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In 1970, Beard was appointed state personnel commissioner by newly-elected Republican [[Governor]] [[Winfield Dunn]].<ref name=findagrave>Robin Leo Beard Jr. (1939-2007) - Find A Grave Memorial, accessed October 29, 2021.</ref> In 1972, Beard entered the [[Republican Party|GOP]] [[primary]] election for the reconfigured 6th congressional district,<ref name="nashpostobit"/> which was significantly redrawn by the state legislature to be more friendly to a Republican candidate.  

In 1970, Beard was appointed state personnel commissioner by newly-elected Republican [[Governor]] [[Winfield Dunn]].<ref name=findagrave>Robin Leo Beard Jr. (1939-2007) - Find A Grave Memorial, accessed October 29, 2021.</ref> In 1972, Beard entered the [[Republican Party|GOP]] [[primary]] election for the reconfigured 6th congressional district,<ref name="nashpostobit"/> which was significantly redrawn by the state legislature to be more friendly to a Republican candidate.  

In November 1972, buoyed by the reelection campaign of [[U.S. President]] [[Richard M. Nixon]], Beard unseated the Democrat U.S. Representative William Robert Anderson (born 1921), a former [[United States Navy]] commander of the ''Nautilus'' during the first underwater crossing of the [[North Pole]] in 1958. Anderson was also a stanch critic of the [[Vietnam War]] and was considered a protégé of Admiral [[Hyman G. Rickover]]. [[U.S. President]] [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]] presented Anderson with the Legion of Merit.<ref>Anderson, William Robert | Tennessee Encyclopedia, accessed October 29, 2021.</ref>

In November 1972, buoyed by the reelection campaign of [[U.S. President]] [[Richard M. Nixon]], Beard unseated the Democrat U.S. Representative William Robert Anderson (born 1921), a former [[United States Navy]] commander of the ''Nautilus'' during the first underwater crossing of the [[North Pole]] in 1958. Anderson was also a stanch critic of the [[Vietnam War]] and was considered a protégé of Admiral [[Hyman Rickover]]. [[U.S. President]] [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]] presented Anderson with the Legion of Merit.<ref>Anderson, William Robert | Tennessee Encyclopedia, accessed October 29, 2021.</ref>

Beard excelled at constituent service and held his mostly Republican district for five House terms. However, [[Conservative Democrat]]s continued to dominate in state legislative seats in the district well into the 1980s.

Beard excelled at constituent service and held his mostly Republican district for five House terms. However, [[Conservative Democrat]]s continued to dominate in state legislative seats in the district well into the 1980s.

Except for the reelection of Governor [[Lamar Alexander]] in 1982, Tennessee would not win another statewide race until 1994, when they captured the governorship with [[Don Sundquist]] and both Senate seats taken by [[Bill Frist]] and [[Fred Thomson]].

Except for the reelection of Governor [[Lamar Alexander]] in 1982, Tennessee would not win another statewide race until 1994, when they captured the governorship with [[Don Sundquist]] and both Senate seats taken by [[Bill Frist]] and [[Fred Thomson]].

From 1984 to 1987 and again from 1992 to 1995, Beard served as a [[NATO]] deputy secretary-general in [[Brussels]], [[Belgium]].<ref>Robin Beard Obituary (2007) - Charleston, SC - Charleston Post & Courier (postandcourier.com), accessed October 29, 2021.</ref> Beard later ran an import-export business in  [[Washington, D.C.]], for a time resided in the liberal stronghold of Alexandria, [[Virginia]]. Beard retired to Charleston County, [[South Carolina]], where he later ran unsuccessfully in 2006 for a seat on the county school board.  

From 1984 to 1987 and again from 1992 to 1995, Beard served as a [[NATO]] deputy secretary-general in [[Brussels]], [[Belgium]].<ref>Robin Beard Obituary (2007) - Charleston, SC - Charleston Post & Courier (postandcourier.com), accessed October 29, 2021.</ref> Beard later ran an import-export business in  [[Washington, D.C.]], for a time resided in the liberal stronghold of Alexandria, [[Virginia]]. Beard retired to Charleston County, [[South Carolina]], where he later ran unsuccessfully in 2006 for a seat on the county school board.

==Death==

==Death==