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| Preceded by | Shirley F. Cooper |
| Succeeded by | Melanie L. Rapp |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Jo Ann Sides June 29, 1950 Rowan, North Carolina, U.S. |
| Died | October 6, 2007 (aged 57) Gloucester, Virginia, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Chuck Davis |
| Alma mater | Hampton Roads Business College |
| Occupation | real estate executive |
| Religion | Assemblies of God |
Jo Ann Davis (née Sides; June 29, 1950 – October 6, 2007) was a Representative in the U.S. Congress. A member of the Republican Party from the United States Commonwealth of Virginia, she represented the state's 1st congressional district from 2001 until her death in 2007. She was the second woman—after Leslie L. Byrne—and first Republican woman elected to Congress from Virginia.
Davis attended Hampton Roads Business College and worked in real estate before she was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates in 1997. She was reelected in 1999.
In 2000, 1st District Representative Herbert H. Bateman, a 72-year-old incumbent, announced his retirement because of health concerns. He died on September 11, 2000. Davis ran for and won the Republican nomination to succeed him, despite Governor Jim Gilmore's having endorsed her primary opponent; she beat out four other opponents in the primary. In November 2000, she received 58% of the vote to win the seat, defeating Democrat Lawrence A. Davies, and Independents Sharon A. Wood and Josh Billings.
She was the second Virginia woman (after Democrat Leslie Byrne who served one term from the neighboring 11th district from 1993 to 1995), and the first Virginia Republican woman elected to the House in her own right. The First is one of the most Republican-leaning districts in Virginia (no Democrat has won the district since 1977, and only the neighboring 7th district is considered more Republican). Davis was reelected unopposed in 2002. She defeated Independent challenger William A. Lee in 2004. She won a fourth term in 2006 against token Democratic opposition, defeating Democrat Shawn M. O'Donnell and Independent Marvin F. Pixton III. Unlike Bateman, who was relatively moderate by Southern Republican standards, Davis was strongly conservative, especially on social issues.
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