Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, November 7, 1993 TAG: 9311050097
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: F-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Lon Wagner
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
NAFTA had little support on the Democratic side of the House of Representatives _ only 40 or so of the 100 Democratic votes needed for the bill to pass.
And Payne, a Democrat from Nelson County, represents a House district with 45,000 workers, many of whom perform tasks that theoretically could be performed more cheaply by Mexican laborers.
But a closer look at Payne's position shows the 5th District congressman's stance on NAFTA may have been born of political shrewdness - and necessity.
Payne is up for re-election next year. Though some have talked as though Payne had locked himself into a "lifetime" seat, he carries more political baggage now than he did one year ago.
One of Payne's high-priority issues is reining in the federal budget deficit, but agreements to achieve that goal under both President Bush and President Clinton featured record tax increases. Payne supported both budget agreements, and it's not difficult to imagine a Republican challenger next year hammering at Payne: "My opponent supported the two largest tax increases in the history of America."
Payne also was one of the first House members to support Clinton, whose present unpopularity in the nation is exceeded by his longstanding unpopularity in Virginia's 5th District. During the 1992 election, the district went 47 percent for Bush, 41 percent for Clinton and 12 percent for independent candidate Ross Perot.
With his support of NAFTA, Payne rebuffs thousands of low-wage apparel\ workers who are his constituents, but he stands with the district's power\ base: executives of companies that are major exporters.
"It helps to nail down the business support," says University of Virginia\ political analyst Larry Sabato, "and a Democrat in a marginal district is\ always in danger of losing that support."
That business support includes the leaders of Dan River Fabrics, a Danville\ textile plant whose 4,300 workers make it the largest employer in the largest\ city in Payne's district. It also brings in General Electric's leaders in\ Charlottesville and the management of Danville's Nestle Refrigerated Food Co., where Contadina pastas are made.
For those adamantly opposed to the United States signing the trade pact with Canada and Mexico, Payne hit the road quickly to explain his decision to support it.
He drove to Danville to make his announcement; phoned members of the media on his return trip to Washington; and days later met with the editor of the Martinsville Bulletin, the only newspaper in the district that has taken an editorial-page stand on NAFTA.
And if there's any doubt about favor-swapping that comes with supporting the Clinton administration on a hot issue, consider this:
On the day of Payne's announcement, Secretary of Commerce Ron Brown called the Roanoke Times & World-News to explain the importance of the third-term congressman's support.
On the day after his announcement, Payne met with President Clinton and Vice President Al Gore to ask them to consider Martinsville as a site for a manufacturing technology center.
Two days later, the White House wrote a letter assuring Payne that Martinsville would be put on the list for that center.
NAFTA's staunchest opponent has been organized labor, which does not carry much clout in 5th District elections.
Even among union workers, Payne may see little backlash for his NAFTA position when it's time to count the votes a year from now.
Listen to Roy Keatts, a business manager with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers office that oversees Danville and Charlottesville:
"Mr. Payne is a great congressman - we like him a lot - but we don't agree with him on this."
So would the union oppose Payne next year because of his NAFTA vote?
"Not on this one thing," Keatts said.
by CNB