
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, June 9, 1990                   TAG: 9006090379
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: A-3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: GREG EDWARDS STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

LAROUCHE BACKER SET TO FACE OLIN

A supporter of jailed political extremist Lyndon LaRouche says he has collected enough signatures to get on the ballot to oppose Rep. Jim Olin, D-Roanoke, in November.

Gerald Berg, 33, a LaRouche associate who has lived in Roanoke for about a year, said he has collected well above the 1,200 names needed to be placed on the ballot as an independent. Berg said he will file a petition with the state Board of Elections by Tuesday's deadline.

Nancy Spannaus, another LaRouche associate, filed petitions Friday to get her name on the ballot as an independent candidate for the U.S. Senate. Spannaus told reporters outside the state Board of Elections' headquarters in Richmond that she had 27,000 signatures. The board requires 13,500.

Berg, who lives in Northwest Roanoke, has been asking for signatures this week at grocery stores. He said he will run as an "independent Democrat" against Olin.

Virginia Democrats have "sold out the base of the Democratic Party from the get-go," Berg said. The rules of Democratic procedure have been rewritten to exclude LaRouche supporters, Berg said.

Berg works for a Maryland publishing house that represents LaRouche publications. In the past, he has been an economics writer for Executive Intelligence Review, a LaRouche publication. In 1986, Berg was field operations coordinator in Illinois for Mark Fairchild's campaign for lieutenant governor.

Berg was picked as an alternate delegate for Olin at the 6th Congressional District Democratic meeting last month, but not at Berg's request, he said. Berg had tried to become a delegate for Spannaus before a state Democratic convention was ruled out. He said 6th District Democrats apparently just pulled his name out of a hat for the district meeting.

Spannaus, 46, said she decided to challenge Republican Sen. John Warner in his bid for a third term after her husband, Edward Spannaus, and LaRouche were convicted of conspiracy charges. Edward Spannaus is serving a five-year term in federal prison, and LaRouche is serving 15 years.

Nancy Spannaus tried unsuccessfully to win the Democratic nomination to oppose Warner earlier this year.

The Associated Press and staff writer David Poole contributed information to this story.

by CNB