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

DATE: TUESDAY, December 7, 1993                   TAG: 9312070279
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-8   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: By BRIAN KELLEY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG                                LENGTH: Medium

WINNER SHULER'S SPENDING FAR HIGHER THAN RUSH'S IN RACE

Blacksburg veterinarian Jim Shuler outspent his 12th House District opponent Nick Rush 4-to-1 on the way to victory last month, campaign finance reports show.

Democrat Shuler, who won with 57 percent of the vote, raised $49,620 and spent $50,341. The campaign narrowly broke even because of a loan from the candidate.

Shuler, who turns 50 later this month, raised and spent more money than Del. Joan Munford, D-Blacksburg, or any of her GOP opponents did in the previous four 12th District contests. Munford, 60, is retiring after winning seven elections and serving a dozen years in the House of Delegates.

The district includes Blacksburg, northern and western Montgomery County, most of Christiansburg and eastern Giles County.

Republican Rush, a member of the Montgomery County Board of Supervisors, raised $13,661 and spent $12,792.

Rush, 25, a delivery driver, made the most of his spending disadvantage by having no paid staff or consultants. Instead, he relied on family and friends during his aggressive, long-shot campaign.

Shuler, meanwhile, spent thousands of dollars on staff, political consultants and mailing services, including a Texas-based firm that sent out a negative attack ad against his wishes just a week before Election Day.

The Oct. 21 to Nov. 25 campaign finance report, filed Thursday, shows that Shuler continued to lead in contributions from political action committees right up to the election.

PACs representing Appalachian Power, a major Northern Virginia law firm, beer wholesalers, insurance agents, physicians, opthamologists, optometrists and teachers, among others, pumped money into Shuler's war chest in the final weeks.

Earlier reports showed Shuler's fellow veterinarians - including four PACs or professional associations - contributed $4,400 in 10 donations of more than $100 each.

HCMF Corp., a major Blacksburg real estate management firm, did its part by contributing office space for Shuler's campaign at a cut-rate price of $125 a month. Munford, a licensed nursing home administrator, is a partner with HCMF.

Shuler garnered half his money from 69 individuals and groups that gave more than $100 each. The itemized contributors comprised a veritable who's who of local academic, business and political figures.

But 352 other people and organizations donated $19,582, or nearly 40 percent of his total. Their names were not itemized because the amounts were less than $100.

By way of comparison, Rush had 13 contributions of more than $100 each for a total of $5,958, and 98 of less than $100 for a total of $5,284.

In the two contested Montgomery Board of Supervisors races, both challengers spent significantly more than the incumbents in unsuccessful election bids.

In District D, which includes southwest Christiansburg and the rural Vicker, Riner and Pilot areas, three-term incumbent Republican Henry Jablonski spent $911, almost all of it his own money.

Democrat Jim Martin spent $2,050 and narrowly lost his second straight attempt to unseat Jablonski.

In District C, which covers the Elliston, Shawsville and Ironto areas, Republican Supervisor Joe Stewart spent only $372 in his equally narrow re-election over Democrat Jim Smith, who spent $2,325. Smith was Stewart's first opponent since 1981.

Keywords:
POLITICS