Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, February 10, 1995 TAG: 9502100094
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: TODD JACKSON STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Capt. Bill Overton of the Franklin County Sheriff's Office, wooed for months by Democratic power brokers such as Del. Richard Cranwell of Roanoke County, announced that he will not seek the party's nomination to challenge Dudley.
Overton, who struggled with the decision over the past couple of weeks, said financial considerations won out over his desire to emerge from under the wing of his father, longtime Franklin County Sheriff W.Q. "Quint" Overton.
"I really thought this was the right time," Bill Overton said. "But I was really concerned about how my family would survive through three months of campaigning."
Overton and his wife, Nancy, have three children.
Overton also put a lot of stock in the opinion of his father, who was dead set against the move from the start.
Quint Overton, a Democrat whose political popularity in Franklin County is unequaled, had concerns about his son's future. He said state law would have required his son to resign his captain's post to run for the legislature.
Many in Franklin County believe Bill Overton is the No.1 candidate to be the county's next sheriff when Quint Overton retires.
But Bill Overton, 34, isn't sure if that's the career path he wants to take.
He said Thursday that he's looking into other public service opportunities that might arise.
Overton was seen as the front-runner for the Democratic nomination to run against Dudley.
His decision to step aside leaves the Democrats without an obvious candidate.
Just a month ago, Overton, former Del. Willard Finney and Franklin County Democratic Party Chairman Eric Ferguson were on the party's list of possible candidates.
Finney and Ferguson since have withdrawn their names from consideration.
But Gail Nardi, a spokeswoman for the state Democratic Party in Richmond, said Thursday that she's confident a candidate will emerge to challenge Dudley.
"Some of the state's finest Democrats - past, present and future - are in Franklin County," she said.
Dudley's district covers all of Floyd County, most of Franklin County, a slice of Pittsylvania County and one precinct - the Moneta area - in Bedford County.
The bulk of the district's voters reside in Franklin County, and its representatives historically have called the county home.
Floyd County Democratic Chairman Nolan Goad said he knew of no one interested in running for the seat.
Democratic Party leaders in Pittsylvania and Bedford counties could not be reached for comment Thursday.
Keywords:
POLITICS
by CNB