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about being a great public speaker and a figurehead from listening to
the two great speakers, House Majority Leader Delegate Kirk Cox
and Delegate Riley Ingram.
I could not have asked for a better senior internship. I learned
so many things and couldn’t have asked for better mentors than Mr.
Bailey and Delegate Riley Ingram. They showed me what I have to
do be become a great leader and succeed in my goals of one day
becoming a politician for the great Commonwealth of Virginia.
Thank You, David Bailey, Kristen Bailey-Hardy, Delegate Riley
Ingram, and Pat Bennett for teaching me and letting me have one of
the greatest summer of my life.
Ben Barrett, a history major, is a senior at Bluefield College,
Bluefield, VA.
Have you ever wondered what all Virginia Politicians do when
they’re out of session? Do Virginia Politicians work part time and
only two months out of the year? During my Senior Internship with
David Bailey Associates I experienced more than I could ask for, with
the Special Session that included the heated debate over Medicaid
Expansion in the Old Dominion, I saw the government come close to
a shut down and Virginia not have a state budget for 2015. I was able
to see and experience the campaign side of politics first hand from the
many breakfasts for different senators and delegates. Most believe
that once the election is over the campaign is done, but for an elected
official in Virginia you are always on the campaign trail.
There were two experiences that really stood out for me during
my internship; the initial experience was during my first week.
Mr. Bailey invited me to the Sorenson Institute of Future Political
Leaders alumni spring gala. It was at this black tie event where I
was able to meet many delegates, senators, Supreme Court justices
and The Governor of Virginia Terry McAuliffe. The other experience
came later in my internship when I had the honor to shadow a great
Virginian Delegate Riley Ingram fromVirginia’s 62nd district.
On Saturday July 19th, Delegate Ingram and I started our day
at the Chesterfield Circuit Clerk firehouse Republican primary at
Thomas Dale High School where we met and greeted his constituents
in Chester, VA. It was there that I got to see campaigning through
the eyes of a delegate. Delegate Ingram showed me just why he is
such a popular delegate and why he has been in the general assembly
for over twenty years; he cares about the people he represents. He
is proud and honored to represent the people in the 62nd district of
Virginia. He told me about the different things he has done to help
his continuants in their time of need. I also saw first hand as Delegate
Ingram met with and talked to every person that went to vote and if
any person wanted to talk about an issue he was more than happy
to talk and discuss the issue right there. After the primary, Delegate
Ingram and I attended the Prince George and Hopewell Republican
Party rally in Hopewell, VA. It was there I was able to hear and learn
An internship in Virginia Politics
By Ben Barrett
Front Row: Maurice Jones, Nancy Rodrigues, Ric Brown, Anne Holton, Suzette Denslow, Carlos Hopkins, Aubrey Layne, Molly Ward, John Harvey
Back Row: Karen Jackson, Levar Stoney, Brian Moran, Paul Reagan, Governor Terry McAuliffe, Todd Haymore, Bill Hazel —
Delegate Riley Ingram and Ben Barrett.
Governor McAuliffe and His Cabinet
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