why did Virginia always have such a conservative democrat party?

[freepcrusher]

I had always thought that being the northernmost democrat state, that Virginia would have the most "national" democratic party of any of the southern states. But looking at old voting records and such, I found that some of the most reactionary democrats came from Virginia. Even as late as 35 years ago you had guys like W.C. Daniel and David Satterfield who often had ACU ratings in the 80s or 90s. Going back further there were guys like Tuck (can't remember first name), A.W. Robertson (father of evangelist Pat Robertson) and Harry Byrd. One of the Rules chairman, Howard Smith, was notorious for bottling up any legislation he didn't like. Virginia also had some of the lowest turnout rates of any states.

So my question is, why did Virginia have such a conservative democratic party for so long? Was it because of its location in the tidewater and historic elite presence (guys like the cavaliers)? Was it a tradition in Jeffersonian democracy favoring the wealthy planters? Was it the military presence or the Byrd family's influence?

[freepcrusher]

Virginia did have the most "national" Democratic Party.  Conservatives there were predominantly concerned with conservatism, not segregation.

there certainly weren't many Adam Clayton Powells or William Fitts Ryans in Virginia.

[freepcrusher]

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?