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

DATE: SUNDAY, January 16, 1994                   TAG: 9401160046
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B-1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Staff report
DATELINE: RICHMOND                                LENGTH: Short

CHALLENGE ROBB? MAYBE NOT

Fourth District Congressman Norman Sisisky was listening and grinning Saturday as well-wishing fellow Democrats kept whispering his name as a potential candidate for the U.S. Senate.

"I keep getting all these calls," he said. "I don't know what to do."

Since former Gov. Douglas Wilder announced, during his farewell address before the General Assembly on Wednesday, that he would not run, Sisisky, 66, of Petersburg, has become a focal point of attention for those seeking an alternative to incumbent Sen. Charles Robb in the June 14 Democratic primary.

"I would guess I'm not going to run, to be honest," said Sisisky. "But I'd like to keep it open."

Apparently even less enthusiastic at the prospect of an intra-party contest with Robb is State Democratic Chairman Mark Warner.

Two prominent Democrats who asked not to be identified Saturday said Warner has informed them he will not run.

They described him as more inclined to challenge another Warner, Republican Sen. John Warner, in 1996. Wilder has also been mentioned as a possibile candidate for the seat.

The two Democrats said Mark Warner plans to make an official announcement about the '94 race early this week.

Rumors about Warner's possible run peaked last week after Wilder dropped out. "I'll probably quash those rumors soon," Warner said Saturday. He declined further comment.

Keywords:
POLITICS

by CNB