Mark D. Silva ’75, of Alexandria, Va.

Mark D. Silva ’75, of Alexandria, Va.; Aug. 1; of brain cancer. A political reporter, he began his career at small newspapers in Michigan and North Carolina before joining the Miami Herald in 1979. He reported on the 2000 presidential election recount for the Miami Herald and was a political correspondent for the Orlando Sentinel. After the Sentinel, he joined the Chicago Tribune’s Washington bureau, covering the George W. Bush administration. Later, at Bloomberg News in Washington, he shifted from reporting to management and headed a group of people covering government. Most recently he was an assistant managing editor for U.S. News & World Report, where he oversaw its “Best States” platform, ranking the 50 states on how they serve their residents. He wrote the 2008 book McCain: The Essential Guide to the Republican Nominee. He contributed to pioneering blogs, including The Swamp for the Tribune and Political Capital for Bloomberg News. He enjoyed craft beers, nature photography, and playing blues on his guitar. He is survived by his wife, Nina; a daughter; a son; and a grandson.