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

DATE: WEDNESDAY, March 31, 1993                   TAG: 9303310247
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Staff report
DATELINE: RICHMOND                                LENGTH: Short

WILDER MEETS WITH CAMPAIGN CONSULTANTS

Gov. Douglas Wilder apparently is serious enough about a possible challenge next year to U.S. Sen. Charles Robb that he took time last week to meet privately with two of Washington's most high-powered Democratic campaign gurus.

Mandy Grunwald, one of President Clinton's top three campaign advisers last year, and Mike Donilon, a pollster in Grunwald's new power-consulting firm, were in the state Capitol on Friday afternoon. Donilon was Wilder's pollster in the 1989 gubernatorial campaign.

Glenn Davidson, Wilder's press secretary, declined to comment on the consultants' visit to Richmond. He did say the two are not in Wilder's employ.

"We may just want to let you write and call it speculation," Davidson said.

Grunwald has been one of Washington's most sought-after media consultants since Clinton's win. She is on retainer to the Democratic National Committee, where she continues to advise the president on media relations.

Neither Donilon nor Grunwald could be reached for comment. They work together with veteran Washington consultant Carter Eskew.

Keywords:
POLITICS

by CNB