Virginias Post-World ~r II Path to Congres~
•••••••••••••••••••••••• •• John T. Whelan ......
The author is associateprofessor ofpoliticalscience by George Allen. And in 1992, the delegation at the University ofRichmond. will gain at least one new House member be cause of the reapportionment process. Despite the tremendous electoral success ofVir Given these past and expected changes in ginia incumbents in the U.S. Congress, the state's the state's delegation, it seems appropriate to take congressional delegation has experienced con another look at the making of Virginia congress siderable turnover in recent years. Indeed, dur Virginia's men and senators. Specifically, this News Letter ing the 1980s every House seat turned over; and congressmen are focuses on the state's 8senators and 39 congressmen in the Senate, the seat held by the two Byrds who have come to office since 1946, highlighting for nearly 50 years turned over twice. Paul Trible increasingly more the occupational backgrounds from which they succeeded Harry F. Byrd, Jr., in 1982, and 6 years experienced emerged, their prior political experiences, and the laterTrible relinquished the seat to former Gov and, like their depth of their community ties, as well as some ernor Charles S. Robb. key electoral circumstances that prevailed at the The 1990S have already seen one congres counterparts time oftheir initial selection. While there have sional incumbent replaced as James Moran ousted in other states, been important changes in the paths Virginia Stan Parris in 1990, the second time Parris had members have taken to Capitol Hill during the lost the 8th District seat in Northern Virginia. they are using the four and a half decades since the end ofWorld Another turnover occurred when D. French state legislature War II, even more significant continuities are Slaughter, who retired for health reasons in 1991, as a stepping evident in the making of Virginia's congressmen was replaced in a 7th District special election and senators. stone to the U. S.
Author's Note: The author wishes to thank colleagues Art Gun Congress. licks, Tom Morris, and Dan Palazzolo for their helpful com ments. The primary source on congressmen's backgrounds OCCUPATIONS was the Biographical Directory ofthe American Congress: Ill4 Virginia members ofCongress, like those from I989, Senate Document100-340 (Washington, D.C.: Govern other states, have emerged from a limited number ment Printing Office, 1989). Other sources included Congress ofoccupations, with law standing out. (See tables A to Z: CQ's Ready Reference Encyclopedia (Washington, D.C.: Congressional Quarterly, Inc., 1988); and Phil Duncan, ed., I and 2 for a listing ofthese members.) Since 1946, Politics in America, I992 (Washington, D.C.: CQPress, 1991). 55 percent of the new Virginia members have University ofVirginia NEWS LETTER
Table 1 Table 2 U.S. Senators from Virginia, 1946-91 U.S. House Members from Virginia, 1946-91
Name (Party) Dates in Office Name (Party, District) Dates in Office
Byrd, Harry F. Jr. (0 & I) Nov. 12, '65 - Jan. 3, '83 Abbitt; Watkins M. (0,4) Feb. 17, '48 - Jan. 3, '73 Burch, ThomasG. (D) May 31, '46 -.- Nov. 5, '46 Allen, George F. (H, 7) Nov. 12, '91 - Robb, Charles S. (D) 1989 - Almond, J. Lindsay (0,6) Jan. 22, '46-Apr.17, '48 Robertson, A. Willis (D) Nov. 6, '46 - Dec. 30, '66 Bateman, Herbert H. (R, 1) 1983- Scott, William L (R) 1973 -1979 Bliley, Thomas J. (R, 3) 1981 - Spong, WHHamB. (D) 1967 -1973 Boucher, Frederick C. (0, 9) 1983 - Trible, Paul S. (R) 1983 -1989 Broyhill, Joel T. (R, 10) 1953 -1975 Warner, John (R) 1979 - Burton, Clarence G. (0, 6) Nov. 2, '48 - Jan. 3,'53 Butler, Caldwell M. (R, 6) Nov. 7, '72 - Jan. 3, '83
MeTES: Unless otherwise indicated, terms of office began and ended Daniel, Robert W. (R l 4) 1973-1983 on January 3. Daniel, W. C. (Dan) (0, 5) Jan. 3, '69 - Jan. 23, '88 Party affiliations are abbreviated as D= Democrat; R= Republican; and I = Independent. Downing, Thomas N. (0, 1) 1959 -1977 Fisher, Joseph L. (0, 10) 1975 -1981 Fugate, Thomas B. (0, 9) 1949 -1953 Hardy, Porter (0, 2) 1947 -1969 been lawyers: 6 of8 senators and 20 of39 congress Harris, Herbert E. (0, B)" 1'9 - ffl81 I men. Historically, the link between law and politics Harrison, Burr P. (0, 7) Nov. 6, '46 - Jan. 3, '63 was most pronounced in the South and in the Demo Jennings, \JYilliamPat (D, 9) 1955 -1967 cratic party, the region's dominant party. Roger David Marsh, John O. (D., 7) 1963 -1971 Moran, James P. (0, 8) 1991 - son speculated that "this may have been a function (D~ ofan economy that offered few attractive career al Olin; James R. 6) 1983 - Parris, Stanford E.{R, 8) 1973- 1975; 1981 -1991 ternatives for ambitious young men."2 Writing in the Payne, LewisF. (D, 5) June 21, '88 ~ late 1960s, Davidson predicted that increasing eco Pickett, Owen B. (0, 2) 1987 - Poff, Richard H. (R, 6) Jan. 3, '53 - Aug. 29, '72 nomic development and the rise of the Republican party, which was more inclined to recruit its leader Robeson, Edward J. (0, 1) May 2, '50. - Jan. 3, '59 Robinson, J. Kenneth (R, 7) 1971 -1985 ship from business circles, would erode the predomi Satterfield, David E. III, (0,3) 1965 -1981 nance of Southern lawyer-congressmen. Scott, William L. (R, 8) 1967 -1973 In Virginia, at least, Davidson's prediction has Sisi~~~, Norman {~, 4) 1983 - only partially materialized. Ironically, to the extent Slaug"hter, 6: French (R, 7) Jan. 3, '85 - Nov. 5; '91 it has occurred, it has been in the Democratic House Stanley, Thomas B. (0, 5) Nov. 5, '46 - Feb. 3, '53 Trible, Paul S. (R, 1) 1977 -1983 delegation, which still evidences a decided legal back Tuck, Willi~fll M. (D, 5) April 14, '53 - J~n. 3, '69 ground. In the 102nd Congress (1991-92), lawyers Wampler;WilliamiC. (RI·9) 1953-1955; 1967 -1983 make up 58 percent ofthe delegation-both senators Whitehurst, G. William (R, 2) 1969 -1987 and 5of10 House members. This pattern parallels the Wolf, Frank R. (R, 10) 1981 - ofthe members who have come occupational makeup NOTES: Unless otherwise indicated, terms of office began and ended to office since 1966, the beginning ofthe post-Byrd on January 3. Organization period and the growth of Republican Party affiliations are abbreviated as D= Democrat and R= Republican. strength in the delegation. Since then, all 5 newly elected senators and12 ofthe 23 newVirginia congress As the Virginia Democratic party's fortunes re men have been lawyers. A different picture emerges, bounded in the 1980s, the party's resurgence in the however, when the House delegation is viewed from congressional realm, particularly in the House, was a partisan perspective. Since 1966 only 3 ofthe 9 new led by candidates drawn more from business than Democrats (33 percent) have been lawyers, whereas legal backgrounds. While Senator Robb was trained 9 of 14 new Republicans (64 percent) came from as a lawyer, 3 of the 5 House Democrats elected in legal circles. the 1980s-Norman Sisisky, James Olin, and Lewis Business was the second most prevalent pre F. Payne-came from business backgrounds. Sisisky congressional occupation for Virginia members, with was a beer and soft drink distributor, Olin a retired 45 percent (2 senators and 19 congressmen) listing corporate vice-president, and Payne a real estate de business-related pursuits in their biographical sketches. veloper. All 3were wealthy and able to finance expen sive congressional campaigns. Their business creden tials helped defuse the liberal image ofthe national 1 Representatives Wampler and Parris, who represented their Democratic party, an electoral liability in Virginia, districts on 2 different occasions, are counted twice in this and especially in the 5th (Payne's) and 6th (Olin's) dis other tabulations. Subtotals for different occupational catego tricts. James Moran, a government budget analyst ries will exceed 100 percent because some members listed more than one occupation. turned stockbroker, continued the House Demo 2 2 The Role ofthe Congressman (NewYork: Pegasus, 1969), p. 45. crats' winning ways in 1990. Center for Public Service February 1992
Table 3 Besides law and business, only agriculture, fed Prior Political Experience Virginia senators eral government service, the media, and education of U.S. House Members from Virginia figure in the occupational backgrounds ofthe post and congressmen Elected during the Elected after the World War II Virginia members. Three senators and Byrd Organization Byrd Organization have tended to Years,1946-1965 Years, 1966-1991 7 congressmen had agriculture-related pursuits listed emerge from legal in their biographies; however, all were also involved ORO R in other occupations. For example, Harry F. Byrd, Jr., and to a lesser following in his father's footsteps, was both an apple Prior Elective Experience Number 13 3 9 14 extent business orchardist and a newspaper editor and publisher. More Percent 62% 00/0 890/0 710/0 over, a majority of those who listed agriculture in General Assembly was circles, and terests entered Congress before 1960, when agricul Last Office before Congress ture figured more prominently in the state's economy. Number 13 3 9 14 they have been Percent 150/0 0°/0 44% 43% While 4 Virginia members-Robert Daniel, even more likely Joseph Fisher, William Scott, and James Moran NOTE: D= Democrat; R= Republican. had prior service in the federal executive branch (ex to come from the clusive ofmembers who held political appointive posi ranks of e,,
Virginia congressmen are not only increasingly UINlAROOTS more experienced but, like their counterparts in other Most Virginia senators and congressmen had estab states, they are using the state legislature as a stepping lished deep roots in the state before attaining congres stone to Congress.4 Since 1966 a seat in the General sional office. As Davidson observed, "localism is one : Assembly has been the last public office for 10 of ofthe strongest and most inviolable norms in Ameri the 23 newly elected members (43 percent). And such can electoral politics," a condition that is especially experiences have been increasingly evident in both pronounced in the South.s Table 4 shows the Vir parties. Currently, half of the House delegation ginia delegation's strong home ties, according to Bar Herbert Bateman, Owen Pickett, Norman Sisisky, bara Hinckley's threefold test of"home-state orien George Allen, and Frederick Boucher-served in the tations."6 Approximately two-thirds were born in General Assembly. the state, attended Virginia schools of higher edu Local elected experience was more evident in cation, and had prior elective experience in the state. the Democratic party, reflecting the candidate recruit Indeed, on the House side 28 percent met all three mentadvantages the majority party has had in drawing conditions. on a deeper pool ofelected officials. This was espe Ifanything, this analytical framework under cially the case in Northern Virginia; all 3 Democrats states the members' home ties. Consider the 3House from that region used local offices as stepping-stones members (Edward Robeson, James Olin, and Frank to Congress. Joseph Fisher and Herb Harris had served Wolf), who could be construed as 'outsiders,' having on the board ofsupervisors in Arlington and Fair neither been born, educated, or elected to prior of fax counties, respectively, andJames Moran had been fice in Virginia. Robeson and Olin were prominent mayor ofAlexandria. Only 2 Republicans, Thomas local business executives with considerable civic lead Bliley and Paul Trible, used local offices as stepping ership experience before their election. Robeson, who stones to Congress, and only Trible was elected lo represented the 1st District from 1950 to 1959, worked cally as a Republican. Ironically, Trible held the office 35 years for Newport News Shipbuilding, retiring as a ofcommonwealth's attorney, one that used to be a vice-president; during that time he was president of key stepping-stone for ambitious Byrd Organization the local chamber ofcommerce and the Virginia Manu Democrats. facturers Association, served as a director ofa local Whereas a seat in the General Assembly was bank, and chaired the board ofan area hospital. the most frequent stepping-stone for Virginia con Olin;who represents the 6th District, had a 36 gressmen, Virginia senators most often served their year career with General Electric, the last 14 in the apprenticeship in the U.S. House. Four senators ad Roanoke area, first as a plant manager and then as a vanced from the lower chamber (Thomas Burch, A. vice-president ofa corporate division. Like Robeson Willis Robertson, William Scott, and Paul Trible), and other prominent business executives, Olin during with Trible's election in 1982 being the most recent the Virginia phase ofhis career assumed a variety of such move. Harry F. Byrd, Jr., and William Spong civic leadership posts with the United Way, the advanced from the Virginia Senate, while Charles Chamber of Commerce, the Roanoke Symphony, Robb's route from the governorship to the Senate the United Negro Fund, and a local hospital, among was the first such case since Harry F. Byrd in 1933 others. Early in his General Electric career he had although unlike Robb, Byrd was initially appointed. briefly held a local office in New York state; mucb Warner, while lacking Robb's prior elective experi later in Virginia he became active in Democratic ence, did share with his Senate colleague a celebrity party politics, heading Jimmy Carter's 1976 presi status by virtue ofmarriage to a famous wife, Eliza dential campaign in the Roanoke Valley. beth Taylor. Like Robb, Warner's initial bid for office Wolf represents the 8th District in Northern got a big boost from this marital association. Still, Virginia. Not surprisingly, the Northern Virginia Warner's quest for the 1978 Republican Senate nomi members are considerably less likely than their Vir nation fell short, only to be revived on the tragic death ginia House counterparts to have been born in the of the Republican nominee, Richard Obenshain. state; however, they are just as likely to have held prior In summary, Virginia congressional offices have elective office in Virginia. In addition, ifthe educa been mainly reserved for elected officials. Even when tional criterion is expanded to include Washington, this political apprenticeship requirement has been D.C. universities, then 7 of 8 Northern Virginians bypassed, the precongressional career reflects a deeper had an association with a local-area educational in community apprenticeship. stitution. And while Wolf was the lone Northern
4 David T. Canon, Actors, Athletes and Astronauts: Political 5 Davidson, Role ofthe Congressman, pp. 54, 56. Amateurs in the United States Congress (Chicago: University of 6 Barbara Hinckley, Stability and Change in Congress, 4th ed. 4 Chicago Press, 1990 ), p. 53. (New York: Harper & Row, 1988), p. 86. Center for Public Service February 1992
Table 4 Home-State Orientation of Virginia's Congressional Delegation, 1946-91 Since 1946 AU Senate House House from Northern Va. Virginia incumbent (47 Members) (8 Members) (39 Members) (8 Members) Characteristics Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent senators have enjoyed a 92% Born in state 30 640/0 4 500/0 26 670/0 2 25% Higher education in state 31 66· 6 75 25 64 0 0 success rate in Prior elective office in state 32 68 7 88 25 64 5 63 getting renominated All of these 11 23 0 0 11 28 0 0 None of these 3 6 0 0 3 8 1 12 and elected, and their House Virginian to have failed all three home tests in Table Virginia Politics: I94S-I966). Senator Byrd resigned counterparts a 94% 4, he had other characteristics associated with the after Mills E. Godwin's gubernatorial election in success rate. region. Besides graduating from a local-area uni November 1965 but before his inauguration inJanu versity (Geor etown, LL.B) , he had prior federal gov ary. Consequently, as Wilkinson observes, Byrd: ernment service as both a congressional staffer and a political appointee in the Department ofthe Inte ...did not unsettle the 1965 campaign scene, rior, as well as Washington experience as a trade and he spared Godwin the delicate matter of association executive and lobbyist. Though he had a senatorial appointment. It was unlikely that never held elective office, Wolfwas not an electoral the divergent elements of the Godwin coali novice in the loth, having won the seat on his third tion could have agreed on a new senator, and try. Thus, even in Northern Virginia, successful Vir Godwin's legislative proposals might have been ginia congressional candidates are rarely newcom seriously endangered by a controversial appoint ers to the home scene. ment. The matter, therefore, convenientlywent In summary, most Virginia members have had to Byrd's trusted friend, outgoing Governor deep roots in the state. Still, good occupational cre Albertis Harrison.... (pp. 307-8) dentials, requisite political experience, and credible community ties do not ensure a ticket to congres Byrd, Jr., went on to serve 17 years. sional office in Virginia or elsewhere. A fortuitous set The other senatorial appointee, Thomas G. ofpolitical circumstances has usually been associated Burch-76 years old and a I5-year House veteran with a Virginia member's initial selection to office. served a brief5-month interim appointment between the death of Senator Carter Glass and the regular election ofA.Willis Robertson in November 1946. The Glass-Burch transition was hardly timely; Senator IING Glass, seriously ill for years, had not been to the Sen The most notable political circumstance has been the ate floor since 1942. Indeed, after Glass's reelection absence ofan incumbent. Since 1946 Virginia incum in 1942, the Senate took the extraordinary step of • bent senators ave enjoyed a 92 percent success rate sending its secretary, in January 1943, to the Glass in getting renominated and reelected, and their House residence near Lynchburg to administer the oath of counterparts a 94 percent success rate. Therefore, it office. Eventually the senator's absence stirred a con is understandable that most Virginia members gained troversy in the state, with some newspapers calling office without undertaking the formidable task of for his resignation and a local Republican official in defeating an incumbent. Arlington seeking unsuccessfully in state and fed On the Senate side, 6 of the 8 senators either eral courts to have the seat declared vacant. won an election to an open seat or were appointed On the House side, 27 ofthe 39 Virginia con to a vacancy (see Table 5). Unlike House vacancies, gressmen (69 percent) either won a regular election, which constitutionally must be filled by a special elec to an open or new seat, or won a special election to tion, the SeventeenthAmendment (1913) permits gov a vacancy. In Virginia as elsewhere, winning an open ernors to fill senatorial vacancies on a temporary basis seat has been the most frequently traveled path to until the next general election. Both Byrds initially congressional office (Table 5). And from a partisan came to the Senate by this route, with Byrd, Jr., being perspective it has been the principal way that Vir- appointed to succeed his retiring father in 1965. The ginia Republicans have gained seats. For instance, 7 transition was carefully timed, according to J. Harvie ofthe II House seats that Republicans wrested from Wilkinson (in Harry Byrdand the Changing Face of Democrats were open seats; only 2 Democrats, James • 5 University of Virginia NEWS LETTER
Table 5 Initial Selection Circumstances, Virginia Congressional Delegation, 1946-91
Senators (8 Members) Congressmen (39 Members) Democrats Republicans Democrats Republicans (5 ,Members) (3 Members) (22 Mer[lbers) (17 Members)
REGULAR SELECTION Won Open Seat 2 2 9 11 Robertson, '46 Warner, '78 Stanley, '46 Satterfield, '64 Wampler, '52 Butler, '72 Robb, '88 Trible, '82 Harrison, '46 D. Daniel, '68 Scott, '66 Trible, '76 Fugate, '46 Olih, '82 Whitehurst, '68 BHley, '80 Burton, '48 Pickett, '86 Robinson, '70 Bateman, '82 Marsh; '62 R. Daniel, '72 Slaughter, '84 Parris, '72 Won New Seat 1 Broyhill, '52 Defeated Incumbent Prjmary 1 o 2 o Spong, '66 Hardy, '46 Downing, '58 General Election o 1 6 4 Scott, '72 Jennings, '54 Sis/sky, '82 Pott, '52 Parris, '80 Harris, '74 Boucher, '82 Wampler, '66 Wolf, '80 Fisher,'74 Moran, '90 IRREGULAR SELECTION Appointed 2 0 Burch, '46 Byrd, Jr., '65 Won Special Election: 5 ,1 Almond, '46 Tuck, '53 Allen, '91 Abbitt, '47 Payne, '88 Robeson, '50
NOTE: Interparty seat changes are show in bold italics.
Olin and Owen Pickett, won open Republican seats. primary was 'tantamount to victory.'7 In contrast, Instead, Democratic gains came mostly (6 of the 8 when William Spong ousted Senator Robertson, an seats) by defeating Republican incumbents. Organization backer, in the 1966 Senate Democratic After an unusually long hiatus without a spe primary, he helped signal the beginning ofthe post cial election, two have occurred in the last 3 years Organization era. (Table 5). Lewis F. Payne won the 5th District seat of Successful interparty challenges, as indicated the late Dan Daniel in 1988, and George Allen won in Table 5, have mainly occurred in the more com the 7th District seat in 1991 after D. French Slaugh petitive period since 1966 (8 of10 cases). Except for ter stepped down for health reasons. To date, all the Representative Scott's upset ofSenator Spong in 1972, special election winners have retained seats for their they were House contests, mainly in the more com respective parties, with Allen's win being a first for petitive Southwest 9th District Qennings, Wampler, the Republicans. Both Allen and Payne defeated fe and Boucher) and the Northern Virginia 8th (Har male opponents, thus leaving Virginia among the 10 ris, Parris, and Moran) and loth (Fisher and Wolf) states (Mississippi being the only other one in the districts. Although congressional elections primarily South) that have yet to have a woman represent them revolve around state and local considerations, suc in Congress. cessful general election challenges to Virginia in Despite the electoral odds, 30 percent ofVir- cumbents have coincided with favorable national •. ginia's congressional delegation (2 senators and 12 party trends. All 6 successful Democratic challenges representatives) took the tougher road to Congress, covered in Table 5 occurred in midterm elections defeating an incumbent. Successful intraparty con when nationally the Democrats were the outparty, gressional challenges have occurred but not recently. The two House Democrats-Porter Hardy (1946) 7 See Larry Sabato, The Democratic Party Primary in Virginia: and Thomas Downing (1958)-mounted their suc Tantamount to Election No Longer (Charlottesville: Institute cessful primary challenges when the Byrd Organi of Government, University ofVirginia and University Press zation was dominant and victory in the Democratic ofVirginia, 1977). Center for Public Service February 1992
able to capitalize on Republican administrations' prob and the Nixon presidential landslide, won the new The precongressional lems. Conversely, 4 ofthe 5 Republican successes oc 4th District seat with a plurality vote. Daniel was the careers of Virginia's curred in presidential years when the party carried first Republican to represent the Southside district the nation and the state. And Republican Wampler's in the 20th century. delegation have 1966 midterm victory took place in an election year In 1992 Virginia gains a House seat, the first continued to reflect during the Johnson Administration, when national new seat since 1952. As ofthis writing, the congres Democrats suffered large House losses. sional redistricting process has not been completed; deep ties to the Since the state is now in the midst ofa decen but if the Assembly plan withstands both the Justice community, even in nial reapportionment process, it is worth noting that Department review required under the Voting Rights 3 Virginia House members, all Republicans Ooel Act and possible court challenges, then the new dis Northern Virginia, Broyhill, William Scott, and Robert Daniel), were trict, the 11th, will be situated in Northern Virginia the state's most aided by this process in gaining office. In 1952 Vir without displacing either of the area's two incum ginia gained a House seat, the loth, in Northern Vir bents. Thus, a second Virginian mayfollow Joel Broy transient area. ginia. That fast growing area, marked by consider hill's route to Congress 40 years ago by capitalizing able inmigration ofnon-native Virginians, was a weak on a new seat opening, again in Northern Virginia. area for the B rd Organization. In the 1952 election, Because ofthe Voting Rights Act, the Gener Republican Joel . Broyhill, aided by the Eisenhower al Assembly was compelled in the recent redistrict victory, narrowly won the first of his II terms (by ing to create a black-majority district. This district, 322 votes). the 3rd, stretches from east Richmond to Norfolk. In 1965 the General Assembly was forced to Governor L. Douglas Wilder, the nation's first elected redraw the congressional district lines after the Vir black governor and a short-lived candidate for the ginia Supreme Court invalidated the existent plan 1992 Democratic presidential nomination, amended because population disparities among the districts the General Assembly's plan by adding an additional violated the Virginia and the U.S. constitutional re part ofNorfolk to the 3rd, thus increasing the district's quirement ofpopulation equality. The following year black population from 61 percent to 64 percent. It William Scott won the 8th District, aided by redis remains to be seen if a black candidate can capitalize tricting and a divisive Democratic primary. The latter on this opportunity. To date Virginia has had only : election saw George Rawlings upset (by 645 votes) one black congressman, John M. Langston, who Byrd Machine stalwart Representative Howard W. served for only 162 days after a 1888 contested elec Smith, who had been forced to defend a reconfigured tion in the 4th District. district that had been significantly urbanized by in Finally, the recent Democratic-dominated re cluding a major part ofFairfax County. In the gen districting process has placed two Republican in eral election, Republican Scott beat Rawlings, aided cumbents, newly elected Representative George Allen • by the defection ofByrd Democrats. Ironically, the and veteran Representative Thomas Bliley, in the General Assembly had protected Smith in the 1952 redrawn 7th District. That district now includes much : redistricting process by removing Northern Virginia of Chesterfield and Henrico counties and the west • sections ofthe old 8th, making the new district more side ofRichmond city, and then extends north and : rural and con ervative.8 east to Greene and Madison counties. Since much Just six years later in 1972, another Republi ofthe 7th was part of Representative Bliley's old dis can, Robert Daniel, won a reapportionment-affected trict, it puts Representative Allen's fate in jeopardy. open seat in the 5th District. Watkins Abbitt, who At the same time, with the creation ofthe new black- • had represented the 4th since 1948, was redistricted majority 3rd District, 2nd District Democrat Repre into the 5th District with fellow Democrat Dan sentative Owen Pickett has lost some of his N or Daniel. Initially, the Democratic-dominated Gen folk electoral base, perhaps strengthening a future : eral Assembly, in what came to be dubbed the "Watt Republican challenge. and Dan Plan," tried to protect both Democrats with separate districts, but a federal court invalidated the congressional district plan because ofpopulation dis parities. Shortly thereafter, Abbitt announced his re CoNCLUSION tirement plans, easing the Assembly Democrats' redis Since 1946 the Virginia congressional delegation has • tricting task. In a 5-candidate general election, Robert served during a period ofremarkable change in the : Daniel, aided by divisions in the Democratic party state, region, and country. Yet an analysis of the : members' paths to Congress reveals more continu- • ity than change. Law still dominates the members' 8 Bruce J. Dierenfield, Keeper ofthe Rules: Congressman Howard W Smith (Charlottesville: University Pres ofVirginia, 1987), precongressional occupational backgrounds, though • P·13 0 . House Democrats are coming less from these circles. 7 University of Virginia NEWS LETTER
Experienced politicians, particularly in elective of to the community, even in Northern Virginia, the fice, remain the norm for successful Virginia con state's most transient area. The decline ofthe Byrd gressional candidates. Indeed, prior elective experi Organization, the rise ofthe Republican party, and ence has become more evident in the backgrounds the Democrats' resurgence have added a degree of of new members, even in the state's minority Re uncertainty to the electoral process. Still, incum publican party. For House members, the General bents in Virginia, as elsewhere, remain a formidable Assembly has increasingly become a stepping-stone lot. Consequently, most successful congressional as to Congress. Occasionally, the political apprentice pirants must bide their time for an opening ofsome ship route can be short circuited, particularly in the sort. The minoritywho have ousted incumbents have Republican party. But even in those cases, the pre been able to capitalize on a fortuitous combination congressional careers continued to reflect deep ties oflocal and national electoral circumstances.
Subject Index Volume 67: September 1990-December 1991
Elections-Voting Behavior Housing-Historic Preservation The 1990 Election in Virginia: Noncompetition and the Parties' Partnership for Preservation: A Challenge lor the Common Shame, Larry Sabato. Vol. 67, no. 4 (February 1991). wealth's Future, Hugh C. Miller. Vol. 67, no. 1(September 1990).
Local Government Human Services The Future 01 Local Government in Virginia: Final Statement Renewed Focus on Persons with Disabilities, Susan L. Urofsky. 01 the 1990 Virginia Assembly Vol. 67, no. 3 (January 1991). Vol. 67, no. 7 (May 1991).
Education Intergovernmental Relations Training ~[JdEduClltlon: Th-eVirginiaEmploye(, View, JUlia Regiona/. Governance: Why? Now? How? Neal R. Peirce. H. Martin and Achsah H. Carrier. Vol. 67, no. 6 (April 1991 ). VoL 67, no. 8 (June 1991). Training and Education: The Virginia Educator's View, Achsah Local Government-Economic Development H. Carrier, Donna J. Tolson, and Julia H. Martin. Vol. 67, no. 12 (November/December 1991). Virginia's Local Economies, John L. Knapp,. Vol. 67, no. 2(October/ November 1990)._ Ethics Minoritylsiues Beyond Scandals &Statutes: Ethics in Public Administrationi Sharleen J. Martenas. Vol. 67, no. 9 (July/August 1991). Indian Governance in Virginia, C. William Hill, Jr. Vol. 67, no. 5 (March 1991). Finances-Taxation State Government The Fiscal Outlook for Virginia State& Local Governments, John Virgini~Lottery: L Knapp. Vpl.67i np. 11 (October 1991). The Breaking with Tradition, Paula I. Otto and Ke.llyMaguire. VoL6Z, no. 10 (September 1991).
Vol. 68, No.2 February 1992 University ofVirginia NEWS LETTER ENTERED AS SECOND-CLASS Director: Carl W. Stenberg CENTER FOR PUBLIC SERVICE Editor: Sandra H. Wiley UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA MAIL Design: Barry A. Jackson Charlottesville, Virginia II 2015 Ivy Road Charlottesville, Virginia 22903-1795 The University of Virginia NEWS • LETTER (ISSN 0042-0271) is published monthly except bimonthly in July/August and November/December by the Center for Public Service, University ofVirginia, 2015 Ivy Road, Charlottesville, Virginia 22903-1795; 804 924-3396 (TDD: 804 982-HEAR). Copyright © 1992 by The Rector and Visitors of the University ofVirginia. The views expressed are those of the authors and not the official position of the Center or the University. To get on the NEWS LETTER mailing Ii t or to request reprints or reproduction permission, write or call the Center for Public Service. Second-class postage paid at Charlottes ville, Virginia. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to the Center for Public ervice, 2015 Ivy Road, Charlottesville, VA 22903-1795.