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

DATE: MONDAY, February 21, 1994                   TAG: 9402240466
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A6   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

SPECIAL ELECTION

THE RICHMOND regional-government bill arose as an issue during a recent special-election campaign for a state Senate seat from Chesterfield County. The election's over - but the voters' message remains unclear.

The bill's sponsor, Del. John Watkins, is a Republican from the Richmond suburbs. So was the GOP candidate, Del. Stephen Martin, in the Senate race.

The Democratic candidate, former Del. Alex McMurtrie, loudly denounced the bill, and noted the Watkins-Martin party tie.

The good news, for proponents of regional government, is that McMurtrie's criticism apparently fell on deaf ears. It's a Republican district, sure, but losing by a 3-1 margin is still a trouncing.

The bad news? Martin, the winner, likewise opposed the bill, and spoke against it on the House floor.

On the regionalism issue, then, there was sound and fury aplenty during the campaigning - but the election itself may have signified nothing.

Keywords:
GENERAL ASSEMBLY 1994

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