Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, May 6, 1993 TAG: 9305060150
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BY WARREN FISKE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium
The prospect of a woman governor was all but unthinkable in Virginia as recently as a decade ago. But Terry's nomination will be anticlimactic for a party that in 1989 cracked the color barrier by nominating Douglas Wilder.
The state convention at the Richmond Centre shapes up as a two-day show of party unity as Democrats seek to sweep races for state government's three highest jobs for the fourth straight time.
Unlike Republicans, who will enter their convention next month with potentially divisive contests for governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general, the Democrats face no major decisions.
Terry has only token nomination competition from Nancy Spannaus, disciple of jailed political extremist Lyndon LaRouche. Lt. Gov. Don Beyer and William Dolan are unopposed for nomination as lieutenant governor and attorney general.
The only suspense is whether the proceedings will be upstaged by the feud between the state's two highest-ranking Democrats - Wilder and U.S. Sen. Charles Robb. Both are scheduled to speak Friday night.
The two have quarrelled bitterly since 1991, when Robb's staff leaked transcripts of a clandestinely taped telephone conversation between Wilder and a political supporter. Wilder recently called Robb "unfit" to hold office and is considering challenging Robb in next year's Senate election.
The appearance of the two adversaries and the prospect of more trouble between them should keep delegates abuzz. It's a reminder that 12 years of Democratic unity may end when the votes for governor are tallied in November.
"This is the calm before the storm," said Robert Holsworth, a political scientist at Virginia Commonwealth University. "The real divisions in the Democratic Party won't be healed by what happens in this campaign. They probably can't be resolved until the Robb-Wilder dispute is."
This year's will be the third straight quadrennial convention at which Democrats have not had meaningful competition for any of the top three statewide offices. The peaceful spring allowed Democrats to stake an early advantage in fund-raising and organization over Republicans.
Political scientists say dull conventions are a tribute to the Democrats' success. Their sweeps in statewide elections, starting in 1981 with Robb's victory as governor, has given the party a natural progression of strong candidates. For example, Gerald Baliles was elected attorney general in 1981 and governor in 1985. Wilder was elected lieutenant governor in 1985 and won the top job four years later.
Defeated Republicans, on the other hand, have had to search for new candidates in each election.
Democrats also have learned to stick with the formula Robb set out in 1981 - generally conservative fiscal management and moderation on social issues. Unlike Republicans, who have been warring over abortion and the influence of evangelicals, Democrats have avoided ideological fights.
Terry, 45, is a prototypical Virginia Democrat. A Patrick County lawyer, she spent eight years in the House of Delegates before being elected attorney general in 1985. She won the gratitude of party leaders in 1989 by seeking re-election instead of challenging Wilder for the gubernatorial nomination. She resigned as attorney general this winter to campaign for governor.
Republicans hope to make an issue of her cautious tenure as attorney general. She is faulted for not having foreseen a U.S. Supreme Court decision that may force the state to refund more than $400 million in taxes to federal retirees.
Even so, she is leading all Republican challengers in polls and has banked $1.5 million to start her campaign. Her gender, political scientists say, could be an advantage in a year when voters may be seeking nontraditional candidates.
Keywords:
POLITICS
by CNB