Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, April 13, 1990 TAG: 9004130496
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-3 EDITION: STATE
SOURCE: MARGIE FISHER RICHMOND BUREAU
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Short
He said letters of endorsement were still being received by his campaign and he expected they will total more than 95,000 by tonight.
Warner needed 13,865 signatures to get on the ballot for this fall's Senate election, in which he is not expected to have opposition.
Meeting with reporters outside the office of the state Board of Elections where he filed the petitions, Warner said his successful drive for names "represents what the people of this state are willing to do at the grass roots level to make Virginia's political system work and I accept this with the greatest degree of humility."
His campaign had mailed out nearly 400,000 letters seeking endorsements. The state's Republican Federation of Women took charge of collecting the signatures. "They went door to door, store to store and stood in the rain to make it work," Warner said.
Though the state's Democratic party's leadership has effectively decided not to field a candidate to challenge Warner, the Republican promised to campaign throughout Virginia anyway.
"I have a responsibility to go to the people of Virginia all across this state and carry my message," said Warner, noting that he has raised about $700,000 for his campaign.
Nancy Spannaus, a supporter of Lyndon LaRouche, is attempting to get the Democratic Party's nomination. Although her chances would appear to be slight, Warner said he is not taking it for granted that he'll have no rival.
But "the biggest advantage I have - at the moment, without opposition - is that I can do less talking and more listening," Warner said.
by CNB