i've always wondered what ended the rule of the Byrd machine. Was William Spong (senator from 1967-1972) the first congressional democrat to win without much support of the Byrd machine?
Probably no. "The fighting ninth" district in western part of the state elected anti-Byrd Democrat to House in 50th, if i remember correctly... And generally, in the 60th rolls of voters in Virginia expanded greatly (partially, but only partially, with addition of black voters), which, as a rule, were not controllable by machine. Though (as you mentioned yourself) some
very conservative (by present day standards - EXTREMELY conservative), Democrats in Virginia's House delegation like above mentioned Dan Daniel or David Satterfield managed to survive until 80th...