
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, March 31, 1992                   TAG: 9203310367
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: The Washington Post
DATELINE: RICHMOND                                LENGTH: Short

YOUNG WILDER TO SEEK OFFICE

The son of Virginia Gov. Douglas Wilder is expected to launch his own political career today when he announces his candidacy for the House of Delegates.

Douglas Wilder Jr., who is called Larry, has scheduled a news conference at the state Capitol, where sources said he will become a Democratic candidate for the seat left vacant by the death last week of Roland Ealey, D-Richmond.

Wilder, 30, is a partner in the law firm founded by his father, also a Democrat.

The governor has set May 5 for a special election, which would give candidates with less well-known names limited time to get organized.

Gov. Wilder said he moved quickly to set the date because Richmond - where 13 of the district's 19 precincts and about 70 percent of its voters are located - already had scheduled a municipal election for that date. The district's other precincts are in adjoining Henrico County.

"Voter participation is always higher and the costs . . . normally lower" when a special election is held in conjunction with a regularly scheduled election, the governor said.

At least three other Democrats have expressed interest in the seat. The district continues to have a majority of black voters in the redistricting plan adopted by the legislature last year.

The younger Wilder is a graduate of the University of Virginia and its law school.

He is the second of three children, and only son, of the governor and his ex-wife, Eunice.

Keywords:
POLITICS

by CNB