Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, June 11, 1995 TAG: 9506120079
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-10 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DAN CASEY, SARAH HUNTLEY, KIMBERLY N. MARTIN AND DWAYNE YANCEY STAFF
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
That's what the latest campaign finance reports show in the Roanoke Valley's four contested races. The incumbents - three Democrats and one Republican - all hold significant fund-raising advantages over their opponents:
Woodrum-Falkinburg
For the House of Delegates seat covering most of Northwest Roanoke, South Roanoke, Raleigh Court and six precincts in the Hunting Hills-Cave Spring section of Roanoke County.
Republican challenger Newell Falkinburg has been on the campaign trail for less than two months, but already he is raking in some hefty contributions from the medical community.
The Roanoke physician has raised $26,169. Nearly 90 percent of his donations of more than $100 came from physicians and other health care providers.
His largest contribution - $10,000 - is from Jackson Ballenger, Falkinburg's colleague at Valley Nephrology Associates. The second highest donor is Dialysis Resources, Inc., which gave $5,000.
Falkinburg, the first person to challenge Democratic Del. Clifton "Chip" Woodrum since 1985, specializes in kidney diseases and high blood pressure.
The candidate himself has kicked in $2,000 in cash and another $10,000 in the form of a loan, bringing his total campaign treasury to $36,169.
But Falkinburg will have to step up the efforts if he wants to come close to Woodrum's campaign chest.
Woodrum's latest financial disclosure forms, which were filed a day after the June 5 deadline, show that the incumbent has raised $56,546. In addition, he has taken out a $25,000 loan to help finance his campaign.
Most of Woodrum's contributions have come from companies, organizations and political action committees, and he, too, has some members of the health care community backing him. Health insurance companies, medical political action committees and individual physicians have donated $13,650 to Woodrum's campaign.
Bell-Edwards
For the state Senate seat that covers Roanoke and most of Roanoke County.
Roanoke Vice Mayor John Edwards has high hopes for unseating state Sen. Brandon Bell. But the Democrat already is far behind the GOP incumbent in fund raising.
Edwards has raised $27,767 since he launched his campaign in February, less than one-third the $88,106 Bell has collected in his bid for re-election.
Counting cash on hand, the gap is even wider: Bell's campaign has $76,215 stashed away; Edwards' has $20,551.
In cash contributions, the two candidates actually raised about the same for the reporting period, which lasted from April 1 until May 31. Bell took in $15,450, while Edwards garnered $13,844.
But Bell is so far ahead because he had raised more than $50,000 by the time Edwards entered the race in February.
Not counting his own party, Bell's biggest financial backers so far appears to be executives at Advance Auto Parts. Company CEO Nick Taubman has donated $1,500 in catering to a Bell campaign event, and he chipped in another $500 in cash. Advance President Garnett Smith anted up another $500.
Not counting a $2,006 loan to the campaign from himself, Edwards' biggest contributor is his treasurer, Vernon Danielsen, who donated a computer lease worth $1,500, plus another $350 in cash.
Cranwell-Averill
For the House of Delegates seat covering the Montvale and Stewartsville sections of Bedford County, a swath of Roanoke County stretching from Clearbrook to Vinton to Hollins to Catawba, southern Botetourt County, and Craig County.
House Majority Leader Richard Cranwell has raised $60,994, while Republican challenger Trixie Averill has drummed up $22,072.
The biggest chunk of Cranwell's change comes from his old campaign committee, which had $5,524 left over. The biggest new contributions are $3,000 from Beverly Armstrong of Richmond, who's listed as being in the bowling-ball equipment business, and $2,500 from the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association.
Thomas-Artis
For the House of Delegates districting covering Southeast Roanoke, Williamson Road, Northeast Roanoke and the Roanoke County precincts of Burlington, Northside, Peters Creek and Plantation.
If how much money a candidate has drummed up is any indication of support, then political newcomer Jeff Artis has a long road ahead of him.
In the last two months, his opponent - Democratic Del. Vic Thomas - has spent more money on bumper stickers than Artis has raised for his entire campaign.
Since the announcement of his candidacy, the Republican Artis has raised $636 from 10 people - two of whom contributed $100 or more. And more than half of that money has been spent on campaign expenses.
Artis, an in-school suspension teacher at Patrick Henry High School and the publisher of the Black Conservative Newsletter, is the first Republican candidate to challenge Thomas since single-member districts were instituted in 1982.
Veteran legislator Thomas has raised about $30,000. The largest of his 71 contributions since the beginning of this year came in $1,000 donations from Medical Facilities of America and Roanoke optometrists J.B. Rappaport & Associates.
Keywords:
POLITICS
by CNB