Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, May 16, 1993 TAG: 9305160064
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Fielder's victory stunned many party leaders who backed Anderson for the nomination.
At a mass meeting that attracted nearly 700 voters, Fielder beat Anderson 345-322.
Saturday's result was a reversal of the contest four years ago, when Anderson beat Fielder.
Jerome Howard, a Republican who has been commissioner of revenue for 28 years, is retiring this year. There are no announced Republican candidates, but the filing deadline is still a month away.
Fielder, who works in the Roanoke County commissioner of revenue office, said she has been thinking about running again since she lost the nomination in 1989.
Fielder and her supporters attributed her victory to hard work and confidence that they could get a large crowd to the meeting.
"Since January, I have been working day and night on this," Fielder said, as she hugged supporters and celebrated after the vote was announced.
"This has been a grass-roots campaign from the start and we did it," she said.
Questions by Anderson's campaign about how long Fielder has lived in the city apparently did not affect her support. Anderson said Fielder has lived in Roanoke for only six months, but she denied that, saying she has lived in the city for more than a dozen years.
"Hard work, that was the difference," said Tim Shock, Fielder's campaign manager.
It was clear, however, she would not have won without the backing of organized labor.
Fielder, 32, had the endorsement of the Roanoke Central United Labor Council, and labor leaders helped get her supporters to the meeting. Saturday, many union members wore Fielder stickers.
"I'm tickled to death," said C. W. Toney, president of the Southwestern Virginia Building Trades Council.
"I think labor had a key role," said James Sherwood, secretary and treasurer of Teamsters Local Union 171.
Saturday's contest was a showdown between establishment Democrats and labor - similar to a mass meeting last year at which Mayor David Bowers beat Councilman Howard Musser for the nomination for mayor.
Like Musser, Anderson had the backing of most party leaders, including Vice Mayor Beverly Fitzpatrick Jr., who nominated him. Anderson's supporters included many elderly people and longtime party activists.
But Fielder - like Bowers - had the support of labor unions and black leaders, including the Rev. Charles Green, president of the Roanoke chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.
And as in the battle for mayor, the labor-backed candidate won.
"It was a test of labor's strength, and labor won," said one party leader who did not want to be identified.
"That's why there is such a crowd here today. It's a power play to see who is in control."
Saturday's crowd fell short of predictions of up to 1,000 people, but 700 still was unprecedented for a commissioner race.
Toney, head of the building trades council, said labor supported Fielder because it felt she would do a better job of making sure that all businesses and contractors have business licenses.
The trade unions are concerned about out-of-town contractors working in the city without licenses, Toney said.
"That hurts all of the taxpayers because the city loses money when contractors don't have business licenses," he said.
Wayne Compton, Roanoke County commissioner of revenue, has a good record of tracking down contractors operating without licenses, Toney said.
Fielder is Compton's daughter. She has worked in the county commissioner's office for 13 years.
Anderson has worked for the city for 24 years, including 16 years as deputy city treasurer. He has not worked in the commissioner of revenue's office, but some voters apparently considered him to be part of the status quo.
"We need some changes. Some people get too set in their ways and forget the voters," said Berkley Newbill, as he explained why he voted for Fielder.
The Democrats on Saturday also nominated several other officials who were unopposed for the party's endorsement: Del. Clifton Woodrum, 16th House district; Del. Vic Thomas, 17th House district; Sheriff Alvin Hudson; Treasurer Gordon Peters; and Commonwealth's Attorney Don Caldwell.
Keywords:
POLITICS
by CNB