UPDIKE CAUTIONED NOT TO CHALLENGE RIVAL'S NOMINATION

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

DATE: MONDAY, March 22, 1993                   TAG: 9303220361
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: DWAYNE YANCEY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium
UPDIKE CAUTIONED NOT TO CHALLENGE RIVAL'S NOMINATION
Virginia Democratic leaders proclaimed Sunday that Arlington lawyer Bill Dolan has clinched their party's nomination for attorney general and tried to discourage Bedford County prosecutor Jim Updike from going through with his campaign's threat to challenge the lopsided results.
Dolan had taken such a commanding lead in the first round of Democratic mass meetings on Saturday that party officials compiling the delegate count in Richmond went home early, rather than wait for the late returns from Northern Virginia that were expected to put Dolan officially over the top.
When they completed the count Sunday, Dolan finished the first round with 1,919 delegates to Updike's 178, mostly from his home turf in the Roanoke-Lynchburg area. Another 175 delegates are uncommitted.
It takes 1,751 delegates to win the nomination at the May 7-8 convention in Richmond, which also will nominate former Attorney General Mary Sue Terry for governor and Don Beyer for re-election as lieutenant governor.
Updike - who was hampered by a late start, little money and less name recognition outside his home area - is, however, expected to close the margin somewhat when Virginia Democrats conclude their delegate selection process tonight. Most of the localities that choose delegates tonight are in rural areas, where Updike had hoped to have his best showing.
Although Dolan has more than enough delegates to win the nomination, Updike Campaign Manager Billy Sublett has insisted the race isn't over. He has maintained there have been irregularities in many localities that would allow Updike to challenge many of Dolan's delegates - on Sunday, he increased the number to 936 - and carry the contest to the convention.
That prompted state party Chairman Paul Goldman to issue a not-so-veiled warning Sunday that, given Dolan's overwhelming lead, a credentials fight would be divisive and hurt Updike's chances for making another statewide bid in the future.
"I would discourage any frivolous challenges, or any challenges that are not going to change the results," Goldman said. "I think Jim Updike has done a marvelous job and has made a lot of friends. He's an engaging guy and he's got a lot of potential. I think he can be a valuable player on the scene and can do a lot of good for the party this fall, but the ticket's going to be Terry, Beyer and Dolan."
In response, Sublett, Updike's campaign manager, again insisted that Updike has reasonable grounds for challenging many of Dolan's delegates, such as the charge that many local and district party chairmen were unfairly using their positions to help Dolan.
"I would urge Democratic officials to refrain from prejudging anything," Sublett said. "Rural and Western Virginia will be heard from Monday, and then the options will be laid out to Jim and he'll choose one."
This is Dolan's first bid for elected office, although he has gained statewide exposure as a former president of the Virginia State Bar Association and member of the state Board of Community Colleges.
Dolan said his easy victory over Updike shows that those who aspire to statewide office don't have to serve first in the legislature, provided they get an early start on their campaigns - something he did and Updike didn't.
"If you get out there early enough," Dolan said, "people will give you a look and then they'll give you a closer look. And if you have something to say, they'll support you."
\ DEMOCRATIC DELEGATE COUNTS\ After first round of mass meetings - 1,751 delegates needed to nominate\ \ GOVERNOR\ Mary Sue Terry 2,111\ Uncommitted 29*\ Nancy Spannaus 3#\ \ LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR\ Don Beyer 2,121\ Uncommitted 24*\ \ ATTORNEY GENERAL\ Bill Dolan 1,919\ Jim Updike 178\ Uncommitted 175
* - Most are from the coalfields, where many Democrats traditionally go uncommitted in every race to attract more attention to their part of the state.
# - A follower of jailed political extremist Lyndon LaRouche.
Source: Virginia Democratic Party.
Keywords:
POLITICS

by Archana Subramaniam by CNB