Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, August 22, 1994 TAG: 9408220112
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DWAYNE YANCEY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Consider the similarities between the dog days of last year's governor's race and this year's U.S. Senate contest:
Then, Democrat Mary Sue Terry insisted that voters wouldn't pay attention until after Labor Day, and nearly disappeared from public view. Republican George Allen, meanwhile, embarked on a summer-long tour of rural Virginia that eventually locked up the countryside for the GOP - a long-overlooked constituency Democrats had taken for granted.
A year later, what's happening? Democratic incumbent Charles Robb says he's tied down by his Senate duties and doesn't have time to campaign. Besides, his campaign manager says, voters aren't paying attention now. Republican Oliver North is already waging a full-fledged campaign, targeting rural voters during a summer-long tour in a borrowed motor home.
Which brings us to the question of the week for "Pundits on Parade," in which we inquire of the commonwealth's collegiate commentators:
To what extent, if any, is this year's Senate race becoming a repeat of last year's governor 's race?
Larry Sabato, University of Virginia: "I sure have heard a lot of people asking that question lately. There are two major differences, though. Robb is an incumbent, and he has an excuse for not campaigning: namely, the Senate is in session. But it is odd there's so little campaigning going on by Robb; it's amazing. Robb has not been spending any money defining his opponent; the summer is a very useful time for defining your opponent. It does matter what happens during the summer. It was always said that Mary Sue Terry was Chuck Robb in a skirt; maybe Chuck Robb is really Mary Sue Terry in pants."
Mark Rozell, Mary Washington College: "My response is no, for these reasons: George Allen had all this room for growth as a candidate; his name recognition wasn't all that high. Voters had not formed strong opinions about him. People looked at him with an open mind and decided they liked him. The claim that he was an extremist was not credible. With Ollie, it's a different matter. People have very strong opinions about him. He comes in with 100 percent name recognition. He evokes intensity on both sides. I don't see the potential for large-scale movement toward his candidacy the way there was with George Allen."
Scott Keeter, Virginia Commonwealth University: "There are some superficial patterns of public opinion that are the same, but the similarities are superficial. The ground is not laid the same way. Robb is a more tangible public figure to people than Mary Sue Terry was. She was superficially popular, but people didn't know her well. People kind of know Chuck Robb. Although some of the things they know about him aren't favorable, he doesn't have the downside potential she did."
Hoggin' the field
Unusual campaign event of the week: Oliver North stopped by a rally of Harley-Davidson owners in Orange County. Vrrrooommm, Vrrrooommm.
A Cajun commonwealth?
Quote of the week: "We used to be the Old Dominion. Now we're the New Louisiana."
- Larry Sabato, UVa quotesmith, on the reputation this year's Senate race is giving the state.
Keywords:
POLITICS
by CNB