9 9 8 ▁to ▁ 2 0 0 1 , ▁he ▁served ▁as ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Amb assador ▁to ▁Roman ia . ▁ ▁Background ▁Rosa pe pe ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁Rome , ▁Italy . ▁He ▁was ▁first ▁elected ▁to ▁the ▁Maryland ▁House ▁of ▁De leg ates ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 6 , ▁serving ▁ 2 ▁full ▁and ▁one ▁partial ▁terms ▁before ▁being ▁appointed ▁as ▁Amb assador ▁to ▁Roman ia ▁in ▁early ▁ 1 9 9 8 ▁during ▁the ▁Cl inton ▁administration . ▁An ▁internal ▁State ▁Department ▁report ▁was ▁strongly ▁critical ▁of ▁Rosa pe pe ' s ▁leadership ▁and ▁management ▁during ▁this ▁amb assador ial ▁service , ▁while ▁cred iting ▁him ▁with ▁several ▁accomplish ments . ▁Upon ▁his ▁recall ▁from ▁Roman ia , ▁Rosa pe pe ▁was ▁appointed ▁to ▁serve ▁on ▁the ▁Board ▁of ▁Reg ents ▁of ▁the ▁University ▁System ▁of ▁Maryland . ▁He ▁left ▁that ▁board ▁to ▁run ▁against ▁inc umb ent ▁Senator ▁John ▁Gian net ti ▁in ▁District ▁ 2 1 . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁legisl ature ▁Rosa pe pe ▁defeated ▁the ▁inc umb ent ▁sen ator , ▁John ▁Gian net ti , ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁election ▁for ▁Maryland ▁State ▁Senator ▁in ▁District ▁ 2 1 . ▁Gian net ti ▁had ▁been ▁accused ▁of ▁being ▁too ▁conserv ative ▁by ▁many ▁Democr ats , ▁specifically ▁for ▁his ▁position ▁against ▁an ▁assault ▁weapons ▁ban ▁in ▁Maryland . ▁After ▁his ▁defeat ▁in ▁the ▁primary ▁election , ▁Gian net ti ▁switched ▁parties ▁to ▁run ▁against ▁Rosa pe pe ▁as ▁a ▁Republican