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

DATE: SUNDAY, May 30, 1993                   TAG: 9305300091
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-7   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: DWAYNE YANCEY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

AGEE OFFERS GEOGRAPHIC BALANCE

One of the key points he's pressing home in his quest for the Republican nomination for attorney general is that whenever Republicans have had a statewide ticket with a candidate from Southwest Virginia, they've won - with Linwood Holton of Roanoke in 1969, John Dalton of Radford in 1973 and 1977.

Whenever Southwest Virginians have been absent, the party has lost - 1981, 1985, and 1989.

Surprisingly, that point has won over some converts even in his opponent's backyard. "I think geographical balance is important," says Henrico County state Sen. Walter Stosch, who last week endorsed Agee.

In fact, some Democrats waiting to see who the Republicans will nominate are openly fretting about Agee's potential base in Western Virginia - an area where Republicans have surrendered key margins to Democrats in past statewide elections.

"If they put Steve Agee on the ticket, the Democrats are not going to be able to take this part of the state for granted," says Tommy Jordan, a Botetourt County organizer for Democratic nominee Bill Dolan.

Jordan figures Democratic victories for governor and lieutenant governor are "foregone conclusions" but worries about the attorney general's contest, where Democratic nominee Dolan of Arlington remains a virtual unknown. "If Agee's on the ticket, he'd be a threat to there being a Democratic sweep," Jordan says.

By the way, the last time a Roanoke Valley candidate was nominated for a statewide office was 1971, when Ray Garland was offered up as the Republican alternative to U.S. Sen. Harry Byrd.

Keywords:
POLITICS