The Virginia cocktail party theory
In our Anecdotal Evidence column, movers and shakers share personal stories of how intriguing (and often odd) presidential campaigning in their respective swing state can be.
Frank Leone 鈥 Attorney and Virginia DNC Member
Frank Leone. Photo: Lars Gesing/CU News Corps
鈥 was my major adviser at the University of Virginia. We talked about Virginia politics. He had the cocktail-party theory.
鈥淰irginia is primarily a suburban state. Suburban voters like people who they would have at their cocktail parties. The example at that time, which was back in the 70s, was John Warner, our senator, who was married to Liz Taylor. So John Warner might come to your cocktail party and bring Liz Taylor. You definitely want Liz Taylor at your cocktail party.
鈥淭he Democrat was a guy named Andrew Miller, the attorney general. He was fine, but not very interesting.
鈥淗enry Howell was the Democratic candidate who was running for governor in the 70s. He was really populist, he would talk really loud, he would spit and spill mustard on his tie. You don鈥檛 want him at your cocktail party. You want John Dalton, who was a lawyer from Richmond and a much more sedate guy who at least wouldn鈥檛 scare people.鈥
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