Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, August 2, 1995 TAG: 9508020007
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: BETTY HAYDEN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RADFORD LENGTH: Medium
Giesen won a second term, and Finch received a stern lecture from her disappointed, Democrat dad.
Finch, a Radford native who worked at the Radford News Journal with Giesen, looked up to her as a mentor and political pioneer, and now finds herself on the campaign trail blazed by the local legend.
She's running as a Democrat to represent parts of Henrico and Chesterfield counties, the 72nd House District, against incumbent Republican John Reid. It's an uphill battle in a conservative district against a legislator who won his last two races unopposed.
Despite the odds, a $50-a-head breakfast fund-raiser for Finch held July 19 in Richmond attracted 70 supporters, including keynote speaker Richard Cranwell, the House majority leader from Vinton.
Cranwell helped kick off Finch's political debut (she doesn't count her victory in the attorney general's race at Girls' State). But Finch isn't a novice: she's rubbed elbows with state politicians for the last 10 years as a liaison for the state community college system and George Mason University.
She said she will continue to advocate the importance of higher education to economic development if she's elected.
Though Finch moved away from her hometown in 1960, after graduating from Radford University, she remains fond of the area and misses the scenic beauty of its mountains and Claytor Lake - which seem especially far away in Richmond.
In the not too distant 1950s, Finch enjoyed a reputation as one of Radford High School's most popular students, and local friends still praise their former classmate.
"She was a super person with a wonderful personality," said Terry McCraw, a Radford real estate agent. "I never knew her to have any enemies at all; she was just very well-liked."
"She was the pillar of the class - very articulate, witty and intelligent," said Benny Ridpath, an insurance and real estate agent in Radford. "She'd have been my pick as most likely to succeed."
Ridpath talked to Finch recently about their 40th high school reunion, scheduled for next year, and wasn't surprised to hear about her run for office. "She would make a very good representative ... "
Carolyn DeHaven Dodds, who lives in Wisconsin, said her friend was always interested in community affairs. "I'm surprised that she hasn't [run] sooner," she said.
From her years working with the legislature on higher education issues, Finch knows how the game is played, and she said that is an advantage most newcomers don't have. Her close contact with the General Assembly drove home one point - the head-butting must stop.
"My goals will be to encourage working together to put partisan bickering behind us - to move ahead on work for young people," Finch said.
In addition to her interest in higher education, Finch said she would also bring to the table the perspective of someone who's lived in Southwest Virginia, Staunton, Waynesboro, Charlottesville and Richmond - communities she covered as a newspaper reporter.
"When some legislator gets up to discuss disparity in Southwest Virginia, I know very well what he's talking about," Finch said.
Another issue that touches this mother of four on a personal level is drug abuse. Her oldest son, Kelly, died of a drug overdose in December at age 38.
She is still considering proposals that would help solve the drug problem, but there is no easy or obvious solution, she said.
Finch said she's mainly concerned about the well-being of other young people, the availability of drugs and the scarcity of drug treatment programs.
"I'm certainly exploring this because it's affected us so deeply," she said.
by CNB