Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, February 25, 1992 TAG: 9202250286
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER MUNICIPAL WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
EX-MAYOR STILL THINKING; GOP READY
Willis "Wick" Anderson has yet to formally declare his intention to run for mayor in the May 5 election.But when Roanoke Republicans gather tonight for their mass meeting, Anderson is the candidate they are expected to choose to oppose Democrat David Bowers in this spring's election.
Still to be decided is whether the mayor's race will be a three-person affair. Roanoke Vice Mayor Howard Musser, who had planned to decide Monday if he would make a mayoral bid as an independent, has postponed that decision until later this week.
Anderson, a former mayor who was the youngest person ever to hold the post, said Monday that his decision on running won't be affected by whether Musser runs as an independent. He said he is still reviewing his options because so many of his supporters have urged him to get into the race.
"I've got 40 to 45 calls urging me to run. I've got to think about it some more," Anderson said.
Gary Bowman, chairman of the city Republican Committee, said Musser's decision will have no affect on the GOP's plans. And he discounted speculation that the Republicans might hold off on nominating a mayoral candidate to see if Musser runs as an independent.
Bowman also said the GOP won't join forces with Musser and unhappy Democrats in a coalition to try to beat Bowers in the May 5 election.
Before Saturday's Democratic mass meeting, Musser said he had no intention of running as an independent if he lost, but he would not rule out that possibility. Bowers said he expects to have Musser's support and he will try to unify the party after Saturday's battle for the nomination.
In addition to nominating Anderson for mayor, the GOP also plans tonight to nominate a City Council ticket that will consist of Councilwoman Elizabeth Bowles and two newcomers, Beverly Lambert and Delvis "Mac" McCadden. There are three council seats open for the May 5 election.
Unlike the Democratic mass meeting that attracted nearly 1,700 voters Saturday, the GOP crowd is expected to be smaller because there is no competition for the nominations.
The Republican mass meeting will be in the City Council Chamber, which seats 150. Party officials said the low turnout may help their candidates in the long run, in that there will be no infighting.
"We will have a show of party unity, and I think it is going to pay off in the May election," said William Fralin, vice chairman of the city Republican Committee.
The Republican council candidates will face a Democratic ticket of Councilman Beverly Fitzpatrick Jr., Renee Anderson and James Trout.
Wick Anderson was 29 when he was elected to council in 1958 and 31 when his fellow council members chose him as mayor in 1960 - back before the mayor was directly elected by voters. He served as mayor until 1962.
Anderson, now 63, went on to serve in the House of Delegates, representing Roanoke from 1963 to 1971. A former Democrat, he switched to the Republican Party in 1984.
Anderson, the general counsel for Shenandoah Life Insurance Co., has run for U.S. Congress twice. He lost to Caldwell Butler in 1972; 10 years later, when Butler retired, Anderson sought the Democratic nomination for the post but was defeated by Jim Olin.
REPUBLICAN MASS MEETING\ AT A GLANCE\ \ When: Tonight, 7:30. Registration begins at 7 p.m.\ \ Where: Roanoke City Council Chambers, 4th floor, Municipal Building.\ \ Who's running for council nomination: Elizabeth Bowles, Beverly Lambert,\ Delvis "Mac" McCadden.\ \ Who's running for mayor: Willis "Wick" Anderson has not formally declared his\ candidacy but is the likely nominee.\ \ Who can participate: Any registered voter who agrees with the Republican Party principles and promises to support GOP candidates in the next election.
***CORRECTION***
Published correction ran on February 26, 1992\ Because of an editor's error, a statement and a quote were incorrectly attributed to Willis Anderson in Tuesday's story about the mayoral race and Republican mass meeting.
Roanoke Vice Mayor Howard Musser had said he still was reviewing his options in considering an independent bid for mayor because so many of his supporters have urged him to get into the race.
"I've got 40 to 45 calls urging me to run. I've got to think about it some more," Musser said.
\
Keywords:
POLITICS
Memo: correction