Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, January 13, 1994 TAG: 9401130252
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: ROB EURE and WARREN FISKE STAFF WRITERS
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Long
After Gov. Douglas Wilder dropped out of the race Wednesday night, they were popping up all over.
Wilder's surprise retirement from politics - at least temporarily - leaves Robb's path to renomination "tenfold easier," said state Democratic Vice Chairman Ken Geroe of Virginia Beach.
Robb said in a statement: "Governor Wilder made a very personal decision, one which I believe will promote Democratic Party unity and a renewed sense of purpose for Virginia Democrats. This announcement does not change my plans for the kind of campaign I will run, but I do think it will allow for more attention on issues rather than personalities."
He and Wilder, Robb said, "share many of the same goals, such as fiscal responsibility, making our schools and streets safer, creating new markets and jobs for our state, and equal opportunities for all Virginians."
While acknowledging that Wilder "would have been a formidable opponent," Robb said "there's also a certain disappointment when you get ready for what you think is going to be a spirited contest and suddenly realize that game is not on the horizon."
Robb had met with Charlottesville Democrats on Wednesday night at the offices of 7th District Chairman George Gilliam to plot strategies for running against Wilder. He left about the time Wilder began speaking and learned of his opponent's withdrawal when an aide called on the car phone.
Later, back in Washington, Robb denied rumors that he had asked President Clinton to lure Wilder out of the race by offering him an administration post or ambassadorship.
Democrats, who dreaded choosing sides in a bloodbath between their two top elected politicians, were suddenly discussing party unity.
"I imagine that Democrats will unite behind Chuck Robb in the next few hours," Lt. Gov. Don Beyer said. "It will enable us to start rebuilding the Democratic Party now instead of six months later."
The two potential Democrats left to challenge Robb in the primary, lawyers Dan Alcorn of McLean and Sylvia Clute of Richmond, "are going to have a hard time raising the consciousness level that Doug could" to deny Robb the nomination, Geroe said.
"This is a terrific break for me! I'm No. 2!" Clute said.
Clute also called Wilder's withdrawal "a big break for the party."
"Virginia won't have the dirtiest Senate race in the country," Clute said.
Clute drove to downtown Richmond from her law office to seek a meeting with Wilder on Wednesday night but couldn't get into the Executive Mansion, where Wilder was entertaining supporters in a farewell party.
Alcorn said Wilder's exit from the race is "better for the party."
"Many Democrats were very discouraged by the years of bitterness" between Wilder and Robb, he said. "This avoids a fight. I will be happy to have his support."
While aides to Republican front-runner Oliver North said Robb is likely to be their opposition in the fall, other Democrats suggested Wilder's withdrawal might bring out more contestants. Most often mentioned were Beyer and state Democratic Chairman Mark Warner.
"If nominated, I will not run. If elected, I will not serve," Beyer said. Warner, who has told allies he was unlikely to run as long as Wilder was in the race, was unavailable for comment.
"I wouldn't be surprised to see one or two more people in the race," said Paul Goldman, Wilder's long-time adviser and former state party chairman. "A lot of Democrats feel [Robb has] lied to them about what he knew and when he knew it" concerning the illegal tape of a Wilder phone call that Robb's office held and leaked to a newspaper in 1991.
Goldman said that when Wilder surveyed the contest he tapped "a broad constituency" of Democrats who blame Robb for a Senate office "where aides were trying to discredit and ruin the reputation of others, including members of our own party."
Robert Holsworth, a Virginia Commonwealth University political scientist, agreed. "In the short term, it seems to improve Robb's position," he said. "In the long term, my guess is that Wilder's departure will attract another Democratic candidate of prestige."
After Wilder spent much of the past year issuing broad hints that he intended to challenge Robb and force the party leadership to decide the nomination in a primary, Holsworth said he expected Wilder in the race.
"As much as he disliked Chuck Robb and did not want to see him in the Senate, I'm not sure Wilder wanted the fight it would entail to remove Robb. Maybe he's fatigued," Holsworth said.
"He blinked," said University of Virginia political scientist Larry Sabato. "It's got to change people's view of Wilder. He can talk about how tough he'd be in the Senate race and all that bravado, but he blinked.
"The person who must be feeling the worst is Oliver North. He depended on Wilder doing his dirty work for him and running against a very damaged candidate in the general election."
North's deputy campaign manager, Mark Merritt, said the campaign considered Wilder "the only serious moderate left to contend for the nomination.
"For the first time, this race has clearly become one between Oliver North and Chuck Robb - a race between a Washington insider professional politician and a Washington outsider like Ollie North."
Keywords:
POLITICS
by CNB