Herbert H. Bateman; Virginia Congressman

Rep. Herbert H. Bateman, 72, who represented Virginia’s Eastern Shore for 18 years. Bateman was elected to the Virginia Senate in 1968 as a member of the conservative Democratic faction that dominated the state’s government for most of the 20th century. But he disagreed with the liberal direction the party was taking, and in 1976 became a Republican. He was first elected to Congress in 1982, representing Virginia’s 1st District, which includes Williamsburg and Newport News and stretches north to Fredericksburg. He served on the House Armed Services Committee and the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, garnering defense contracts for shipbuilders in his district. Known as a hawk who fought for a balanced budget, Bateman remained popular in his district and rarely faced serious opposition. He had announced that he would retire at the end of his current term because of poor health, and his death is not expected to alter the contested election. Born in Elizabeth City, N.C., Bateman grew up in Newport News and earned a bachelor’s degree from the College of William and Mary and a law degree from Georgetown University Law Center. He served in the Air Force during the Korean War and taught high school and practiced law before going into politics. On Monday in Loudoun County, Va., after suffering from cancer.