Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, September 17, 1993 TAG: 9309170192
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Staff report
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Short
The two gubernatorial candidates have begun a he-said-she-said round of television commercials, sniping at one other over gun control and government waste.
"Isn't it pitiful? Mary Sue Terry and the Democrats will say or do anything to stay in office," GOP nominee Allen tells viewers in his most recent commercial.
The ad employs a common technique: attacking the opposition while promising to stick to substantive issues. "I'm going to talk about my ideas and plans to give taxpayers their money's worth, stop welfare abuse and make violent criminals serve out their sentences," Allen promises.
The Allen ad began airing Wednesday night, responding to a new Terry commercial that links Allen to the National Rifle Association and accuses him of being "reckless on guns." Her ad also shows Terry in a gun sight and contends that "the gun lobby is going after Mary Sue Terry" because of her support for a five-day waiting period for handgun purchases.
The commercials are the first of the year to include personal attacks. The candidates had been content to devote their ads to biographical sketches and their stands on issues.
Allen's commercials this week are his first in almost a month.
Though the better-financed Terry has been advertising continuously since early August, polls suggest Allen has gained ground on and perhaps pulled even with her.
Keywords:
POLITICS
by CNB