Robert J. Garagiola

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Robert J. Garagiola (born 1972) is an American politician from the state of Maryland. A Democrat, he currently represents District 15 in north-western Montgomery County in the Maryland State Senate.

Originally elected in 2002, Garagiola is currently serving in his second term. He is a Deputy Majority Leader, serves as Senate Chair for the Joint Committee on Children, Youth, and Families, and sits on the Finance Committee[1]. He is also the Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Health Care Delivery and Financing. In 2007, he was tapped to be the Chairman of the Senate Democratic Caucus.

Garagiola has been mentioned as a possible candidate for Congress in Maryland's 8th District should current Congressman Chris Van Hollen seek another office [2].

[edit] Early Life and Family

Rob Garagiola was born in Warren, Michigan, to Ken and Marge Garagiola on September 5, 1972. In 1979, he and his family moved to the suburbs of Indianapolis, Indiana. In 1981, his family moved to the suburbs of St. Louis, Missouri. At age 10, his family moved, again, to Oceanside, California, a northern suburb of San Diego. On September 5, 1988, his family moved once more to Cape May County, New Jersey.

After graduating from Ocean City High School in 1990, Rob attended Rutgers College in New Brunswick, New Jersey. In 1994, he received his B.S. in Political Science. During his years as an undergraduate, Rob was a member of Phi Kappa Psi fraternity; served as its president in 1993 and District 1 Archon in 1994-1995.

In 1994, Rob moved to Germantown, Maryland, with his college sweetheart. Shortly thereafter, they married and had three children.