▁Sh en ando ah ▁University ▁Hall ▁of ▁Fame , ▁Pot om ac ▁State ▁College ▁of ▁West ▁Virginia ▁University ▁Hall ▁of ▁Fame , ▁John ▁Hand ley ▁High ▁School ▁Hall ▁of ▁Fame ▁and ▁the ▁Ph i ▁D elta ▁Th eta ▁Hall ▁of ▁Fame . ▁ ▁Polit ics ▁First ▁elected ▁to ▁the ▁Virginia ▁General ▁Assembly ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 1 ▁as ▁a ▁Republican , ▁Pot ts ▁received ▁ 4 9 . 6 % ▁of ▁the ▁vote ▁in ▁a ▁four - c andid ate ▁race . ▁He ▁was ▁re - elect ed ▁by ▁large ▁marg ins ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 5 ▁and ▁ 1 9 9 9 , ▁the ▁latter ▁year ▁only ▁facing ▁a ▁ch allen ger ▁( Mark ▁D . ▁T ate ) ▁in ▁the ▁Republican ▁primary . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 3 , ▁he ▁defeated ▁Dem ocrat ▁Mark ▁R . ▁Her ring , ▁who ▁later ▁became ▁Virginia ' s ▁Att orney ▁General . ▁Pot ts ▁eventually ▁cha ired ▁the ▁Senate ▁Education ▁and ▁Health ▁Committee . ▁Dec ades ▁earlier , ▁Harry ▁By rd , ▁Sr . ▁represented ▁the ▁same ▁Senate ▁district , ▁but ▁Pot ts ▁actually ▁succeeded ▁fellow ▁Method ist ▁and ▁Republican ▁state ▁sen ator ▁William ▁A . ▁Tr ub an ▁( 1 9 7 1 – 1 9 9 1 ). ▁He ▁was ▁succeeded ▁by ▁J ill ▁Hol tz man ▁Vog el , ▁who ▁also ▁defeated ▁Mark ▁D . ▁T ate ▁( in ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁Republican ▁primary ). ▁ ▁View s ▁Pot ts ▁frequently ▁referred ▁to ▁himself ▁as