Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, November 5, 1993 TAG: 9311050229
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Allen's victory has generated new enthusiasm among Roanoke Republicans and made it easier for Magee to recruit strong candidates for City Council.
Magee, chairman of the Roanoke Republican Committee, said Thursday he expects the GOP Who are our choices? B2 to have a full slate of candidates for the council election in May.
"The party has been energized. I've already had one potential candidate call me since the election and say he was reconsidering," Magee said.
But the Rev. Carl Tinsley, Magee's counterpart in the Democratic Party, doubts that Allen's win will have much impact on the council election.
"In local elections, most people tend to vote for the person and someone that they know rather than voting for the party," Tinsley said.
He does not believe Mary Sue Terry's crushing defeat will have any fallout on council politics.
The Democrats will have no problems finding candidates. The problem is who will win the party nomination, Tinsley said.
Neither party seems interested in a citizens' effort to field an independent, nonpartisan slate for council.
"I hope they don't put up a slate. Then we would have a three-way race like Clinton, Bush and Perot last year," said Magee.
"We are encouraging them to join with us and not have a slate of their own."
The Republicans' spirits were boosted even as they lost the only constitutional office they now hold in the city: commissioner of revenue. Jerome Howard, the GOP incumbent, is retiring after 28 years, and the party did not field a candidate for his post or for any of the other four constitutional offices.
The Republicans hold only two of the city's 12 elected posts: council members Elizabeth Bowles and Delvis "Mac" McCadden.
GOP officials have been talking with several potential candidates for the council seats. Magee would not identify them, but said they include one woman. One potential GOP candidate is Beverly Lambert, who made a strong bid for council last year.
In the aftermath of Allen's victory, McCadden predicts the GOP will step up its efforts to recruit strong candidates.
"Now Elizabeth [Bowles] and I are the only Republicans, and we need to change that," McCadden said. "It is incumbent on us to seek candidates."
Next May's election could be pivotal for the city. All four council seats on the ballot are held by Democrats: John Edwards, James Harvey, Howard Musser and William White.
So far, White is the only incumbent to say he will seek re-election. Harvey and Musser have health problems that could cause them not to seek new terms.
And Edwards, appointed to fill the vacancy caused by Beverly Fitzpatrick's resignation, said he has not decided whether he will run.
Democrats and Republicans alike believe Edwards would be a strong candidate. That's the reason McCadden and Bowles wanted him to make a commitment not to run for the final two years of Fitzpatrick's term.
McCadden said Edwards would have an unfair advantage because he would benefit from the publicity as a council member.
On the other hand, Edwards said he was asked by others to make a commitment to run, but he refused to do so. Edwards said he wants to keep his options open.
Tinsley, who knows Edwards through his work in the Democratic Party, said he expects him to run and win in May.
Tinsley said he hopes the Democrats will nominate at least one woman. Only two women have ever served on council: Bowles and Mary Pickett, who was on council in the 1950s.
Keywords:
POLITICS
by CNB