Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, May 8, 1993 TAG: 9305080170
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B1 EDITION: STATE
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium
Robb, who may be challenged for re-election next year by Democratic Gov. Douglas Wilder, spoke at the start of a convention that today will nominate former Attorney General Mary Sue Terry to be Virginia's first woman governor.
Robb told convention delegates not to return to infighting that kept the party from winning in the 1970s. He deflected reporters' questions about whether he was expressing concern about next year's Senate race.
"I don't want to shift the focus from 1993 to 1994," he said. "We can't let the perception of differences do anything to detract from the goal that we all share" of electing the Democratic ticket this year.
Robb received a standing ovation from convention delegates and warm greetings as he moved through the hall. He received a cooler reception last year, when he was the target of a federal grand jury probe into the taping of a phone call between Wilder and a supporter. The grand jury declined to indict Robb, but three of his staffers pleaded guilty to minor charges for releasing the tape.
Wilder was to speak to the convention later Friday night.
With nominations for all three statewide offices settled at caucuses in March, the 3,400 delegates will have little to disagree about during the two-day convention.
But there was behind-the-scenes speculation about the expected battle next year between Wilder and Robb. The only Senate candidate actively campaigning was Richmond lawyer Sylvia Clute. She shook hands with Robb in the lobby.
At the March caucuses, Terry easily outpolled Nancy Spannaus, a follower of imprisoned political extremist Lyndon LaRouche, while Lt. Gov. Donald Beyer was unopposed for renomination and Arlington lawyer William Dolan beat out Bedford County prosecutor Jim Updike for attorney general.
By contrast, Republicans have contests for all three offices that will not be decided until their June 4-5 convention in Richmond.
Terry is leading all three GOP candidates for governor in recent polls and has $1.5 million in the bank. Although she belongs to the Democratic establishment that has run state government for 12 years, her gender makes her seem like a candidate of change, political analysts said.
Terry, 45, stepped down in January after seven years as attorney general to run for governor. She served eight years in the House before running for attorney general.
Keywords:
POLITICS
by CNB