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

DATE: FRIDAY, March 11, 1994                   TAG: 9403110140
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B-3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: MARGARET EDDS STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RICHMOND                                LENGTH: Short

FARRIS FORMS GRASS-ROOTS ORGANIZATION

Michael Farris, who won the hearts of conservative Christians while losing last year's race for lieutenant governor, is forming a grass-roots organization to raise money and endorse candidates for office in Virginia.

In a letter mailed this week to his 17,000 campaign donors, Farris said he hopes the Madison Project will serve as "a strategic catalyst for the essential reform of politics in Virginia and, eventually, America."

The political action committee will differ from such predecessors as the Moral Majority and the Christian Coalition in endorsing and raising money for specific candidates. Both of the earlier groups were organized under tax laws that preclude candidate endorsement.

"We're going to do something different," said Farris, who argued that his group will not be in competition with the Christian Coalition. While the coalition concentrates on lobbying, his primary mission will be getting financial support and organizational help to conservative candidates early in their campaigns, he said.

Keywords:
POLITICS

by CNB