Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, March 18, 1995 TAG: 9503200034
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: TODD JACKSON STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: ROCKY MOUNT LENGTH: Medium
There he was Friday, shaking hands and exchanging pleasantries with customers at the Canton Restaurant on Tanyard Road.
It's months away from Election Day, but Franklin County's new - but not so new - Republican Party chairman is already in political form.
Fresh off his appointment as chairman Thursday night at a party mass meeting, Carthan Currin was wasting no time, and for good reason.
Franklin County voters will be some of the busiest in the state this year. The county will elect seven members of the Board of Supervisors, eight members of the School Board, three state legislators and four constitutional officers. With the potential of 22 contested races, voters may need to bring a snack with them to the polls.
But Currin - general manager of the Comfort Inn in Rocky Mount - has another issue to tackle as well. Ironically, in a year when both parties are scrambling to field candidates for state races, the Franklin County GOP may try to prevent someone from running.
Jerry Johnson, a self-proclaimed strict constructionist of the U.S. Constitution, has announced he wants the Republican nomination to challenge state Sen. Virgil Goode, D-Rocky Mount.
Johnson, 56, attended the party's mass meeting Thursday night and supported Currin's nomination as party chairman. But Currin, and other party officers, aren't returning the favor.
Currin believes Johnson's views are outside of the mainstream - so far outside that Johnson isn't qualified to be a member of the Virginia Senate.
Johnson outlined some of his political philosophy at a recent news conference.
His proposals include:
Repeal of the 17th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which requires popular election of U.S. senators;
Mandatory ``slave'' sentences for convicted criminals;
Federal action to establish a ``Constitutional Convention'' where selected representatives from all 50 states would meet to produce ``drastic beneficial changes in the control and application of government.''
Johnson said Thursday he has contacted most Republican leaders in the 20th Senate District. The district comprises Franklin, Floyd, Henry and Patrick counties, Martinsville and a slice of Carroll County.
He said he hasn't received a warm reception from anyone.
And Johnson readily admits it will be tough to get the party's nomination without the support of Franklin County Republicans, because county voters are the largest group in the district.
Johnson vows to continue his fight, though, and hopes to sway some opinions.
Currin said Friday that a districtwide mass meeting will be held to nominate - or not nominate - a candidate to challenge Goode. Johnson, in all likelihood, will have the opportunity to speak and ask for the nomination at that meeting.
Currin is hoping another scenario develops in which Republicans would take control of the legislature and Goode would see fit to switch his allegiance.
Said Currin: ``Virgil is a political animal. It's his life. If it's in his best interest, I think he would consider it.''
Memo: Shorter version ran in Metro edition.