Politics don't always make for strange bedfellows in the volatile Mary Matalin and James Carville manner. In fact, there are those romances that are rooted in strong political principles. Consider Jackelyn Viera Iloff and Don Iloff Jr.
The loyal Republicans met in Washington D.C. during the glory years of the Ronald Reagan administration. She, a native of California, was a recent grad of the University of Southern California and headed to the capital to work for her political hero. After graduating from Texas A&M, Don, a native Houstonian, moved to D.C. to work in the administration as well. They both ended up strategizing for the Bush/Quayle '88 campaign. One day, he stepped out of Lee Atwater's office and their eyes met, his a "gorgeous green," Jackelyn recalls.
From that moment there was interest, but it was a slow go. The first time they actually spoke to one another was at then-Vice President George H.W. Bush's annual picnic. As the campaign progressed, they got to know one another. But not much transpired in the romance department — until, that is, she got up the courage to ask him on a date. He claims that he was very interested and that he was just "reeling" her in.
Things went swimmingly from there. They've been married 22 years, have two daughters and, as they both agree, are still in love.
Don is chief advisor to Joel and Victoria Osteen and executive director in charge of communications for Joel Osteen Ministries and Lakewood Church. Jackelyn, founder of Magdalena's Table (a women's organization promoting conservative principles) is chief of Southstar Communication Strategies. Her Twitter account says that she is 'interested in keeping the conservative values of Ronald Reagan moving the Republicans to a new majority."
Wednesday: Sparks flew on the fourth of July.
Don Iloff Jr. and Jackelyn Viera Iloff met in Washington D.C. when both were working in the Ronald Reagan administration.
