Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, April 22, 1993 TAG: 9304220427
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DWAYNE YANCEY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
There are some places where it still helps in politics to be an insider.
Salem, for one.
So when Howard Packett - who's been talking since September about running for the House of Delegates seat being given up by Del. Steven Agee, R-Salem - finally got around to formally declaring his candidacy Wednesday, he didn't settle for just having the big names from his hometown show up for him.
He even imported some.
In fact, the first two people who introduced Packett - House Majority Leader Richard Cranwell of Vinton and former Rep. Jim Olin of Roanoke - joked they can't even vote for Packett, who's seeking election in a district that includes much of Southwest Roanoke County, Salem and eastern Montgomery County.
It's traditional, of course, for newly declared candidates to surround themselves with party elders, for a kind of political blessing. The difference in Packett's case is he's going to make his political contacts a central part of his campaign for the House this fall.
Look for a good part of the campaign between Packett and Morgan Griffith - the 34-year-old Salem lawyer who'll be the Republican candidate for the seat that Agee is giving up to run for attorney general - to be fought over the E-word.
Experience.
After all, Packett and Griffith are, so far, expressing their concern over the same issues: Western Virginia's slow-growth economy. Western Virginia getting shafted on education funding. The kind of issues that legislative candidates throughout this part of the state usually talk about.
The difference, Packett stressed Wednesday, is "I understand a helluva lot more about them."
Why?
Packett touted his three decades of civic involvement. "I have worked for more than 25 years with various economic development groups," he said. Cranwell exclaimed, "He's been on every single solitary board."
Packett talked up his nine years on Salem City Council. "I know the critical needs facing our cities, towns and counties," he said.
Packett emphasized his experience as a businessman, and didn't hesitate to point out that Griffith is . . . a lawyer.
Finally, Packett pointed out that he's a Democrat, who'll have a ready ally in Cranwell and Dels. Victor Thomas and Clifton Woodrum, D-Roanoke. As a result, Packett said, "I think the difference [between himself and Griffith] is, I'll go down to Richmond and jump right in. It'll take Morgan a couple years to understand what's going on."
The district Packett is running in has not been kind to Democrats. Indeed, it's been the sole Republican enclave in the House of Delegates in the Roanoke Valley since single-member districts were created in 1982 - and the latest redistricting that extended it through parts of Christiansburg and eastern Montgomery County all the way to the New River only made it more Republican, at least on paper.
Cranwell, though, believes the district's voting history may be overrated, that personality tends to count more than party in House elections.
Other Democrats who joined Packett on Wednesday were equally upbeat. For one thing, they said, his business background should help win over otherwise conservative voters. For another, they said, as a city councilman he's better-known in Salem than is Griffith. "That counts for a lot in a small-town election," said Salem Democratic activist Miles Hoge.
Griffith, not surprisingly, had a different take on things. He noted that Democrats who challenged Agee, and before him Del. Ray Robrecht, always have argued that they'd be more influential in Richmond than a Republican. Voters didn't buy it, he said.
Furthermore, Griffith said, "that presumes the politics of the past are going to be the politics of the future." Republicans almost seized control of the state Senate two years ago and have been making steady gains in the House over the past decade. The Democratic advantage won't last forever, he predicted.
Besides, Griffith said, he's prepared to swing away at Packett's strongest pitch - experience. "I understand Howard has been involved in economic development for 25 years. I'd submit if he has been so involved, then he lacked vision 25 years ago" or the valley wouldn't be suffering from slow economic growth.
He says he'll try to focus the election on the future, not the past.
\ HOWARD PACKETT\ HOUSE CANDIDATE\ \ Age: 60.\ Occupation: President, the Packett Group, a Roanoke advertising and public\ relations agency.\ \ Personal: Native of Westmoreland County, lived in Salem since 1959.\ \ Education: Washington and Lee University.\ \ Military: Marines.\ Family: Wife, Jane. Two sons.\ \ Political: Salem city councilman for past nine years; chairman, Fifth District Planning Commission.\ \ Civic: Served on boards of United Way of Roanoke Valley, Arts Council of the Blue Ridge, Science Museum of Western Virginia, Council of Community Services and others.
Keywords:
POLITICS PROFILE
by CNB