Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, February 14, 1992 TAG: 9202140347
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER MUNICIPAL WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
CITY COUNCIL FIELD MIGHT GROW
Roanoke Democrats may have more City Council candidates by Saturday's filing deadline.The party now has four candidates for the three council seats open in the May 5 election, but others are considering seeking the nomination.
George McMillan, acting chairman of the city Democratic Committee, said Thursday that the party has three more potential candidates.
McMillan would not identify them until they decide whether to enter the campaign.
Beverly Lambert, a legislative aide to state Del. Steve Agee, R-Salem, meanwhile, has scheduled a news conference for Monday to announce that she will run for the Republican nomination for council.
Lambert joins Councilwoman Elizabeth Bowles as the second GOP candidate. The GOP tentatively has scheduled a mass meeting Feb. 25 to choose its nominees.
The Democratic mass meeting is Feb. 22. Candidates must file with McMillan by 5 p.m. Saturday.
The announced Democratic candidates are Beverly Fitzpatrick Jr., Renee Anderson, Ted Key and James Trout.
The seats are held by Fitzpatrick, Bowles and David Bowers. Bowers, a Democrat, is giving up his post to run for mayor.
As the prospect of more candidates loomed, one potential Democratic candidate said he might not run.
Steven Goodwin, a past president of the Roanoke Valley Veterans Council, had said he would seek the nomination. But now he says he might not have enough time to devote to the post.
Goodwin, 45, is a district supervisor for the state Department of Motor Vehicles' Transportation and Safety Division.
Bowers, meanwhile, has denied speculation that he might try to block Fitzpatrick from getting on the party's ticket for a new term.
Bowers said he has not asked his supporters to vote for other Democratic candidates in order to deny Fitzpatrick the nomination.
"I don't know where that came from, but I intend to support all of the nominees of my party," he said. But he said he doesn't plan to endorse any candidates until the party selects its ticket.
Bowers and Fitzpatrick often have been at odds in recent years.
Keywords:
POLITICS