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VirginiaInfluencers

he once reliably red state of has developed the hint of a purplish hue and become something of a swing state. TThe GOP has come back with a vengeance over the last two years, yet in the preceding two decades, Ol’ Virginny became the first state to select an African American as , elected two Demo- cratic chief executives, and helped send to the . Indeed, the 2008 election marked the first time in forty-four years that the state awarded its electoral votes to a Democratic presi- dential candidate. While that contest ended one trend, the next year’s election con- tinued another one. Since 1977, Virginia has elected its one-term gov- ernor from the party opposite that of the sitting president. And, due to its unique election cycle—Virginia holds its gubernatorial contests in off-off years—voters can express their shifting sentiments at the polls every year. Here is our list of the most influential political players in Virginia— with no elected officials allowed. VirginiaInfluencers

Top 10 Democrats

Timothy M. Kaine David Mills Mo Elleithee The former governor helped Democrats The executive director of the Virginia A founding partner of Hilltop Public take control of the state Senate in 2007 Democratic Party has worked in the Solutions in , D.C., Elleithee and elect Barack Obama president the Kaine administration and on several gu- has been a key consultant to Virginia following year. Kaine, an attorney and bernatorial campaigns. Mills is married Democrats such as Kaine and U.S. Sen. former Richmond mayor, served as to Jennifer McClellan, a rising young and is a veteran of several chairman of the national Democratic member of the state House. national campaigns. Party until early April, when he stepped down to run for U.S. Senate. C. Richard “Dickie” Cranwell David H. Hallock, Jr. The chairman of the state Democratic A former lobbyist, Hallock left the pri- Terry McAuliffe Party until his retirement last December vate sector last fall to become state There’s no question the “Macker” is still has considerable sway. That comes director for Sen. Warner. Hallock previ- a player in state politics. The former with the territory for Cranwell, who ously served as deputy director of policy national party chairman stumbled in his spent three decades in the legislature and deputy counsel for Warner when he first bid for office during the Democratic and helped Democrats score several was governor. primary for governor in 2009. But he key victories during his five years atop appears focused on a repeat gubernato- the party. Paul Reagan rial run in 2013 and has worked to raise The chief of staff to U.S. Sen. , his profile in Virginia. Ben Tribbett Reagan has previously worked for War- Tribbett has been called the Perez Hil- ner when he was governor and served ton of Virginia’s political blogosphere. under several Virginia congressmen. The chairman of the state Democratic The left-leaning keyboard cowboy can Party since last December, Moran is ignite a firestorm with a large type Peter Brodnitz charting a path back to prominence after headline and exclamation points on his A principal at the Benenson Strat- losing in the ’09 gubernatorial primary. blog. Although he has a sensational egy Group, Brodnitz is a well-known He previously represented Alexandria in streak, the influence of his writing is Democratic pollster who has worked for the state House of Delegates and is seen undeniable. Kaine, Webb, and former U.S. Rep Tom by some as the heir apparent to his older Perriello, among other clients. brother Jim’s seat in Congress.

42 Campaigns & Elections | June 2011 Top 10 Republicans

Phil Cox Cox deserves as much credit as any- one for the 2009 election of Gov. Bob McDonnell. The political strategist and consultant is sought after as an advisor by campaigns outside Virginia and re- mains the governor’s top political man. He is now executive director of the Re- publican Governors Association.

Chris LaCivita In Virginia, he’s known simply as LaCi- vita. And, while he may be anonymous to much of the public, his work isn’t. LaCivita is a campaign consultant and was a key media advisor involved in the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth ads at- tacking 2004 Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry.

Frank B. Atkinson The chairman of McGuireWoods Con- sulting in Richmond, Atkinson is a powerful voice within the Virginia GOP. He’s also its resident historian, having penned two tomes about state politics. Atkinson is a veteran of the Reagan administration and worked for then-Gov. George Allen in the mid-90s. George Allen state Atty. Gen. Jerry Kilgore. Allen has A former Virginia governor and U.S. worked in former Gov. Allen’s adminis- senator, Allen’s star lost some luster tration (no relation) and for several GOP A prominent Republican strategist, Gil- during his failed 2006 Senate re-elec- groups over the years. lespie chaired McDonnell’s successful tion bid. But he’s been rebuilding his gubernatorial campaign. He previously brand and is running in 2012 with the M. Boyd Marcus, Jr. served as chairman of the national GOP hope of reclaiming the Senate seat he The other half of the Marcus & Allen, and as counselor to former President lost to Webb. LLC political consulting firm. Marcus George W. Bush. He is the founder of Ed served as chief of staff to former Gov. Gillespie Strategies, a consulting firm, Morton C. Blackwell Gilmore and former Congressman Tom and helped launch the outside advo- Blackwell’s political activism goes back Bliley. His son Randy is Lt. Gov. Bill Bol- cacy groups and decades and continues today. He is ling’s chief of staff. Crossroads GPS. founder of the Leadership Institute, an Arlington-based operation that J. Kenneth Klinge Pat Mullins trains conservatives to influence policy The lobbyist has been The chairman of the state GOP can through activism. He also serves as na- active in Republican politics for decades trace his roots in Republican politics tional committeeman for the state GOP. and remains an important voice in the to the early 1970s. Mullins has never party as a former executive director of held public office, but he’s helped elect Ray Allen, Jr. the state GOP. plenty of candidates over the years and One half of Marcus & Allen, LLC, a helped restore stability to the party. Richmond-based political consulting firm that has worked on campaigns for U.S. House Majority Leader , former Gov. , and former

June 2011 | Campaigns & Elections 43 VirginiaInfluencers

Other Democrats

Tom Perriello secretary, Wagner has lost a congres- Kevin Mack Even though the one-term congress- sional bid, and more recently, a run for Mack is a respected direct mail con- man from the Charlottesville area lost lieutenant governor. But many informed sultant who has worked on campaigns his seat in the 2010 midterms, many Democrats say she remains viable as a and for a host of progressive groups. He observers believe he will have a second future candidate. previously served as executive director act in state politics. His name is already of the Democratic Legislative Campaign in circulation for any number of races in Kevin Hall Committee and now leads the Mack the next few years, including governor Hall is one of the more skilled Demo- Crounse Group. and U.S. senator. cratic operatives around Virginia. He cur- rently works for Sen. Warner on Capitol Vivian Paige L. Hill and previously served in the Warner An accountant by trade, Paige is prob- Wilder is a trailblazer as the first African and Kaine gubernatorial administrations. ably best known as a onetime Norfolk American to have been elected gov- treasurer candidate who became a ernor of a state. The always-quotable Gaylene Kanoyton noteworthy political blogger. She is Wilder more recently served as Rich- The first vice chair of the state Demo- plugged in to the inner workings of state mond’s mayor and is never at a loss cratic party is a prominent grassroots party politics. for words, sometimes to the chagrin of activist involved with a number of those in his own party. Virginia interest and advocacy groups. Alan Moore She is currently working for the Virginia A senior vice president with the Mack Legislative Black Caucus. Crounse group, Moore has worked on mail Stoney is a former executive director campaigns for a host of Virginia Democrats of the state party and the first African Jon Bowerbank running statewide or for Congress. American to hold that post. He is a An energy services entrepreneur, Bow- veteran of multiple campaigns and now erbank is a county supervisor in south- Susan Swecker advises Terry McAuliffe as he contem- west Virginia and serves as a vice chair Swecker is a veteran of state and na- plates another run for office in Virginia. in the state party. Although he ended tional Democratic Party politics. She his 2009 lieutenant governor campaign recently served as a commissioner with less than a month before the primary, the Virginia Department of Alcoholic The former attorney general became the many Democrats think Bowerbank has Beverage Control and has worked to get first woman elected to statewide office his eyes on another statewide run. women involved in politics. in Virginia in 1985. She’s still engaged in politics through The Farm Team PAC Doris Crouse-Mays Steve Pazmino she helped form to aid Democratic The first female president of the Virginia As executive director of the Senate women seeking office. AFL-CIO has worked to elect Democrats Democratic Caucus, Pazmino is a key in Virginia and serves on the state Dem- political advisor to Senate Majority Paul Goldman ocratic Party’s steering committee. Leader Richard Saslaw. The Democratic consultant and former Wilder aide is a quirky, talented, and Lowell Feld Frank Leone outspoken political strategist. The for- Want more that blogs have An attorney and longtime party activ- mer chairman of the state Democratic real sway in Virginia? Look no further ist, Leone is a DNC member who has Party, Goldman also ran for Richmond than Feld, a blogger who helped draft worked on behalf of multiple candidates mayor in 2008. Webb to run for Senate and worked for and keeps folks abreast of party devel- his successful campaign as an online opments on his blog. Mary “Mame” Reiley coordinator. The Democratic consultant has worked Sean Holihan with many of the big names in Virginia, Dave “Mudcat” Saunders The former president of the Virginia is close to Sen. Mark Warner and state A political strategist given to colorful Young Democrats, Holihan is active on party Chairman Moran, and is active in language, Saunders has worked to help GLBT issues. He recently joined the di- national party politics. connect Democratic candidates with rect mail firm The Chadderdon Group. rural voters to the benefit of former Gov. Warner, among others. Virginia “Pixie” Bell A former state treasurer and finance After decades of involvement, she re-

44 Campaigns & Elections | June 2011 mains a mover and shaker within the Rex Simmons Mike Henry state party establishment and an impor- Simmons is chairman of the Fairfax A veteran of state political campaigns, tant voice in heavily populated northern County Democratic Committee, the Henry has run campaigns for Warner Virginia. largest local party affiliate in Virginia. and Kaine and worked for other high- He previously sought a seat in the state profile Virginia Democrats. He has been Leigh Anne Collier Weinstein legislature. credited with improving the party’s A former state party official, she now election strategy by targeting suburban serves as development director at the Ben Greenberg voters and improving GOTV operations. Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Greenberg is legislative director for Vir- Henry now works for ONE, an anti-pov- Policy. ginia Organizing, a statewide grassroots erty and disease advocacy group. and advocacy group that supports pro- Fred W. Hudson gressive policies. He’s spent more than Joe Abbey A second vice chair with the state party, thirty years in legislative advocacy and In the last decade, he’s risen from field Hudson has worked for years on behalf previously lobbied for Planned Parent- organizer to campaign manager on legis- of Democratic causes and candidates, hood Advocates of Virginia. lative races to a player in statewide con- particularly those from Charlottesville tests. In 2009, he helped steer state Sen. and the Shenandoah Valley. Glen Besa Creigh Deeds to a surprise win in a three- Besa is director of the Virginia Chapter way Democratic gubernatorial primary. Virginia Association of the Sierra Club, the nation’s oldest The powerful teachers lobby is a non- and largest grassroots environmental Claire Guthrie Gastañaga partisan group, but its policy goals tend organization, which is actively involved A onetime state deputy attorney general to align with Democratic Party posi- in a wide range of environmental policy who frequently lobbies for immigrant tions. debates. and gay rights, she is viewed as one of the sharper intellects in Richmond.

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June 2011 | Campaigns & Elections 45 VirginiaInfluencers

Other Republicans

Richard Cullen The chairman of McGuireWoods, Cullen is a former Virginia attorney general and U.S. attorney appointed by President George H. W. Bush. He also served on the legal team of former President George W. Bush during the 2000 Florida recount.

Michael E. Thomas The first vice chairman of the state GOP, Thomas previously worked in George Allen’s gubernatorial administration and later as his chief of staff when Allen was a senator. Will serve as campaign manager for Allen’s 2012 Senate run. Thomas is a veteran of Virginia Repub- lican politics and is currently a senior Hager is a fixture at Republican events to Virginia’s constitution. Her husband, vice president at McGuireWoods. and still holds sway in the party. It Matt, works in the McDonnell adminis- doesn’t hurt to have Jenna Bush as a tration. Tom Davis daughter-in-law, either. The longtime congressman from north- Jim Gilmore ern Virginia has remained busy since Ben Marchi The former governor may not have as leaving public life in 2008, working as The former state director for Americans high a profile as some other recent director of federal government affairs for Prosperity is plugged in with key do- chief executives, but he remains ac- for Deloitte & Touche LLP and as a nors and important grassroots activists tive in Virginia political discourse. He chairman of Gov. McDonnell’s military across the state. He’s also known to be also serves as president of the Free commission. Davis’s wife, Jeannemarie a close advisor to former Gov. Allen. Congress Foundation, a conservative Devolites Davis, is a former state sena- research and advocacy group. tor who works in the McDonnell admin- Richard A. Viguerie istration. Viguerie has long been active in con- Jamie Radtke servative causes and is a pioneer of A conservative activist and campaign Tucker Martin political direct mail. He currently runs advisor, Radtke’s power has increased Few in Virginia are more on-message ConservativeHQ.com, a website that considerably of late due to her leader- than Martin, McDonnell’s longtime champions conservative candidates and ship of the Richmond Tea Party. She is spokesman. Previously, Martin worked ideals. running for U.S. Senate in 2012. in communications for McDonnell when he was attorney general and held a Gary C. Byler Jerry Kilgore similar job when Jerry Kilgore was the Virginia’s 2nd congressional district Kilgore came up short in his ’05 gu- state’s top prosecutor. chairman is a powerful voice in Repub- bernatorial bid, but the former state lican politics. A Virginia Beach–based attorney general is respected in political Dave Rexrode attorney, Byler has worked for former circles and remains connected in Rich- Rexrode put his college GOP activism U.S. Sen. and in the Rea- mond through his government affairs into practice after graduating and hasn’t gan White House. work for McGuireWoods. stopped since. He worked on McDon- nell’s gubernatorial campaign and now Victoria Cobb M.G. “Pat” Robertson serves as executive director of the state Cobb is president of the Family Founda- The Christian Coalition founder has Republican Party. tion, a social conservative group that has been a force in Republican politics for pushed to strip of years and remains a prominent voice John Hager state funding and successfully fought to through his television broadcasts, advo- A former Virginia lieutenant governor add an amendment defining marriage cacy, and other platforms. and past chairman of the state GOP, as between one man and one woman

46 Campaigns & Elections | June 2011 Michael P. Farris congressional district. She has worked website, serves on the Fluvanna County A former candidate for lieutenant gov- on scores of campaigns over the years Board of Supervisors, has worked on a ernor, Farris is a leader in the home and recently took over as Americans for number of political campaigns, and is school movement and founder of both Prosperity state director. seen as a comer in Republican circles. the Home School Legal Defense As- sociation and College, a Fred Malek Jason Kenney Christian institution. A financier, business executive, and Kenney makes this list for what he GOP powerbroker, Malek is chairman of represents: grassroots activism in the Jerry Falwell, Jr. McDonnell’s government reform com- Virginia GOP. A consultant by profes- Falwell is chancellor of Liberty Univer- mission and has worked on behalf of sion, he blogs from the conservative sity in Lynchburg, the school his father several Republican presidents, includ- perspective on several websites and is founded, and is also engaged in Repub- ing , , and executive director of RedStorm PAC, an lican politics and policy debates. His George H.W. Bush. online fundraising operation for Republi- university is challenging the healthcare can candidates. reform law in federal court. Glen Bolger Bolger is a sought-after Republican con- Richard Crouse Brian Kirwin sultant and pollster with Public Opinion Crouse is a veteran of local, state, and A political consultant with Rourk Public Re- Strategies, a firm he co-founded. His federal campaigns, including the state- lations in Virginia Beach, Kirwin has worked firm gets the call when McDonnell and wide Republican electoral sweep in on multiple campaigns and airs his views other Republicans want to gauge public 2009 and the party’s pickup of con- on Bearing Drift, one of the most widely sentiment. gressional seats last year. He is past read Republican blogs in the state. political director for the state GOP and Richard Baxter Gilliam currently has the same role on Allen’s The Obenshains The founder of Cumberland Resources, Senate campaign. Considered by some the first family of a coal company in , Virginia conservatives. Patriarch Richard Gilliam and his wife, Leslie, are high- D. Obenshain was a rising conservative dollar donors to Republicans and con- star when he died in an airplane crash servative organizations. in 1978; the state GOP headquarters Facing bears his name. His son Mark is a state G. Paul Nardo senator, and his daughter Kate is a for- The chief of staff to state House mer head of the state Republican Party, Speaker William J. Howell, Nardo also the the first woman to hold that position. has worked as a speechwriter for former Gov. Allen and as legislative director for media? Sean Connaughton former U.S. Rep. Herbert Bateman. Virginia’s Transportation Secretary is highly thought of and seen as having a Michael W. Thompson future in elective office. A past chair- The president of the man of the Prince William County Board Institute for Public Policy has been ac- of Supervisors, Connaughton cam- tive in state Republican causes and was paigned unsuccessfully for lieutenant involved with the McDonnell campaign governor in 2005. in 2009.

Robert Baratta Patrick M. McSweeney A lobbyist with Capital Results, Baratta McSweeney is an attorney and past represents a variety of clients for the state party chairman who remains in- firm, which has offices in Richmond and volved in politics, often backing conser- Raleigh, North Carolina. He is a veteran vative candidates. Although some have of former Gov. George Allen’s adminis- tried to marginalize him, McSweeney tration. still has a following.

For more information, visit Trixie Averill Shaun Kenney www.whentheheadlineisyou.com The Salem resident is a fixture at im- A former communications director for Wherever books or e-books are sold. portant Virginia Republican functions the state GOP, Kenney runs one of the and serves as GOP chair in the 6th oldest political blogs in Virginia on his

June 2011 | Campaigns & Elections 47 59475_CampaignsElections_Ansell_kl.indd 1 3/18/11 9:31 AM VirginiaInfluencers

MISCELLANEOUS

C. Douglas Smith the company had a significant presence PETA The ordained minister is executive di- in Virginia, with a major shipbuilding The Norfolk-based People for the Ethical rector of the Virginia Interfaith Center yard in Newport News and numerous Treatment of Animals is the world’s larg- for Public Policy. The advocacy group other operations based in the state. est animal-rights organization. Its influ- works with both parties, but its stance ence is felt in Virginia and beyond. on issues is often closer to Democratic AFSCME/SEIU Party ideals. He is chairman of the These two large labor unions represent Thomas F. Farrell II Virginia Redistricting Coalition, a non- government workers and service em- Farrell is chairman, president, and chief partisan group working to reform redis- ployees, respectively, and are active in executive officer of Dominion Virginia tricting in the state. state and federal policy debates. Power, the largest electric utility in the state. He also serves on the board of Bill Leighty Reginald N. Jones directors of public and private organi- A government and policy consultant, A lobbyist with the Williams Mullen law zations and chairs Gov. McDonnell’s Leighty served as chief of staff in the firm, Jones has represented a variety of higher education commission. Warner and Kaine administrations, and clients, including big tobacco, before is a member of the government reform the state General Assembly for more Larry J. Sabato commission McDonnell established. than thirty years. The prolific pundit has written two doz- en books and is among of the nation’s Bob Gibson Philip Van Cleave best-known political analysts. Sabato Gibson is executive director of the So- The National Rifle Association is head- is director of the Center for Politics at rensen Institute for Political Leadership quartered in northern Virginia and is a the . at the University of Virginia, a training leading advocate for gun rights in the program for aspiring office holders and state and beyond. But its influence Randal J. Kirk political activists that has produced nu- shouldn’t overshadow Van Cleave and his A venture capitalist from Radford, Kirk merous elected officials. He spent thirty Virginia Citizens Defense League, ardent considers himself a political indepen- years as a journalist in the state before defenders of the 2nd Amendment at the dent and has doled out millions in cam- joining Sorensen in 2008. legislature in Richmond. paign cash to Democrats and Republi- cans alike over the years. Whittington W. Clement Steven W. Pearson A former state delegate who once A Richmond-based attorney, Pearson Bob Holsworth served as Virginia’s transportation represents big tobacco (Reynolds The former professor secretary, Clement is a partner with American) and the Virginia Trial Lawyers has long been a prominent observer Hunton & Williams LLP, a state govern- Association at the General Assembly. and analyst in Virginia. His profile was ment relations shop representing a given another boost this year when Gov. range of clients from localities to large Altria Group McDonnell picked him to lead his bipar- corporations. In January, he was elected The parent company of Philip Morris tisan redistricting advisory commission. chairman of the board of the state USA is a powerful voice for big tobacco chamber of commerce. based in Richmond. The Virginia Public Access Project A nonpartisan tracker of campaign Barry DuVal Kevin S. Crutchfield cash, the online resource is a virtual As the recently installed president and Crutchfield is chief executive officer of clearinghouse for information about CEO of the Virginia Chamber of Com- Alpha Natural Resources, the nation’s political donations and spending, lobby- merce, DuVal leads the state’s most leading metallurgical coal supplier, ists’ work, and much more about those prominent business group. He is a whose corporate offices are in Abing- who influence state government. former state secretary of commerce don. He has a strong voice on policy and trade and a past mayor of Newport debates that affect the industry. Kay Kemper News. The president and founder of Hampton John Taylor Roads–based Kemper Consulting is Northrop Grumman Taylor serves as president of Tertium a regular in Richmond and one of the The defense giant last year decided Quids, a fiscal conservative, free market more influential lobbyists in the state. to move its corporate headquarters to advocacy group, as well as the Virginia northern Virginia. But even before that, Institute for Public Policy.

48 Campaigns & Elections | June 2011