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

DATE: THURSDAY, February 3, 1994                   TAG: 9402050011
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A8   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

THERE ARE OTHERS IN THIS RACE

There's hope, anyway, judging from results of the latest Mason-Dixon Political/Media Research poll, a statewide survey conducted last week and released this. North, while still preferred by a plurality over James Miller, is no longer supported by an absolute majority of Republicans for their party's U.S. Senate nomination.

Moreover, the poll shows North faring badly against Democratic incumbent Charles Robb, despite Robb's own problems; doing marginally worse against Robb than Miller would do; and running no better than even against Sylvia Clute, Robb's little-known challenger for the Democratic nomination.

The most interesting result of all, though, may be this: On poll questions involving either Miller or Clute, the number of undecided respondents approached 40 percent of the total. Virginians, it seems, want to know more about these two.

Well they might. A curious inversion has taken place in this year's Senate race: The more a candidate would seem to be in trouble by virtue of questions about personal integrity, the more money the campaign is able to raise.

Thus, North - who can thank a sloppy prosecution and a friendly appellate court for the fact he hasn't done time behind bars - in 1993 raised more than $1.5 million for his campaign (and another $800,000 in January 1994). Robb - who at best has been remarkably ignorant of the wrongdoing of subordinates and friends - raised $1.3 million for the year.

Contrast that with Miller, a principled conservative who raised only $177,000. Or Clute, a principled liberal who raised only $55,000.

It isn't as if the two are weirdo candidates in the race simply for the egomaniacal thrill of hearing his name announced at the June 4 convention (Miller) or seeing her name on the ballot in the June 14 primary (Clute). Miller, a Northern Virginia economist, was budget director under Ronald Reagan. Clute, a Richmond lawyer, has been an effective lobbyist for women's and children's issues at the state assembly.

For Miller, the task is to overcome the political IOUs that North has piled up, via personal appearances and campaign contributions, among the party activists who will probably control the mass meetings and state convention that will nominate the Republican candidate. For Clute, the task is to adjust to the fact that former Gov. Douglas Wilder isn't in the contest to butt heads with Robb.

There may be others. Democratic Congressmen Norman Sisisky and Robert Scott have been mentioned; the filing deadline for the primary is still nearly a month and a half away. But results of the latest statewide poll should serve as a reminder that the guys with the moneybags - but other baggage, too - aren't the only ones in the race.

Keywords:
POLITICS