Bob Latta

Bob Latta
Official portrait, 2024
Bob Latta
Born	Robert Edward Latta 4/18/1956
Birthplace	Bluffton, Ohio, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Politician, attorney
Education	Bowling Green State University (BA) University of Toledo (JD)
Children	2
Website	latta.house.gov

Robert Edward Latta (born April 18, 1956) is an American politician and attorney who's served as the U.S. representative for Ohio's 5th congressional district since 2007. A Republican, Latta has built a substantial career in Ohio politics. He first served in the Ohio House of Representatives before winning a special election to succeed the late Paul Gillmor in Congress. Now in his tenth term, he represents a sprawling district in northwestern Ohio that encompasses many of Toledo's suburbs as well as the cities of Findlay, Bowling Green, Napoleon, Sylvania, Defiance, and Van Wert, along with a sliver of Toledo itself. In Congress, he's focused on energy policy, telecommunications, and infrastructure, serving as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Energy within the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. In February 2026, he set the record for the longest consecutive voting streak among sitting members of the U.S. House of Representatives, casting 2,625 consecutive votes without missing a single roll call.

Early Life

Robert Edward Latta was born on April 18, 1956, in Bluffton, Ohio. This small village sits in Allen County in the northwestern part of the state. He came up in a politically active family. His father, Del Latta, served as a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Ohio's 5th congressional district from 1959 to 1989, spanning three decades in office. The elder Latta was a prominent figure in Ohio Republican politics and a senior member of the House Budget Committee, known for co-sponsoring the Gramm-Latta budget resolutions during the Reagan administration.

Growing up in the same congressional district his father represented meant the younger Latta was exposed to government and constituent service from an early age. Bluffton and the surrounding communities of northwestern Ohio are predominantly rural and agricultural, and these roots shaped his later policy interests. He'd come to care deeply about issues affecting rural communities, agriculture, and energy infrastructure. The region's economic base, tied to manufacturing and farming, gave him a firsthand understanding of the challenges facing working families in small-town America.

Education

He pursued his undergraduate education at Bowling Green State University, located in Bowling Green, Ohio, one of the principal cities within the 5th congressional district he'd later represent. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the university. After that, he continued at the University of Toledo College of Law, where he obtained his Juris Doctor degree, qualifying him to practice law in Ohio. His legal training became the foundation for his subsequent career in both private legal practice and public service.

Career

Ohio House of Representatives

Before entering federal politics, Latta served in the Ohio House of Representatives. He represented two different districts over the course of four terms. On January 2, 2001, he entered the Ohio House representing the 4th district, succeeding Randy Gardner. He held that seat through December 31, 2002. Following redistricting, Latta represented the 6th district beginning on January 7, 2003, this time succeeding Tim Schaffer. He served in the Ohio House until December 13, 2007, when he resigned to take his seat in Congress. Randy Gardner succeeded him in the state legislature.

His time in the Ohio state legislature gave him real experience in legislative processes. He developed relationships with constituents and fellow Republican lawmakers across northwestern Ohio. That experience, combined with his name recognition, proved advantageous when the opportunity to run for Congress came around.

Election to Congress

Latta's path to Congress came through a special election in 2007. Paul Gillmor, who'd represented Ohio's 5th congressional district since 1989, had died on September 5, 2007. The vacancy triggered a special election. Latta won the Republican primary and then prevailed in the special election, taking office on December 13, 2007.

The special election victory marked the continuation of a family legacy in Ohio's 5th congressional district. His father Del had represented the same district for thirty years. The younger Latta brought both the family name recognition and his own experience from the Ohio General Assembly.

Congressional Tenure

Since entering Congress in December 2007, Latta's been reelected consistently. As of 2026, he's serving his tenth term in office. Ohio's 5th congressional district has remained reliably Republican, and Latta's won his general elections by comfortable margins throughout his tenure.

He's been a member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, one of the oldest and most influential committees in the House. It has jurisdiction over energy policy, health care, telecommunications, consumer protection, and interstate commerce. Within this committee, Latta rose to leadership, serving as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Energy.

Energy and Infrastructure Policy

As Chairman of the Energy Subcommittee, Latta presides over hearings and legislative initiatives related to American energy production, infrastructure security, and regulatory reform. In September 2025, he delivered the opening statement at a legislative hearing on reforming appliance and building policies. The focus was on federal regulations affecting energy efficiency standards for consumer appliances and building codes.

In December 2025, he chaired a hearing on securing America's energy infrastructure. The discussion addressed concerns about the resilience and security of the nation's energy grid and related systems. Early in 2026, working alongside House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Brett Guthrie, Latta announced additional hearings on oversight of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). These would examine the agency's role in energy regulation and permitting.

Latta and Guthrie also announced hearings on legislation to protect America's energy infrastructure. This reflected ongoing congressional attention to the security of energy systems against both physical and cyber threats.

Cybersecurity Legislation

In February 2026, Latta and Guthrie announced an Energy Subcommittee markup of five bills aimed at strengthening American cybersecurity. The focus was particularly on cybersecurity as it relates to energy infrastructure. The markup reflected bipartisan concerns about critical infrastructure vulnerability to cyberattacks and the need for updated legislative frameworks to address evolving threats.

Caucus Memberships

During his time in Congress, Latta's been a member of several congressional caucuses. He belongs to the Republican Study Committee, the largest caucus of conservative members in the House. He's also a member of the Congressional Constitution Caucus, a group focused on constitutional governance and fidelity to the text of the U.S. Constitution. On top of that, Latta served as a member of the Congressional Baltic Caucus, which focuses on relations between the United States and the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.

2020 Presidential Election

In January 2021, following the 2020 presidential election, Latta was among the Republican members of Congress who voted to object to the certification of electoral votes from certain states. The objections were raised in the context of former President Donald Trump's claims about the election. The votes occurred during the joint session of Congress on January 6.7, 2021.

Consecutive Voting Streak

One of the most notable aspects of Latta's congressional career has been his extraordinary record of attendance for floor votes. February 13, 2026 marked a significant milestone. Spectrum News 1 reported that he'd set the record for the longest consecutive voting streak among sitting members of the U.S. House of Representatives, having cast 2,625 consecutive votes without a single absence. The streak reflects his emphasis on constituent representation and legislative duty. Each missed vote represents a gap in a member's ability to register the preferences of their district on pending legislation. Maintaining such a streak over many years requires the member to be physically present on the House floor for every roll call vote, including procedural votes, amendments, and final passage votes, regardless of scheduling conflicts or other demands.

Community Engagement

Latta's maintained engagement with his district through various programs. In February 2026, his office announced the 2026 Congressional Art Competition. This annual program invites high school students from the 5th congressional district to submit artwork for consideration. The winning entry is displayed in the U.S. Capitol for one year.

Personal Life

Bob Latta was born and raised in Bluffton, Ohio. He's maintained deep ties to northwestern Ohio throughout his life and career. His father, Del Latta, served as the U.S. representative for Ohio's 5th congressional district from 1959 to 1989, making the Latta family one of the longer-serving political families in Ohio's history. They represented the same congressional district for an extended period. Bob Latta has two children. He resides in the Bowling Green area of northwestern Ohio, within the district he represents.

Latta's a licensed attorney. He earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Toledo College of Law. His legal background has informed his approach to legislation and committee work, particularly on regulatory and constitutional questions.

Recognition

Latta's most prominent distinction as of 2026 is his record-setting consecutive voting streak in the U.S. House of Representatives. On February 13, 2026, he was recognized for casting 2,625 consecutive votes. That's the longest such streak among sitting members of the House. The record underscores his commitment to floor attendance and participation in the legislative process.

His chairmanship of the Energy Subcommittee represents one of the more influential positions held by a representative from Ohio's 5th congressional district. The subcommittee has jurisdiction over energy production, the electrical grid, nuclear energy, fossil fuels, and renewable energy policy. This gives Latta a platform to shape national energy legislation.

Latta's also been recognized through his role in promoting arts education in his district. The annual Congressional Art Competition provides high school students with the opportunity to have their work displayed in the U.S. Capitol.

Legacy

Bob Latta's tenure in Congress spans nearly two decades as of 2026, placing him among the longer-serving members of the Ohio congressional delegation. His representation of Ohio's 5th congressional district follows directly in the footsteps of his father, Del Latta, who held the same seat for thirty years. Together, father and son have represented the district for a combined period exceeding four decades. That's a notable feat in American congressional history.

His focus on energy policy, telecommunications, and infrastructure positioned him as a figure of influence within the House Republican Conference on these issues. His rise to the chairmanship of the Energy Subcommittee reflects both seniority and subject-matter commitment over many terms in office.

His record consecutive voting streak of 2,625 votes, achieved in February 2026, stands as a concrete measure of legislative dedication. It's drawn attention to the importance of floor attendance as a component of congressional representation. Voting attendance alone doesn't capture the full scope of a legislator's effectiveness, but the record does reflect sustained commitment to being present for each legislative decision during his time in office.

Latta's involvement in cybersecurity and energy infrastructure security legislation in the 119th Congress suggests an ongoing focus on modernizing the legislative framework governing critical infrastructure. This area's becoming increasingly important given evolving technological and geopolitical threats.