Kerry and Allies-Organization, Virginia
Kerry-Edwards 2004, Inc.  | 2112 W. Laburnum Avenue, Suite 204  |  Richmond 
State Chair Larry H. Framme, III
Chair of the Democratic Party of Virginia through Nov. 2003.  Framme began his political activity as a precinct volunteer in Jimmy Carter’s 1976 presidential campaign.  He served as chairman of the Richmond City Democratic Committee and later as chairman of the Third Congressional District Committee.  He was first elected Chairman of the Democratic Party of Virginia in 1986.  In 1990, Gov. Wilder appointed Framme to his Cabinet as Secretary of Economic Development.  Framme is an attorney concentrating on civil litigation, business counseling and transactions and government affairs. He obtained his B.A. from Center College in Kentucky and his J.D. from Washington & Lee University School of Law.  He worked for McGuire, Woods & Battle in Richmond (now McGuireWoods LLP). In 1981, he co-founded Mezzullo, McCandlish & Framme (now McCandlishHolton). In 1995 he founded the Framme Law Firm PC in Richmond and he continues to head the firm. 
 
 
State Director Susan Swecker
Swecker also served as Kerry's state director for the February 10 Virginia primary.  A DNC Member, she served on the DNC's convention site advisory committee in 2001-02 and was elected chair of the party's Southern Caucus at its February 2003 meeting.  She chaired the Gore for President campaign in Virginia in 2000 and chaired the Virginia delegation to the 2000 Democratic National Convention in Los Angeles.  She is a former executive director of the Democratic Party of Virginia and lives in Richmond. 
 
 
Communications Director Jonathan Beeton
Michigan press secretary on Wesley Clark's presidential campaign (February 7 caucuses).  He served as a press secretary to Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin (WI) starting in March 2002 and earlier as communications director for Congresswoman Juanita Millender-McDonald (CA).  In 2000 Beeton served as the Gore/Lieberman press secretary in Kentucky.   In the Clinton Administration, he worked at the Department of Health and Human Services as the chief radio coordinator and the Department of Labor as the special assistant to the director of the Employment and Training Administration .  During the 1996 election cycle he worked in Iowa for Clinton/Gore and in Grand Rapids for the Michigan Democratic Party as their West Michigan press secretary. In 1994 he served as assistant for Press Secretary Dee Dee Myers.  Beeton was born in Milwaukee, grew up in Ann Arbor, earned his B.S. from Albion College, 1993.
 
 
 
Victory 2004 | 2112 W. Laburnum Avenue, Suite 204  |  Richmond
In a press release (date not available but likely late Aug./early Sept. 2004) Democratic Party of Virginia Communications Director Laura Bland outlined an "historic" commitment of staff, supplies and offices for a Democratic campaign for president in Virginia, including 30 staff and four field offices (listed below).  In addition there were the two Kerry-Edwards staffers for a total of 32.  Further, the release heralded this as "the first round of staff hiring, with more to be hired later in September."  However, on October 3 the campaign announced it was sending 20 of its staffers, including the state director and communications director, to other states. Bland sent out a message to Democratic activists urging them to "keep positive and keep the faith."
Coordinated Campaign Director Eric Payne
Based in Richmond, does strategic and IT consulting for campaigns, elected officials, non-profits, and commercial enterprises.  Worked on Kerry's primary campagn in Virginia and Georgia.  Served as Director of Information Systems at the Democratic Party of Virginia.  Active in Virginia Young Democrats for many years; became a member in 1983.  Graduate of James Madison University.
 
 
Field Director John Winston
(With the redeployment in early Oct. Winston took over as coordinated campaign director and Joe Easton finished as statewide field director)  Tennessee state director for Edwards for President.  Tennessee House Democratic Caucus Director in the 2002 cycle. Native Virginian.
 
 
Base Vote Director Opel Simmons
Founded The Simmons Group, Inc., a consulting firm.  Financial Specialist/Business Banker with First Union National Bank.  Sales Representative for Xerox Corporation in Richmond, VA starting in 1998, then Marketing Executive, responsible for federal accounts, in Washington, DC.  Deputy Director of Northeast Field Operations for the Clinton/Gore campaign in 1992.  (After the Oct. redeployment, Simmons finished the campaign in Wisconsin).
 
 
Political Director Roger Austin
Served as a Central Georgia regional field director (based in Macon) on Kerry's primary campaign, and later as a delegate tracker for MI, OH and WV for the Democratic National Convention.
 
 
Operations Director Michelle R. Kirby
Worked on Kerry's primary campaign in Virginia, Wisconsin and Georgia.
 
 
Volunteer Coordinator Jean Bankos
Former president of the Virginia Education Association.
 
 
Fundraiser Liz Howard
Has served as CFO of the Tennessee Democratic Party and in Gov. Phil Bredesen's (D-TN) administration.
 
 
Site Advance Coordinator Kimberly Jesuale
Attorney.
 
 
Surrogate Advance Coordinator Andrea Gaines
Assistant news director and executive producer for the NBC affiliate in Charlottesville, VA for the last three years.  Has also worked at the ABC affiliate in Richmond and the CBS affiliate in Richmond.
 
 
Voter Protection Director Michael Signer
Worked on Wesley Clark's campaign in Little Rock and as interim director in Virginia.  Legal Fellow in the Office of Gov. Mark Warner, fall 2003.  Staffer on Mark Warner's campaigns.  J.D. from the University of Virginia.  Ph.D. in political science from the University of California at Berkeley.  Undergraduate degree from Princeton University.

Also
Veterans for Kerry Virginia Coordinator: Rick O'Dell of Roanoke County


Victory 2004 Offices
Norfolk - 840 Redgate Avenue
Tidewater Regional Director: Cardell Patillo
Field Organizers
Bethany Rowland
Grindly Johnson
Alicia Smith

Fairfax - 2722 Merrilee Drive 
Northern VA Regional Director: Joe Easton
Field Organizers
Peggy Kugler
Terry Hartnett
Liz Johnson
Brett Libresco
New American Outreach
Ricardo Cabellos
Grassroots Fundraiser
James Noble

Roanoke - Tanglewood West, Suite 470  - 3959 Electric Road 
Southside Regional 
Field Organizers
Dorothy Blackwell
Skylyn Hagins, Jr.
(South West) Tabitha Peace

Newport News - 2015 25th Street
Peninsula Regional Organizer: Curtis Young
Field Organizers
Will Frank
Ken Jarman, Jr.
(Richmond)
Chris Bast
Levar Stoney
Essence Babiker



Virginia Democratic Party  |  Capitol Place, 1108 East Main Street, 2nd Floor  |  Richmond 
Chair Kerry J. Donley
Elected chair by the party's Central Committee at its meeting on Nov. 15, 2003.  Elected to the Alexandria City Council in 1988, and re-elected in 1991 and 1994.  Served as Alexandria's Vice Mayor starting in 1994.  Elected Mayor in February 1996, and re-elected in 1997 and 2000, serving until June 2003.  Employed by Virginia Commerce Bank since 1998.
 
Executive Director Lindsey Reynolds
Lindsey Reynolds began her career in Virginia Democratic politics in 1998, as the legislative assistant to Stanley C. Walker of Norfolk, then President pro tempore of the Virginia Senate.  In 2000, she became the finance director for the Joint Democratic Caucus, and in March 2002, she joined the state party as its finance director.  A year later, Reynolds was named executive director of the Democratic Party of Virginia.  She served as both the executive director/fundraiser for the party and Joint Caucus fundraiser until May 2004, then continued as the executive director and fundraiser for the Party.  Reynolds is a 1998 graduate of Virginia Wesleyan College, with a B.A. in political science, 1998.
 
IT Director Brenner Tobe
Party Services Director Ruth Anne Walker
Outreach Director Matt Peanort
Communications Director Laura Bland
Deputy Finance Director Anne Massey
Richmond Office Manager Betsey Anderson
No.VA Office Manager Peg Hogan

Copyright © 2004, 2005  Eric M. Appleman/Democracy in Action ont>