ROANOKE TIMES

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

DATE: WEDNESDAY, July 18, 1990                   TAG: 9007180236
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: MARGIE FISHER RICHMOND BUREAU
DATELINE: RICHMOND                                 LENGTH: Short


BEYER DONATIONS TOP $680,000

Lt. Gov. Don Beyer, who is seen as a potential candidate for the Democratic nomination for governor in 1993, has raised $681,685 in contributions since January.

That's almost as much as he raised throughout the 1989 campaign for lieutenant governor - a campaign that ended with Beyer's upset victory over Republican Eddy Dalton last November.

Beyer, who last year also had to battle another Democrat to win his party's nomination, relied heavily on loans - mostly from his father - to augment his campaign finances. He was able to raise about $1 million in contributions.

A financial disclosure report filed with the state Board of Elections on Tuesday showed that Beyer has brought down the balance of the loans from nearly $1.6 million to $1.2 million since January.

"We've cut into it about one-third," said David Blair, Beyer's chief-of-staff. Noting that it has been one of Beyer's major goals to repay the loans, Blair said, "We're pleased with the progress."

The disclosure report reveals that Beyer has gotten significant support from many Virginia-based political-action committees and companies as well as individuals. Almost all of his contributions have been raised in-state.

Among the recent donors was John Hancock Jr., a Roanoke business leader, who gave Beyer $5,000.



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