Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, June 4, 1995 TAG: 9506060101
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: KATHY LOAN AND BRIAN KELLEY STAFF WRITERS
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG LENGTH: Long
But the nomination didn't come easy for Jerry Olinger. It took four ballots at a five-hour mass meeting that drew 900 people - Montgomery Democrats' largest-ever draw - to whittle five sheriff's contenders to one.
This fall, it should be no less crowded on the ballot. Along with Republican Doug Marrs, a Christiansburg police lieutenant, Olinger will face two independents: Garnett Adkins, a Radford deputy; and O.P. Ramsey, a Montgomery sheriff's captain.
Montgomery Democrats also backed Commonwealth's Attorney Phil Keith to seek another term. He defeated County Attorney Roy Thorpe, 489-350. Republican Joey Showalter is challenging Keith.
Olinger, 53, was the first out the gate in a sheriff's nominating race that drew nine contenders by early spring after Sheriff Ken Phipps, a Republican, said he would not seek re-election. Phipps upset a 14-year Democratic incumbent, Louis Barber, in 1991.
"I'm first today," Olinger said, "and come Nov. 7, I'm going to be first again."
Olinger, with almost 25 years in law enforcement, stressed thorough patrol coverage of the county and good working relationships with employees and residents.
Olinger won 52 percent of the vote on the final ballot. Sheriff's Lt. Tommy Whitt finished with 48 percent after leading on the first two ballots. Olinger picked up supporters when Frank Akers, a retired deputy, and Joe Morgan, another sheriff's lieutenant, were dropped from the ballot after the first two rounds.
Joe Miles, a former sheriff's investigator turned plumber, stayed a consistent third through three ballots.
Despite the air conditioning at Christiansburg High School, the sheriff's race balloting tried the patience of many party members. While 808 people voted in the first ballot, only 527 stayed for the fourth ballot between Olinger and Whitt.
The meeting dragged on for more than five hours. "Democracy takes time," Carlton Sutphin, a member of the vote-counting committee, said after bringing in the third-ballot results.
Democratic Committee leaders said attendance at Saturday's meeting surpassed a heated contest for clerk of court four years ago and a 1981 House of Delegates nomination battle.
"I guess it's cool to be a Democrat again," said Joe Steffen, a Blacksburg lawyer, as he looked out over the crowd.
Keith reassured the party he has the strength to wage an active campaign. Keith has had two major operations to treat a benign brain tumor in the past three years. He has also been ill lately with the flu and bronchitis.
"Ya'll are going to have to excuse me, I'm a little bit shorter than usual today," Keith joked from a wheelchair he said he will sometimes use.
"I pledge to run a good campaign this fall," he said. "I plan to be very active. I plan to win."
After the vote for commonwealth's attorney, Thorpe threw his support behind Keith.
Keith's nominators - defense lawyer John Huntington; state Sen. Madison Marye, D-Shawsville; and businessman Stuart Arbuckle - praised Keith's experience, dedication to justice and respect among his colleagues.
In the only other contested race, a schoolteacher and longtime party activist earned the nomination for the District F Board of Supervisors. Mary Biggs, 44, said she spent a sleepless night waiting for the alarm clock to go off so she could head over to the morning meeting.
All that nervous energy paid off. Biggs defeated two other contenders in a landslide, with 64 percent of the 120 votes cast. Publisher Mary Holliman finished second with 22 percent, and county Planning Commission member Harry Neumann finished third with 14 percent.
So far, Biggs has no Republican competition, though the GOP has until June 13 to nominate a candidate. Supervisors Chairman Larry Linkous is vacating that seat to run for the House of Delegates against Del. Jim Shuler, D-Blacksburg. Linkous first ran for the board in 1991 as a Democrat, then changed parties in 1993. His former colleagues haven't forgotten.
"I'll tell you one thing about the supervisor's race this year," said Dean Allen, District F Democratic chairman. "I know [the three contenders] weren't going to become a Republican halfway through their term."
Biggs has taught second grade at Harding Elementary School in Blacksburg for 17 years. She has served as president and vice president of the Montgomery County Education Association, a teachers' interest group, and has been a Board of Supervisors observer for that organization for 15 years.
In two other countywide races, Montgomery Democrats chose Nancy Miller to run for commissioner of revenue, but appear ready to give Republican Treasurer Ellis Meredith a free ride by not challenging him.
Longtime Commissioner of Revenue Robertine Jordan, who will retire at year's end, nominated Miller, her top deputy for 16 years. "After today, Nancy will be off and running," Jordan said. "I really would not want to be her opponent."
Last month, Republicans chose treasurer's office accountant Helen St. Clair to run for the commissioner's post.
The three other supervisors' races were uncontested. In District B, the Democrats chose county School Board member Bob Goncz to challenge first-term Supervisor Nick Rush. In District E, Ira Long won the nomination to seek a fourth term and will be challenged by Republican Richard Gordon. District G Supervisor Joe Gorman won approval to seek a second term and will be challenged by Republican Curtis Cox.
Keywords:
POLITICS
by CNB