Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, June 3, 1993 TAG: 9306030298
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: ROB EURE AND MARGARET EDDS STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium
This week, all three gubernatorial campaigns mailed appeals to the Farris contingent, which is estimated at 4,000 of the 14,000 delegates and, more importantly, mostly uncommitted in the gubernatorial race.
Farris, a Loudoun County lawyer and national home-schooling advocate, has drawn legions of Christian conservatives, many of them new to Republican politics, to his campaign. They are thought to represent as much as 80 percent of the uncommitted bloc that will be at the convention.
Earle Williams of McLean, scrambling to overtake gubernatorial front-runner George Allen, sent the Farris delegates a letter from Kevin Gentry, vice chairman of the Fairfax County GOP and a prominent young leader in the conservative movement. He endorsed Williams and urged other Farris delegates to join him. "Let's spread the word to all our conservative and pro-family friends," Gentry wrote.
The letter accuses Allen of changing his position on abortion, a key issue to many Farris supporters. Farris is strongly opposed to abortion rights.
Delegates also received a letter from three leading conservatives who back Allen. Anne Kincaid, Beth LaRock and Walt Barbee reiterated their support for the former congressman and mentioned their support for Farris as well.
The third gubernatorial prospect, Del. Clinton Miller of Woodstock, also sent a letter to the Farris delegates, touting his votes in the legislature for requiring parental consent or notification before a minor receives an abortion and his support of laws that allow home schooling in Virginia.
All three campaigns admit they would welcome support from the Farris delegates in Saturday's voting, but none has endorsed him. Farris is opposed for the nomination by former White House aide Bobbie Kilberg, who has sought to depict him as a book-banning extremist.
Farris strategist Mike Rothfeld said Farris has no intention of endorsing any of the three competitors for the top spot.
Also Wednesday, a hard-line, pro-gun lobbying group accused Allen of waffling on gun control and charged that "gun owners should be outraged" about Allen's alleged shifts.
In a letter to about 900 delegates, the leader of Gun Owners of America lambasted Allen's statement Tuesday that he is "open-minded" about a task force considering state policy on assault weapons.
"Does he think that your support at the convention can be taken for granted?" asked Larry Pratt, executive director of the Springfield-based group. "Does he think you have no place else to go?"
The letter railed at Allen for accepting an endorsement from former U.S. Attorney Richard Cullen of Richmond, who helped lead the fight for a one-a-month limit on handgun purchases during the 1993 General Assembly.
"This kind of political deal with an anti-gunner like Cullen" means that as governor Allen wouldn't work to repeal the gun limit, Pratt said.
Jay Timmons, a spokesman for Allen, denied that any deals prompted Cullen's endorsement of Allen. Nor, he said, has there been any shift in Allen's position. Despite his statement about open-mindedness - made during the news conference at which Cullen endorsed him - Allen later said his "strong inclination" would be to oppose additional limits on firearm sales.
The Gun Owners of America, which claims about 100,000 members nationwide, is considered even tougher than the National Rifle Association on gun-control matters. Its members have sometimes accused the NRA of being too soft on gun issues.
A spokesman for the larger NRA, which has endorsed Allen, said the group has no comment on Allen's statements this week.
Keywords:
POLITICS
by CNB