4 ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁interven ing ▁years ▁( 2 0 1 1 – 1 4 ), ▁Ben ne cke ▁founded ▁his ▁own ▁political ▁consult ing ▁firm ▁( Red ▁Clay ▁Str ateg ies ), ▁and ▁also ▁joined ▁long time ▁friend ▁and ▁colle ague ▁Tony ▁Simon ▁at ▁the ▁Atlanta - based ▁public - aff airs ▁firm , ▁Connect S outh . ▁In ▁November ▁ 2 0 1 3 , ▁Connect S outh ▁affili ated ▁itself ▁with ▁the ▁Mississippi - based ▁Capit ol ▁Resources ▁L LC , ▁whose ▁partners ▁include ▁Henry ▁Bar bour . ▁He ▁also ▁formed ▁J enson ▁Str ateg ic ▁Part ners ▁L LC ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 3 . ▁ ▁Ben ne cke ▁spent ▁much ▁of ▁ 2 0 1 1 ▁in ▁Virginia , ▁where ▁he ▁directed ▁a ▁P AC ▁affili ated ▁with ▁Governor ▁Bob ▁Mc D onn ell ▁in ▁its ▁mission ▁to ▁reg ain ▁control ▁of ▁the ▁Virginia ▁State ▁Senate . ▁The ▁G OP ▁scored ▁a ▁net ▁gain ▁of ▁two ▁seats ▁that ▁November , ▁ach ieving ▁a ▁ 2 0 - 2 0 ▁tie ▁( allow ing ▁Lieutenant ▁Governor ▁Bill ▁Bol ling ▁to ▁cast ▁tie bre aking ▁votes ▁in ▁favor ▁of ▁the ▁G OP ▁for ▁the ▁next ▁two ▁years ). ▁ ▁Cont inu ing ▁his ▁work ▁in ▁the ▁Old ▁Domin ion , ▁Ben ne cke ▁in ▁March ▁ 2 0 1 2 ▁announced ▁the ▁formation ▁of ▁a ▁federal ▁Super P AC , ▁Independ ence ▁Virginia ▁P AC , ▁whose ▁sole ▁purpose ▁was ▁to ▁aid ▁the ▁bid ▁of ▁George ▁F . ▁Allen