Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, March 6, 1994 TAG: 9403060157
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: D-6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DWAYNE YANCEY
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Those are the two views of last Tuesday's Democratic primary for Roanoke city council candidates.
Some of the Republican candidates in the May 3 general election were quick to brand the Democratic primary in unfavorable terms.
Both John Voit, who will face Democrat Linda Wyatt in a head-to-head contest for council's two-year term, and Barbara Duerk, one of two GOP candidates for the four-year seats, called the primary a waste of money.
Duerk said the $17,000 it cost taxpayers to stage the primary ($4.12 per vote) could have been better spent on sidewalks and curb repair.
Voit used even stronger language, zinging the Democratic candidates for refusing to debate each other before the primary. "They hid and ducked and ran undercover and did everything to persuade as few people as possible they were even having a primary," Voit charged. "In my 19 years of political involvement, I've never seen such an arrogant display of unmitigated gall."
Democrats, naturally, had a much different view of things.
By election standards, the turnout of 4,122 voters was low - about 10 percent of the city's registered voters.
But city Democratic Party Chairman Al Wilson pointed out that's more than twice as many people as turned out at the party's best-attended mass meeting, two years ago.
And it's far more than the 54 Republicans who showed up at the GOP mass meeting in mid-February to nominate their party's candidates.
Turn against party typical for Harvey?
Councilman Jimmy Harvey's blast after he lost to Linda Wyatt in the primary came as no surprise to many Democrats. After all, Harvey sat on the sidelines during the 1992 mayor's race after his friend and ally Howard Musser lost the party nomination to David Bowers.
After his defeat this week, Harvey said Wyatt was surrounded by "radicals" and Republicans could beat her easily in the election.
Harvey went against the party again last fall, when Musser mounted an unsuccessful independent bid for commissioner of revenue.
Candidates battle for newcomer label
Who'll capture the change issue in the May elections?
That could determine the outcome.
Before the primary, city Republican Party Chairman William Fralin had declared that the three Republican candidates - John Voit, Barbara Duerk and John Parrott - would be championing "change," portraying themselves as the outsiders running against a Democratic-controlled council responsible for the controversial 2-for-1 pension plan and the attempted Roanoke Gas takeover.
But the Democratic primary wound up producing what Democrats now can promote as their own ticket of newcomers.
Two of the four candidates - Linda Wyatt and Nelson Harris - are making their first bid for elected office. A third, John Edwards, also is a newcomer of sorts, having been appointed to council last December after Beverly Fitzpatrick Jr. resigned. Only one of the four Democratic candidates, William White, is an elected incumbent.
The result: With Jimmy Harvey's defeat and Howard Musser's retirement, council will be assured of getting at least two new members no matter who wins in May.
Keywords:
POLITICS
by CNB