Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, December 11, 1994 TAG: 9412120067
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium
Robb told Democratic Party of Virginia leaders at a central committee meeting in Richmond that many Americans sent a message on Election Day that Democrats did not reflect their values. The GOP made astonishing gains throughout the country, capturing both houses of Congress and many traditionally Democratic statehouses.
But Virginia bucked the national Republican voting trend because state Democrats long have paid attention to mainstream issues, such as fiscal responsibility, Robb said.
``The lesson that we learned is a lesson the national party should heed today,'' Robb told about 200 Democrats at the meeting. ``We have to nominate candidates whose principles and priorities mirror the broad values of the vast majority of people we seek to serve.''
Robb won re-election by defeating Republican challenger Oliver North. Virginia voters also returned six of seven Democratic incumbents to the House of Representatives. Only Leslie Byrne, a first-term legislator in the 11th District, lost her re-election battle.
Robb said he defeated ``Ollie's Army'' of Christian conservatives and North's $20 million war chest by appealing to moderate voters.
``It was a fight between the future and the past in the truest sense,'' Robb said, ``a contest for the very heart and soul of our commonwealth.''
Robb said he and other Democratic leaders met with President Clinton at the Oval Office last week to discuss ways Democrats could take the offensive over the next two years.
``We have to tell the American people who we are, what we stand for and what we want to accomplish,'' he said. ``I believe it would be a very serious mistake to simply sit back and wait for the Republicans to make mistakes.''
But Virginia Democrats have some issues of their own they must address next year.
All 140 seats in the House of Delegates and state Senate are up for grabs next November, and Republicans say 1995 could be their best chance ever of capturing the legislature for the first time in history.
After his speech, Robb was asked by reporters about North's announcement Wednesday that he would not seek Republican Sen. John Warner's seat in 1996. North said he was stepping aside from politics for a while and planned to become a radio talk-show host.
Robb said he wasn't surprised by North's plans. Robb said a talk show is appealing to many conservative politicians because they are not held to the same standard of accuracy or accountability as an elected official and can say more outrageous things.
``He likes to deliver those lines,'' Robb said of North.
by CNB