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

DATE: SUNDAY, October 24, 1993                   TAG: 9310240202
SECTION: HORIZON                    PAGE: F-1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

VOTER GUIDE - 8TH DISTRICT

\ Morgan Griffith\

Party: Republican\ Occupation: Lawyer\ Age: 35\ Residence: Salem\ Political background: First try for elected office\ \ Howard Packett\ Party: Democrat\ Occupation: Ad agency president\ Age: 61\ Residence: Salem\ Political background: Salem City Council member since 1984.

The two main issues in this race have been jobs and guns. But mostly, the Morgan Griffith-Howard Packett campaign has turned into a generational contest between two men who are both well-known in their mu- tual hometown of Salem.

Packett stresses his three decades as a community leader: He runs the largest ad agency in the state west of Richmond, he is a third-term Salem City councilman, he is chairman of the Fifth Planning District. He bills himself as a "seasoned veteran" who could make a bigger impact in Richmond as a freshman than an "untested rookie" like Griffith.

But Griffith counters that Packett has been a go-along-to-get-along councilman who's not aggressive enough to make a difference in a General Assembly where Western members are badly outnumbered. By contrast, the gung-ho Griffith says he'll be more outspoken than the laid-back Packett. Moreover, Griffith accuses Packett of being part of a "failed generation of leadership" that didn't create enough high-wage jobs in the region.

Both cite economic development as their main concern: Packett says the region should promote tourism, try to attract more fiber-optic firms and even convert part of the Radford Army Ammunition Plant into a fireworks factory. Packett calls this evidence of his "creative" thinking; Griffith calls it ridiculous. Griffith says the Roanoke Valley should rebuild its status as a transportation center: He says he will push to route the proposed Interstate 73 through Montgomery County rather than farther west. And he says the state should help build a "dry-land port" here where small trucking firms could share wharf space. If more companies set up distribution centers here, he says, they may eventually move their headquarters to the region, as well.

On guns, Packett supports a five-day waiting period; Griffith is opposed.