Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, January 24, 1994 TAG: 9401240035
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
If they can break even with the Democrats in this spring's election, they will have a majority on City Council.
The Democrats, who have controlled the council since the late 1970s, have a 5-2 majority.
All four seats on the ballot in the May 3 election are held by Democrats.
Mayor David Bowers is the only Democratic council member who doesn't have to stand for re-election this year.
GOP leaders are upbeat about their chances because they feel the political environment has changed with the recent election of Gov. George Allen and the party's gains in the General Assembly.
"I think our chances are good," said William Fralin, chairman of the city Republican Committee.
Some GOP candidates are to announce soon that they will seek the party's nomination, Fralin said, but he would not identify them.
The Republicans will choose their nominees at a mass meeting next month, the method traditionally used to select council candidates.
For the first time in 26 years, the Democrats are using a primary to choose their candidates.
Because of the GOP's mixed record in recent council campaigns and its failure to field a candidate for commissioner of revenue last fall, there had been doubt that the party would make a strong bid to gain a majority on the council.
But Fralin said that is the GOP's goal.
"We will have candidates, and I believe we can do it," he said.
Two years ago, when the mayor's post and three council seats were on the ballot, two Republicans - Elizabeth Bowles and Delvis "Mac" McCadden - won council seats.
Three Democratic council members are seeking re-election this spring - John Edwards, James Harvey and William White. Councilman Howard Musser is not seeking a new term.
Three other Democrats are running in the March 1 primary: Nelson Harris, James Trout and Linda Wyatt.
Meanwhile, a citizens' organization will decide soon whether to field a nonpartisan slate.
There has been speculation that the nonpartisan group might drop its plans if it became clear that both political parties were going to run slates.
But Action '94, the name of the group that is promoting a nonpartisan approach, still is likely to have candidates, according to its chairman, Dale Allen.
The citizens' group is drafting an issues platform that will be used in selecting candidates. It has been compiling a list of candidates and has created a candidates-selection committee to screen them.
Keywords:
POLITICS
by CNB