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He graduated from Harvard University and the West Virginia University College of Law, served as an assistant West Virginia Attorney General, served one term in the West Virginia Senate, and served five terms in the United States House of Representatives.
Staggers was born in Washington, District of Columbia His father, Harley Staggers, Senior, was a Democratic Congressman from West Virginia from 1949 until 1981, when he declined to run for a seventeenth term. He was reelected four more times. Harley Staggers, Junior. lost his seat after West Virginia lost one congressional seat following the 1990 Census.
Most of his former 2nd District"s territory was merged with the Charleston-based 3rd District of fellow Democrat Bob Wise to form a new 2nd District.
However, his home in Mineral County was drawn into the 1st District, represented by fellow Democrat Alan Mollohan. Staggers opted to challenge Mollohan in the Democratic primary, and was soundly defeated.
