Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, March 17, 1992 TAG: 9203170216
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium
The committee will "get more people to join the team, hear what people say, advise and raise money," Allen, who represents the 7th District, said Sunday.
The Friends of George Allen Committee will be headed by 3rd District Rep. Thomas Bliley, Allen said.
Allen said he called U.S. Sen. John Warner to tell him about the committee and offered to step aside should fellow Republican Warner decide to run for governor.
Allen "has assured us that he will be a candidate for governor unless Senator Warner should decide to seek the office," said Del. Vance Wilkins of Amherst, a co-chairman of the Allen committee.
Warner said in a statement Monday that Allen called him last Friday to discuss formation of the committee.
Allen, 39, represents "the emerging generation of strong Virginia Republican leaders. Congressman Allen is a strong contender to be the next governor of Virginia," Warner said.
Bliley said that he encouraged Allen to run because "we must nominate a candidate who will win . . . and George Allen is that candidate."
Allen, who served in the House of Delegates for nine years, was elected to Congress last year to fill the unexpired term of Rep. French Slaughter, who retired for health reasons.
He and Bliley subsequently were placed in the same district under the General Assembly's congressional redistricting plan. Allen said he would not challenge Bliley for the Republican nomination.
Wilkins said Allen will be "enthusiastically supported by a majority of Republican activists throughout Virginia. We must begin organizing and funding his campaign today. This is the beginning of the end for the Democrats' string of statewide election victories."
The Democrats have won all three statewide offices - governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general - in three straight elections.
Attorney General Mary Sue Terry is considered the front-runner for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination next year.
Keywords:
POLITICS
Memo: shorter version ran in the Metro edition.