Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, June 23, 1994 TAG: 9407210015
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium
The legislators released an April 20 letter to Coleman signed by all but two of the General Assembly's 65 Republicans.
``Please assure us that your independent candidacy is nothing more than another rumor,'' the letter read.
Coleman announced his independent bid for Democrat Sen. Charles Robb's seat last week. He never responded to the letter, said House Minority Leader Vance Wilkins of Amherst.
Coleman does not expect public support from ``people who have a stake in party politics,'' said his campaign manager, Anson Franklin.
``We've heard from countless people who have roles in the party or who have been officeholders, who say they're for him even though they can't say so publicly,'' Franklin said.
In a statement read at a news conference, Wilkins said, ``We are bitterly disappointed, Marshall, that you seem to have no party loyalty and put your personal ambitions ahead of your former party.''
Noting that Republican Senate nominee Oliver North spoke at a fund-raiser for Coleman in 1988, Wilkins said, ``It looks like instead of giving something back to Ollie, he's giving Ollie something in the back.''
Coleman served as attorney general from 1978-82 and made unsuccessful bids for governor in 1981 and 1989.
Senate Minority Leader Joseph Benedetti, R-Richmond, said he does not believe Coleman can win the Senate race, but he could siphon Republican votes away from North.
``It's not possible for us to win an election, unless we get every Republican vote we can possibly get,'' Benedetti said.
Benedetti and Wilkins criticized Republican U.S. Sen. John Warner for backing Coleman, but said the senator still has a chance to redeem himself if he keeps quiet the rest of the campaign.
Fairfax Del. James Dillard, who joined Richmond Del. Anne Rhodes in not signing the letter, said anyone should have the right to run as an independent.
Dillard said in a telephone interview that he does not support Coleman. Asked whether he backs North, Dillard said, ``I'm going to be working real hard in the Tom Davis campaign'' in the 11th Congressional District.
While Republican party officials and legislators have been railing against Coleman, Democrats have said little about the independent candidacy of former Democratic Gov. Douglas Wilder.
State Democratic Chairman Mark Warner said only that he was disappointed by Wilder's decision to oppose Robb, the former governor's longtime rival.
``The Democratic Party is not in an ideological war,'' said party spokeswoman Gail Nardi. ``We don't expect to act like Republicans.''
Robb plans to deliver a unity speech Saturday to the Democratic state central committee. The incumbent has been calling party activists to urge unity since his landslide victory in the June 14 primary, campaign officials said.
North has been doing the same, said spokesman Dan McLagan, but will return to the campaign trail this weekend.
Keywords:
POLITICS
by CNB