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Virginia C apitol C onnections, Winter 2015
32
In Memoriam
Former State
Delegate Vince Callahan–
A Man for All Seasons
By Michael E. Belefski
Vince Callahan, who died last September, left an indelible mark
of achievement in his forty years as a state delegate from 1968-2008.
His political career began by a run for lieutenant governor in 1965
with a GOP ticket led by Linwood Holton. Both men would not win
that year but Vince would win a House seat in 1967 and Linwood
would win the governorship in 1969.
As the longest serving Republican and the second-longest-
serving member of the House that Jefferson built you have to admire
Vince when you listened to his many historical recollections of the
institution that told us of a statesman who had a devotion to history
and his remarkable place in Virginia politics as he first entered the
House of Delegates among just 14 other Republican members.
It was during Vince’s campaign for U.S. Congress in 1976 that I
first met him as a young political consultant. Taking a poll of voters in
early October of that year, we found out that he would lose the election
to then Congressman Joe Fisher. After spending a considerable
amount of money on radio and print ads, we took another poll of
voters in mid-October that showed an increase in name recognition
but no movement in a head-to-head contest. From this unsuccessful
congressional campaign, Vince decided to continue his long political
career in the House of Delegates.
In 1982, House GOP members selected Callahan as minority
leader. In 1998, he became Co-Chairman of the Appropriations
Committee under a power-sharing agreement with the Democrats,
who controlled half the chamber’s seats. Two years later, when
Republicans gained an outright majority, he became its first
Republican Chairman in Virginia history. Vince told me very early
on that “once this humble Irishman had the opportunity to meet
and greet Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, II on our soil for the 400th
Anniversary of the Jamestown settlement, he would retire” before
the next election cycle. The Queen visited the General Assembly in
2007 and Vince kept his word.
Vince worked hard to form bipartisan consensus on the budget
among the members of House Appropriations Committee and to
ensure the AAA Bond rating that the Commonwealth covets in
today’s financial markets.
A sign “The Buck Stops Here” on his desk said it all. As he told
me and others, he brought “home the bacon to NOVA more than
anyone else.”
AsAppropriations Chairman, he steered tens of millions dollars to
projects in Northern Virginia, including among other worthy projects
as establishing Georgetown Pike as a scenic byway, establishing
the Dulles Toll Road, buildings at George Mason University and
Northern Virginia Community College and educational programs at
the Wolf Trap for the Performing Arts Center.
Vince knew his 34th District well enough to be re-elected
20 times in General Elections and winning Republican primaries
when challenged within his own party. His leadership style will be
sorely missed, but his memory will remain as among one of the
most dedicated members of the General Assembly who put people
first above party politics to reach a consensus for the good of the
Commonwealth so that future generations will benefit from the
positive work of a kind and respected Virginia statesman.
Michael E. Belefski is President of CPC CORPORATION, a
Communications and Marketing Firm specializing in Performance
Management Analysis in Business, Law and Political Systems. He
can be contacted at .
BelefskI callahan
The sudden passing of our colleague Bill Bosher in December
was a terribly sad moment. His death is a great loss for his family,
for our community and the Commonwealth. A man
of unwavering loyalty to his faith, his family and
his friends, his life mattered in every way that was
important.
Bill began his career as teacher and never stopped
being one. He taught literature at Tucker High School,
public policy at VCU, and Sunday School at Fairmount
Christian, the church he loved. Bill’s calling extended
far beyond the classroom. His weekly television
editorials on educational issues, for example, was his
way of engaging the entire community on the issues
to which he devoted his life. You couldn’t go to lunch
with Bill without another patron or a member of the
wait-staff stopping by to discuss what they watched on
the weekend.
Like all great teachers, it was Bill’s wisdom that
people sought, not just his content area expertise.
Students at every level wanted to discuss their dreams and life plans
with him. Former students who might have made a bad choice came
to him to talk about getting their life back on track. Parents called
him to obtain his advice about the best educational choices for their
children. Former colleagues consulted him on their
career options. And prospective Governors, from
both parties, asked for his advice on their education
platforms before they published them for public
consumption.
Bill’s skill as a teacher made him a natural leader. I
always thought that he had becomeVirginia’s unofficial
Educator-in-Chief. He served as Superintendent of the
region’s two largest school system, Chesterfield and
Henrico. Committed to choice within the public school
system, he started a number of specialty centers that
were extraordinarily popular with students and parents.
He served as state Superintendent of Schools
under Governor Allen and was instrumental in
establishing and implementing quality standards that
placed Virginia in the forefront of educational reform.
And as Dean of the School of Education at VCU, Bill
focused on how universities could best meet the needs of teachers and
administrators who working in the K-12 system.
Virginia's Dr. Education Bill Bosher By Dr. Bob Holsworth
bosher
V