Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, June 26, 1994 TAG: 9406260121
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: CHARLOTTESVILLE LENGTH: Medium
Robb, battling not only Republican Oliver North but two well-known independents, predicted the race will show the importance of party ties.
"We're going to surprise a lot of people around the commonwealth and the nation," he told the Democratic state central committee. "We have an opportunity to Some Republican voters turning to Robb, poll finds demonstrate how important a political party is."
While Republicans have publicly attacked former GOP Attorney General Marshall Coleman's independent Senate bid, most Democrats said nothing critical Saturday about the other independent, former Democratic Gov. Douglas Wilder.
Robb told reporters that Democratic officials have urged Wilder to drop out, but he would not talk to the former governor himself.
"I didn't want to personalize it, so I'm just going to let nature take its course at this point," said Robb, who has often sparred with Wilder.
Only Sylvia Clute, a Richmond lawyer who lost to Robb in the June 14 primary, said in her remarks that Wilder should quit the race.
"He's changed his mind a lot of times about whether he's going to be in this race so he can do it again," she said. "We're going to beat Oliver North, but that will make it so much easier."
Wilder backed down from challenging Robb in January, but this month said he was back in the race to stay.
Robb told reporters he would not concede any of his Democratic base to Wilder, who as the nation's first elected black governor enjoys great popularity among minorities.
"I'm not going to yield on a single vote or voter," he said.
Robb also said he expects President Clinton to campaign for him. The first-term senator has aligned himself closely with the Clinton administration, apparently in hopes that Clinton voters will be all he needs to win a four-way race.
Robb drew a standing ovation when he said he looked forward to working with "a very able, dedicated, hardworking president of the United States."
State Democratic Chairman Mark Warner said party officials who choose not to back Robb should resign, but "we are not going to pressure people. We are not going to push people into corners."
The secretary-treasurer of the Loudoun County Democrats already has quit to work for Wilder. Warner said he knew of no other defections.
The committee unanimously passed a lengthy resolution that supported Robb's re-election with more attacks on North than praise of the incumbent.
"The effort to defeat Oliver North and his cronies from the dark side will require a tremendous organizational effort," said the resolution sponsored by Rhoda Dreyfus of Albemarle County, who backed state Sen. Virgil Goode in the primary.
"With Oliver North looming on the horizon, there couldn't be anything more unifying," said Abbi Easter, state party treasurer and another Goode supporter. She said she couldn't predict how much Wilder might hurt Robb.
But 5th District Chairman Carl Eggleston said Wilder could pick up more than three-fourths of the black vote.
"There are a lot of African-Americans who are not necessarily tied to the Democratic Party," Eggleston said. "I think Marshall Coleman will take a lot of Republican votes. It's the same thing."
"The former governor has always had some followers. He will always have some followers," said Petersburg Democratic Chairman Horace Webb. "The die-hard Democrats will vote Democratic."
Webb predicted voters will turn to the candidate that late fall polls show is most likely to beat North, best known for his role in the Iran-Contra scandal.
Robb said he expects the two party nominees to take the lead in the race by September. "Other candidates are likely to be less important," he said.
Keywords:
POLITICS
by CNB