Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, March 2, 1992 TAG: 9203020068
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A-5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DWAYNE YANCEY
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
"We're already out here talking about ways to get involved in the congressional race," said Ed Crawford, president of the Roanoke Firefighters Association, which claimed 200 current or retired members - more than 10 percent - in the 1,700-voter crowd.
A big union turnout would be good news for John Edwards, who has the AFL-CIO endorsement. But John Fishwick has been working the rank-and-file hard and thinks he can pull labor support, too.
A REPUBLICAN SPY?
Spotted in the crowd at the Roanoke Democrats' meeting was an unusual observer: Tim Phillips, consultant for GOP congressional candidate Bob Goodlatte.
Phillips says he showed up simply as a political junkie to marvel at the crowd. "The biggest mass meeting I've ever seen was 800 people in Fairfax County," he said.
GOP MASS MEETINGS START MARCH 9
Republicans soon will start choosing convention delegates in both the congressional race and the presidential race.
Many communities haven't set the dates for the GOP mass meetings, but all four Roanoke Valley localities have:
Salem: March 9. Salem Courthouse. 7:30 p.m.
Botetourt County: March 12. Lord Botetourt High School. 7 p.m.
Roanoke County: March 12. North Cross School. 7 p.m.
Roanoke: March 17. City Council chambers. 7:30 p.m.
CHECKING THE SCHEDULE . . .
Political junkies will have a busy spring, what with the congressional races, the presidential races and the Roanoke mayoral and council races.
Here's how the schedule stacks up:
April 11 and 13: Democrats hold mass meetings through the 6th District - and Virginia - to select convention delegates in both the congressional and the presidential races. (Localities are still in the process of picking which date they'll hold their meetings.)
May 5: Roanoke's mayoral and council election.
May 9: 6th District Democrats convene in Lynchburg to nominate a congressional candidate.
May 16: 6th District Republicans convene in Natural Bridge to nominate a congressional candidate.
THE DEMOCRATS' RULES ROULETTE: CONTINUED
Lynchburg Democrats have opted for an "unassembled caucus," more commonly called a firehouse primary - in which voters can show up anytime during the day at a central polling place to cast their votes, much like a regular primary.
Word on the street in the Hill City - whose 37 delegates will be the third-biggest slate at the convention - was that the move was a setback for Steve Musselwhite, who could have counted on the organizational strength of such prominent Lynchburg Democrats as state Sen. Elliot Schewel and former gubernatorial aide Pat Lambeth in a conventional mass meeting.
Certainly, Fishwick forces considered the firehouse primary a procedural victory, because they think more blue-collar supporters will be inclined to show up if they don't have to take several hours of their day.
But Musselwhite's campaign believes the firehouse primary may also attract more independent voters - who they think are more inclined toward their candidate's more moderate message - for the same reason.
THE DEMOCRATS' RULES ROULETTE: CONTINUED AGAIN
Meanwhile, Botetourt County Democrats have followed the lead of Roanoke County and have voted to elect their 15 convention delegates by magisterial district rather than countywide.
Unlike in Roanoke County, where Edwards and Fishwick forces ganged up on Musselwhite to press the rules change, the Botetourt move was apparently a spontaneous uprising by uncommitted local activists upset with the Fishwick forces' heavy-handed tactics.
Fishwick appears strong in Botetourt, with the support of several key current and former constitutional officers. But electing delegates by magisterial districts may confine his strength and open the way for Edwards and/or Musselwhite to win delegates there.
THE LAST WORD
"Is this race as close as it appears?"
- David Natkin, Lexington Democratic chairman, overheard at a recent reception for the candidates.
Keywords:
POLITICS
by CNB