he once reliably red state of Virginia 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, 01' Virginny became the first state to select an African American as governor, elected two Demo- cratic chief executives, and helped send Barack Obama to the White House. 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 shilling sentiments at the polls every year. Here is our list of the most influential political players in Virginia- with no elected officials allowed. 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- Ed Gillespie 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 Boi- cacy groups American Crossroads 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 northern Virginia 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 Eric Cantor, former Gov. Jim Gilmore, and former
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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. John Warner 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 Planned Parenthood 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 I 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 Patrick Henry 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: grass roots 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 Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, 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 curwntly has the same role on Allen's The Obenshains The founder of Cumberland Resources, ate campaign. Considered by some the first family of a coal company in southwest Virginia, 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 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, Nard the first woman to hold that position. has worked as a speechwriter f Gov. Allen and as legislative'" Sean Connaughton former U.S. Rep. Herbert Bat Virginia's Transportation Secretary is highly thought of and seen as having a 1 Michael W. Thompson future in elective office. A past chair- The president of the Thomas Jefferson man of the Prince William County Board Institute for Public Policy has been ac- i r rr ~Nsrr I ~ of Supervisors, Connaughton cam- tive in state Republican causes and was paigned unsuccessfully for lieutenant involved with the McDonnell campaign 11.·.IdJilll I•. governor in 2005. in 2009. , ~~, y.u 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- I firm, which has offices in Richmond and volved in politics, often backing conser- IlIl=---= 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.
''iYI.\~{)rmore infurmar iu», \,:Jfi~., Trixie Averill Shaun Kenney www.whcnthehcadlincisvuu.com . '\:J:" ' The Salem resident is a fixture at im- A former communications director for wherever bonks or c-bouks, June 2011 I Campaigns & Elections 47