Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, January 24, 1992 TAG: 9201240258
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B4 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: PAUL DELLINGER SOUTHWEST BUREAU
DATELINE: WYTHEVILLE LENGTH: Medium
DEFICIT PART OF GOP CAMPAIGN
Three Republicans who want to challenge incumbent Democrat Rick Boucher for the 9th District congressional seat made it clear here Thursday night that the national deficit and traditional values would be parts of any campaigns they mounted.Lewis Sheckler, 61, a Radford University music professor, is the only one of the three who has formally announced plans to seek the GOP nomination at the district Republican convention May 9. He was joined in addressing a Wythe County Republican meeting by Montgomery County GOP Chairman George Bell and Radford City Councilman Gary Weddle.
Sheckler organized a petition in 1990 for legislation to allow prayer in public schools, a measure Boucher did not support. "I'm going to be reminding Rick of that very loudly in this campaign," he said.
He also produced one of Boucher's 1984 newsletters to constituents saying Boucher voted to cut the deficit. "Isn't that a hoot?"
Weddle, who operates clothing stores in Radford and Blacksburg, said he was about two weeks away from an announcement of his candidacy. He also criticized Boucher and other members of Congress he claimed contributed to the growing deficit. "It's an outright shame what our Congress has done."
Bell, accompanied by members of a committee organized to draft him as a candidate, said he was seeing if people in the district shared the same traditional values he has "because it will make a difference as to whether I run or not." But he talked like a candidate: "I will put Rick Boucher on the canvas and I will keep him there."
He said he wants a return to teaching values in the schools, instilling discipline in students and seeing them graduate from college prepared for the work force.
The Republican field has two other potential candidates: Jerry Kilgore, who left the U.S. attorney's office last week to join his brother in private practice in Scott County, and William C. Wampler Sr., the veteran congressman ousted by Boucher in 1982.
Kilgore has said he is waiting to see whether Wampler decides to run before making his own decision. "That's what we'd all like to know," Weddle said here Thursday.
Keywords:
POLITICS