Posted on 07/30/2008 4:53:49 AM PDT by library user
** Originally published January 12, 2007 **
The Botetourt County kid who handed out political business cards as a grade schooler is now the local face for U.S. Sen. James Webb in the Roanoke and New River valleys.
Fred Hutchins, who has spent the past several years as state Del. Onzlee Ware's legislative aide, has been hired by Virginia's new Democratic senator to run his Roanoke-based U.S. Senate office. For the time being, it will be in the same place as former U.S. Sen. George Allen's, in an office complex off Virginia 419 near the Roanoke County Administration Building.
"I'm just excited to be working for a man who loves Southwest Virginia as much as I do," Hutchins said.
Webb, who has Southwest Virginia roots, was criticized at points during last fall's campaign by some for not putting enough emphasis on the western part of the state. Webb went on to upset Allen, the incumbent Republican, by just 9,000 votes. Hutchins was a Webb field operative during the campaign, and he said he was somewhat disappointed that Webb didn't do better in localities such as Roanoke, where he got 57 percent of the vote in a historically Democratic city.
Hutchins said he and Webb already have discussed increasing his presence in this part of the state, and Hutchins added that he will be working as hard as he can to do that.
"He realizes he squeaked in," Hutchins said of Webb. "He wants to spend more time in Southwest Virginia."
Hutchins sees himself as a steadfast defender of the American working class who's not afraid to tell people so.
"American people should drive American cars," he said. And his allegiances go beyond that. He'll only drive a Ford. Right now, it's a Ford F-150 truck.
Hutchins was so miffed that his longtime NASCAR hero Mark Martin left his Ford racing team to drive for Chevy next year that he sent e-mails voicing his displeasure, including one to the company that distributes Martin souvenirs.
Hutchins said he has embraced Webb, and sees him as a role model, because he's loyal to his beliefs, too -- including a soft spot for the poor and underserved.
Hutchins said he's grateful for the opportunity to be part of Webb's statewide team at the young age of 25.
Politics has always been in Hutchins' blood. While growing up in Botetourt County, he watched C-SPAN, and he printed his own business cards. "Fred Hutchins, Democrat," they read, sporting the political party's symbol of a donkey.
In 1994, Hutchins, then 13, happened to hand one of those cards to Ware, a lawyer who was active in the Democratic Party but was years away from running for office. Nearly a decade later, the two were brought back together when Hutchins, a young party activist, made a pitch to manage Ware's first state legislative campaign in 2003.
Ware reached into his desk and pulled out the card Hutchins had given him in 1994. A unique relationship was formed: Ware, the black politician who grew up poor on the urban streets of Greensboro, and Hutchins, the white, NASCAR-loving country boy from rural Botetourt.
Ware, whose new legislative aide will be close confidant Charles Withers, said he's proud of Hutchins and has advised him to work hard and steer clear of any publicity that could bite Webb.
Hutchins gives Ware credit for much, including his having a better understanding of race relations.
For instance, Hutchins said he learned from Ware that some white politicians who make the rounds in black churches during election season are often not taken seriously. That's because the candidates think they have to be funny or change their personality in some way in order to be accepted, Hutchins said.
Hutchins and Ware have cut a niche just being themselves. They're currently caught up in a Roanoke Democratic Committee flap prompted by the election of a slate of independents in May's city council race. Those candidates, who took to calling themselves "independent Democrats," included Alfred Dowe, Gwen Mason and David Trinkle.
Hutchins decided to help the independents, breaking away from the city Democratic Committee and its nominated slate. Ware gave Hutchins the go-ahead.
Hutchins said Webb -- who couldn't be reached for comment for this story -- is well aware of the situation.
"I caught plenty of hell for that ... still do," Hutchins said. "But I knew I was working for good Democrats."
Thanks for the post. Interesting. Condolences to Frederick Wayne Hutchins Jr.’s family and friends.
I hadn’t heard this story. How did the young guy die?
They’re not sure yet. For more info, please see here:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2053550/posts
OK I should have just done some further digging and I would have found the article on FR. Sad story. Looks like suicide.
Webb sure has some strange things happen around him. Even for a dim.
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