Harry F. Byrd, Sr.

Harry F. Byrd Sr., later governor of Virginia and U.S. senator, started his career as an appointed member of the Winchester City Council. He lost his reelection bid, and never took another election for granted. In 1915, he was elected to the state senate, and from there began to build the political machine that would keep him in elected office for much of the next half century, and that would inspire Benjamin Muse to comment that "Governors of Virginia are appointed by Harry Byrd, subject to confirmation by the electorate … He ruled not with a command but with a nod."