Jeff Stafford's Kids Who Took Over Virginia Republican Politics

I thought it was an appropriate time to resurrect an article from Style Weekly in 1999. The article details how Jeff Stafford's 1984 campaign for the 9th Congressional District in Southwest Virginia against then one-term incumbent Rich Boucher created a group of Republican operatives and party leaders who now play a major role in Republican politics.

The article is divided up into a Part I and Part II that have to be read separately because the Style Weekly link from Part I to Part II is broken.

You will find the article fascinating...I guarantee it. The Stafford staffers who got started on his 1984 campaign now play major roles within Republican circles and are very influential players on several of the statewide campaigns this year. Betsy Beamer is Treasurer for the Kilgore campaign and held the position of Secretary for the Commonwealth in the Allen administration from 1994 to 1998. Her husband Jim Beamer started his own lobbying firm. Ray Allen became a partner of Boyd Marcus and now is one of the most powerful consultants in the state, consulting for Steve Baril right now. Tim Phillips, who is a partner with Century Strategies, Ralph Reed's consulting firm based out of Atlanta, is handling the Connaughton and McDonnell campaigns currently.

The article tells how Jeff Stafford infused his staffers with a love for Virginia politics through his passion for what he believed and his ability to laugh at himself as he barnstormed across Southwest Virginia. It's well worth reading.