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Office | District | Status |
| N.C. Senator | N.C. Senate 39 | Incumbent | |
| Party | In Office Since | Term Ends | |
| Republican | 2008 | 2010 | |
| Level of Government | |||
| N.C. Senate | |||
| Date of Birth | Birthplace | Now Lives In | |
| December 8, 1948 | Worcester, MA | Matthews, NC | |
Synopsis | Bob Rucho is a Republican state senator from Mecklenburg County. A native of Massachusetts, he moved to the Charlotte area in the 1970s to open a dental practice. After stints on the Matthews Town Council and the Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners, he served four terms in the state Senate. He declined to run again after he a redistricting, but was appointed in 2008 to replace Sen. Robert Pittenger, who was running for statewide office. In November, he unsuccessfully challenged Senate Minority Leader Phil Berger for a leadership position. |
Trivia |
He reads a lot of biographies. |
Endorsements |
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Biography
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Marital Status
Married
Spouse
Theresa
Children
Robby and Ross
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Bob Rucho is a Republican state senator from Mecklenburg County.
Early Life and Education
Robert Anthony Rucho was born on Dec. 8, 1948, in Worcester, Mass., to Thomas and Ernestine Rucho. His father was a carpenter who worked for the electric company; his mother, a homemaker.
He earned a bachelor's degree in biology from Northeastern University in Boston in 1970.
He earned a doctor of dental surgery from the Medical College of Virginia school of dentistry in Richmond, Va., in 1974.
In the late 1980s, he went to night school at UNC-Charlotte, earning a master's of business administration.
Professional Career
After earning his DDS degree, Rucho had a yearlong residency at Worcester Memorial Hospital.
He then went to a two-year program at Boston University school of dentistry in prosthodontics, which deals with caps and bridges and rebuidling mouths.
In 1977, he moved to Charlotte to open Robert A. Rucho DDS.
He lived in Charlotte for 10 years, then moved to Matthews.
Political Career
Rucho served a two-year term on the Matthews Town Council in the early 1990s.
He also served a term on the Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners.
He served four terms in the state Senate from 1996 to 2004.
He played a key role in legislation creating early voting and graduated driver's licenses in Norht Carolina. He also played a role in the Bright Beginnings program, a precursor to Gov. Mike Easley's More at Four pre-kindergarten program.
After redistricting drew him into a race against fellow Republican Sen. Robert Pittenger in 2004, Rucho did not run again.
On June 9, 2008, Rucho was appointed to the District 39 state Senate seat vacated by Robert Pittenger, who ran unsuccessfully for lieutenant governor.
In November, he unsuccessfully challenged Senate Minority Leader Phil Berger for a leadership position.
Research and reporting by Ryan Teague Beckwith.
Occupation
| Dentist Robert A. Rucho DDS/PA |
Community Involvement:
Not specified.
Contact Info
Education
| bachelor Northeastern University Graduated: 1970 |
doctor of dental surgery Medical College of Virginia Graduated: 1974 |
master of business administration UNC-Charlotte |
Military
Not specified.Links
N&O Profile:
