Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, May 23, 1994 TAG: 9405230011
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DWAYNE YANCEY and LAURA WILLIAMSON
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Former presidential candidate Paul Tsongas - a fellow not known for his wit - found Virginia's Senate race to be a rich source of humor when he was in Salem last week to talk to Lewis-Gale Hospital employees about health care reform.
The ex-Massachusetts senator jabbed the Old Dominion with one one-liner after another.
"When I look at your Senate race - my condolences," Tsongas said. "You have fascinating politics in this state. That's not a compliment, by the way."
Commenting on Virginia's choice of candidates, Tsongas observed, "from the long line of Thomas Jefferson and George Washington, is this the logical conclusion?"
More seriously, Tsongas, a Democrat, praised former Republican colleague John Warner for declaring Oliver North to be an unacceptable candidate. "The idea of someone running for political office who lied to the Senate is offensive to me, and I applaud John Warner for saying there should be standards," Tsongas said.
Tsongas also waded into another Virginia issue. As he talked about why the federal government shouldn't impose price controls on drugs, Tsongas warned that controls hurt such promising fields as biotechnology. "If there's no return, venture capital will go invest in absurd proposals with no social value - like the Disney park."
The Warner-Robb connection, continued
Just when Republican right-wingers were convinced that U.S. Sen. John Warner is too cozy with Democratic colleague Charles Robb, here comes more evidence.
Last week, a news release on Warner's letterhead whirred out of the fax machines in Virginia newsrooms. It announced that a Senate committee had just passed the "Warner-Robb" bill to create a commission to preserve the Civil War battlefields in the Shenandoah Valley.
If that weren't enough, Warner's release quoted Robb twice as much as it did himself.
That's nothing, though. A few weeks ago, when the Senate first took up action on the "Warner-Robb" bill, Warner sent out a news release that quoted Robb four times as much as it did Warner.
What's going on here?
Just Virginia's legislative delegation working together on a nonpartisan issue, says Warner spokeswoman Tracey Smith. "When we're working on something together, we'll take turns" sending out joint statements, she said.
When the Senate acted on a Warner-Robb amendment to the recent water bill, she pointed out, it fell to Robb's office to announce the joint action.
"It's not politics," she says.
Some Republican activists aren't sure, though. "John Warner started defending Chuck Robb a long time ago," gripes Abingdon activist Jim Ferreira. "We've been anesthetized to John Warner. He can't offend us anymore."
They're lining up for '95
The state Senate seat now held by Republican Brandon Bell of Roanoke County isn't the only legislative seat in these parts for which the speculation on who's going to run next year has already started.
For instance, Republicans already are actively recruiting a candidate to challenge Del. Clifton "Chip" Woodrum, D-Roanoke.
And Radford businessman Gary Weddle, who lost a bid for Congress in 1992, has expressed interest in challenging longtime state Sen. Madison Marye, D-Shawsville, in the district that meanders from Montgomery County to Smyth County.
Freshman state Sen. Malfourd "Bo" Trumbo, R-Fincastle, also could face a challenge. The big question in Trumbo's Bath County-to-Giles County district is whether National Business College President Frank Longaker of Troutville, who mounted a strong independent bid last time, will run again - and if so, as what? Democrats would love to win him over to their side.
Then, there's '97 . . .
Started thinking yet about whom to vote for in the '97 statewide elections?
State Sen. Edward Houck is. The Spotsylvania County Democrat is considering a run for lieutenant governor.
"It's something that's being talked about, and I'm being mentioned," he says.
By whom?
Democrats, of course. But Houck won't be more specific about which ones.
Besides, he said, he's got more pressing thoughts on his mind these days.
"Right now, I'm focusing on getting re-elected to the state Senate," he says.
That race begins next year - if it hasn't already.
Keywords:
POLITICS
by CNB