Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, April 22, 1990 TAG: 9004240692
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Deborah Evans and Peter Mathews/Staff Writers
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Fifty of 56 ballots cast at a mass meeting in Roanoke went to a slate of Democrats supporting "no candidate" to oppose Republican John Warner. The Democrats are attempting to let Warner go unchallenged and deny Spannaus the nomination.
Elsewhere in Western Virginia, LaRouche supporters picked up no delegates in Saturday's mass meetings.
Saturday, Democrats were choosing state convention delegates. Similar meetings in some places are scheduled for Monday. In a parliamentary move designed to keep Spannaus from the nomination, party leaders ruled that unless a majority of the delegates backs a candidated, no convention will be held.
In local meetings Saturday, Spannaus supporters who had filed to be delegates were voted down nearly everywhere, according to Paul Goldman, Virginia Democratic Party chairman. That action virtually assured the Democrats will not hold a convention. Spannaus has said she would consider an independent bid if there is no convention.
Although Spannaus is the only declared opponent to Warner, Democrats do not want her because of her ties to LaRouche, the jailed political leader who has been a frequent indepentent candidate for president and is considered an extremist.
Spannaus' "anti-Warner slate" of 15 candidates got only four votes in Roanoke.
"We beat them the old-fashioned way; we had more votes," said Roanoke Democratic Chairman John Fishwick Jr.
Spannaus did not attend Saturday's meeting at which her supporters--mostly from out of state--tried to hand out broccoli corsages and boutonnieres. A broccoli boutonnier one Spannaus supporter wore read "Eat if George," referring to President Bush, an avowed broccoli hater.
George Berg, elected a Spannaus alternate, said the party's no-candidate slate amounted to an endorsement of Warner, Bush and Vice President Dan Quayle.
Berg accused the party of "betraying its base" by throwing the election "while elsewhere in the world, people are fighting to have elections."
The Spannaus supporters did win sevel alternate slots to next month's 6th District convention, where Democrats will nominate Rep. Jim Olin for a fifth term. Olin so far is unopposed. Berg and the other Spannaus alternated had indicated they also support Olin.
LaRouche supporters have occasionally won small numbers of seats at conventions in the past few years. But small numbers at the district convention will not help them get delegates sent to a state convention, where the U.S. Senate nominee would be picked.
Spannaus also was shut out in Montgomery County, where the entire delegation committed to the no-nominee position.
Last month, Spannaus urged the county Democratic Committee to back her. Only one Spannaus supporter, from District F, prefiled as a delegate. A strong turnout Saturday by District F Democrats ensured Spannaus got no delegates.
by CNB