Virginia Capitol Connections, 2025 Annual Magazine 11 Reprint from Virginia Capitol Connections Quarterly Magazine, Winter 2016: It was spring of 1986 at the Virginia State House. Reconvened Day had ended, so it had quieted down a little at Chicken’s. Chicken’s, in case you’re fairly new here, was the cozy two-room eatery on the first floor of the Capitol, back in the day. That’s where legislators, lobbyists, reporters, and sometimes tourists, gathered for hot coffee, sausage biscuits and apple pie. The Capitol was a bustling place, with Carmella Bills stationed at the information table, pages running in and out of the bill room, and newsmakers wandering informally in and out of the Capitol newsroom. There were no mobile devices, not even cell phones. No metal detectors. No bag inspection. David Bailey, a new lobbyist on the scene, sat with two veteran lobbyists at the high stools at those round tables, surrounded by decorative plates from every corner of the Commonwealth hanging on the white plaster walls. The three, David Bailey, Sumpter Priddy, and “Judge” Williams were drinking coffee and chatting as they shuffled paperwork from the General Assembly Session. Back then, paper or conversation was THE source of all information. David Bailey’s clients, the Virginia State Firefighters Association and the Virginia Conference United Methodist Church, depended on him to keep up with the What, Who, When, Why and How of everything at the legislature. He pored over his copy of the familiar blue and white directory published yearly by the C & P Telephone Company. This was THE best source of portable information, and all the lobbyists found it to be very helpful. “I’m trying to get the date of the next Session,” he said. Sumpter Priddy known for responding quickly with his own unique wisdom gleaned from years of working on behalf of the Retail Merchants Association: “It's already begun.” Everyone who works in that sausage factory known as the legislative branch of government knows what that means. There is no real rest. There is always work to be done, and it is only the early birds who succeed. David Bailey contemplated his 60-year-old colleague’s advice and stapled more 3 X 5 index cards into his directory. He was supplementing each page with additional information about the legislators, and he told his friend that he wished somebody would publish a book with more of the facts already included. “Bailey, why don’t you do it?” It was quintessential Priddy. The solution was in motion even before the problem was fully articulated. If there is anyone almost as quick as Priddy, it is Bailey. “I’ll do it if you buy the first one hundred,” he said. “Put me down for a hundred.” And that was the birth of the Virginia Capitol Connections, later to become known as “The Redbook.” It is a pocket sized listing of the Session calendar, the names and contact information of both Legislative and Executive officials, district maps, and just about everything else that an advocate or legislator needs to have in the palm of his hand. Bailey got the book out that first fall. He remembers laying it out on his living room floor. The process was relatively simple that year, because it was not an election year. Later, he had help, most notably from printer Bill Groome and graphic designer John Sours. The book evolved into one with photos of each official (suggested by Speaker Bill Howell in 2003), their legislative aides, spouses’ names, birthdays, and much more. With each year, more people started asking for copies, and more were printed. Companies and individuals started underwriting the costs, with well-placed advertising. Now at about a half a million copies, the book is compared to, as Delegate Rich Anderson put it: “hotcakes.” Says Delegate Vivian Watts: The book helps us get to know our respected colleagues “as well as who to watch out for!” Delegate Margaret Ransone uses the book to plug her constituents into state government: It is “a great resource for visitors, students, and businesses...” she said. Lobbyist David DeBiasi uses not only the current books; he archives his old annotated copies “for posterity.” Consultant Donnie Ratliff agrees: It is “the most sought after, most used and most helpful printed item in the General Assembly Building.” And the book is more than just a convenience. Delegate Ken Plum says it “helps to make democracy better.” Senator Richard Saslaw likens the book to “a roadmap.” The addition of the photos especially was a hit. Delegate David Toscano cited the year 2013, when the House welcomed 19 new members, and the photos in the book were a lifesaver. Lobbyist James Dunn says he never leaves home without it. For a span of 30 years, there have been precious few glitches, and the book always comes out by Session, even when a Second Edition records later changes. It has been difficult to explain to some consumers that the book is not published with taxpayer dollars. Its availability is thanks to the generosity of David Bailey Associates and the book’s sponsors. Only once was a name misspelled, and the whole batch of books in error were tossed and replaced by a new printing. As we all know, technology has changed lightning fast in the past 30 years. The book is no longer laid out on Bailey’s floor. The legislators no longer have to be individually faxed with forms to fill out, and papers to return. Photos are all digital and pages are scanned and proofed much more easily. And Sumpter Priddy, dubbed the “Dean of Lobbyists,” now retired, can now enjoy retirement knowing what he put in motion with: “Bailey, why don’t you do it?” Bonnie Atwood, is a retired lobbyist and writer for Tall Poppies Consulting and David Bailey Associates. Publishers Notes There have been many people and firms whose contributions have made it possible for the Redbook to celebrate its 40th birthday. First among them is Bill Groome who worked at William Byrd Press in Richmond. During the decades we have had the best printers: Clinch Valley Printing in Tazewell owned by my good friend and creative entrepreneur Doyle Rasnick. Today, our printer is Bill Gilmer with Wordsprint. With my family roots in the coalfields of Kentucky and Virginia, our firm was honored that Donnie Ratliff and Alpha Natural Resources underwrote distribution of thousands of copies over several years. John Sours’ creative designs and Kristen Bailey-Hardy’s proofreading skills have been essential. For the last decade Hayley Allison, Cierra Parks, Chris Bailey, and many interns have created fantastic Redbooks. What's new after printing more than 500,000 copies? Wordsprint is printing special covers for legislators to distribute Compliments of and their names. Check it out. David L. Bailey, October 2025 40 YEARS RED BOOK of CONNECTIONS Capitol Virginia ★ ★ ★ ★ 2026 CELEBRATING 40 Years The Redbook 1987–2026 By BONNIE ATWOOD V
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