![J.R. Hoeft is the founder and — once again — editor-in-chief of Bearing Drift. [John-Henry Doucette/The Princess Anne Independent News]](https://princessanneindy.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/bearing-drift-1.jpg)
J.R. Hoeft is again serving as editor-in-chief at Bearing Drift, the conservative blog, opinion and news source he founded in 2004.
Hoeft, a retired naval officer, is a communications consultant who has been active in Republican politics in Chesapeake and Virginia Beach.
He stepped away from spearheading Bearing Drift for a while, and Norm Leahey stepped as the point person for the site and associated efforts for years, before also stepping away due to other obligations.
Leahy remains a Bearing Drift editor and producer for “The Score.” Virginia Line Media, which produces “The Score,” merged with Bearing Drift in 2011. A number of Hoeft’s efforts since then have been geared toward growing the business of Virginia Line Media.
Hoeft, in an interview at his Chesapeake home, said his Bearing Drift role is still that of a point person for an outlet whose contributors have an equal voice.
“It still very much has its roots in activists interested in politics, interested in the conservative movement, who are trying to bring a voice,” he said.
“Folks will recognize me once again as the chief spokesman for Bearing Drift and the person ultimately responsible for the content of Bearing Drift,” he added.
Though Bearing Drift is an established brand in the area, part of Hoeft’s role is speaking on behalf of the organization and meeting people. In November, he was the speaker at a meeting of the Virginia Beach Republican Committee, discussing the publication, the state races of note and more.
“There are people who don’t know who we are,” he said in an interview, noting that he and contributors are spreading both the conservative message and critical observations that sometimes challenge the GOP establishment.
The point of reaching out, he said, is for people to understand that there are places to get information and opinion that address issues from a conservative perspective.
“There are news sources out there where you can go and get credible information,” he said.
© 2016 Pungo Publishing Co., LLC
