After graduating valedictorian from undergraduate school, he attended the University of Virginia School of Law. He served in the Virginia House of Delegates as a floor leader, in the Virginia Senate as a floor leader and as State Party Chairman, where he was twice elected unanimously.

In 2001, Randy was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives where he served for 16 years. In Congress, he chaired the Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee and quickly became recognized as one of the foremost authorities on naval strategies and national defense issues.

Upon leaving Congress, he served as a Distinguished Senior Fellow at the U.S. Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island, where he lectured on 21st Century Strategy.

He is the Founder of the Congressional Prayer Caucus and the Congressional China Caucus. Today, he is the President of the Congressional Prayer Caucus Foundation, Senior Strategist of the National Strategic Center, President of the American Defense Dialogues, President of Forbes Strategies, LLC and Senior Director at one of the largest law firms in the United States.

Randy has been married to his wife, Shirley, for over 41 years and has four children and four grandchildren. He continues to reside in Chesapeake, Virginia, in a house located only a few hundred feet from his childhood home. He attends Great Bridge Baptist Church where he has taught a Sunday School class for over 30 years.