Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, March 11, 1993 TAG: 9303110326
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: GREG EDWARDS STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Medium
MUNFORD MAY CALL IT QUITS
Del. Joan Munford may announce Saturday that she will not seek re-election to a seventh term in the Virginia House of Delegates.Munford, a Blacksburg Democrat, is scheduled to reveal her re-election intentions to a mass meeting of Montgomery County Democrats at Christiansburg High School at noon Saturday.
For weeks, rumors have been circulating that Munford will make the current session of the state legislature her last.
When contacted this week about her plans for re-election, both Munford and campaign aide Paul Mitchem declined to reveal her plans.
There are strong indications Munford will retire and wants to break the news to local Democrats before she tells the public. Announcing her political plans Saturday would be the "fairest" way to do it, Mitchem said.
Del. Ford Quillen, D-Gate City, another veteran delegate, has already announced his retirement from the General Assembly. If Munford retires, too, Southwest Virginia will no longer have a committee chairman in the House of Delegates.
First elected to the House in 1981, Munford is chairman of the Labor and Commerce Committee and a member of the committees on Education and Corporations, Insurance and Banking.
Munford is vice president of HCMF Corp., an operator of nursing homes. Since her election to the General Assembly, she has been an advocate for the elderly and education. She is a supporter of the Equal Rights Amendment and has scored high with women's groups.
A bill that guarantees every Virginia citizen health insurance and another establishing the state's family-life curriculum in schools were sponsored by Munford.
Her 12th District encompasses eastern Giles County and northern Montgomery County.
So far no Republican has come forward to contest the 12th District seat this fall. That may change if Munford retires Saturday.
Montgomery Republican Chairman George Alder said this week that Munford would be hard to beat since the 1991 redistricting took Republican-leaning Montgomery precincts out of her district and put Democratic-leaning Giles precincts in.
If Munford retires, two of the four New River Valley delegate races this year will be without incumbent candidates.
In the 8th District, veteran Republican Del. Steve Agee of Salem is stepping down to seek his party's nomination to run for attorney general. The 8th District encompasses southern Montgomery County, Salem and parts of Roanoke County.
So far, one Republican, Salem lawyer Morgan Griffith, and one Democrat, Salem City Councilman Howard Packett, have formally declared as candidates for their parties' nominations for Agee's seat.
Griffith announced early - in December - because he had heard other Republicans might be interested in the nomination. Floyd County Republican Chairman Chris Nolen is his campaign manager.
Although former Roanoke County Supervisor Lee Garrett and Salem Democratic Chairman Ross Hart had once expressed an interest, Packett is the only Democrat seeking the nomination. Packett has been on the Salem Council for nine years and is president of a Roanoke advertising and public relations agency.
Del. Tommy Baker, R-Radford, who was first elected in 1990, has not announced re-election plans, but is expected to run again.
No Democrats have come forward to challenge Baker. However, John Steenken, chairman of the Giles County Democratic Party, said a search is under way to find a candidate.
The 7th District comprises Pulaski County, western Giles County and Radford.
Attempts to reach Del. Willard Finney, D-Rocky Mount, were unsuccessful.
Keywords:
POLITICS