Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, September 16, 1995 TAG: 9509180037
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DWAYNE YANCEY AND LESLIE TAYLOR STAFF WRITERS
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
The first campaign finance reports since the sons of the late Marion Via donated a total of $100,000 to the two Republicans in July also confirm what many political observers had expected:
These two Roanoke Valley races will be among the most expensive campaigns in the state in a year in which records for campaign spending are expected to fall.
In fact, the Woodrum-Falkinburg contest could become the most costly House of Delegates race in Virginia history.
Through Aug. 31, Falkinburg has raised $140,000 to Woodrum's $107,256. Averill has raised $117,426 to Cranwell's $87,618.
Falkinburg and Averill were demonstrating exceptional fund-raising prowess for challengers even before Edward and Peter Via made their contributions. But now the Via money has vaulted them into the fund-raising lead.
"It is highly unusual for a challenger to outspend an incumbent," said University of Virginia political analyst Larry Sabato, an expert on campaign finance. "It happens in less than 5 percent of the races."
However, he said the two Roanoke Valley races fit what he sees as an emerging statewide pattern of many Republican challengers being nearly as well-funded as the Democratic incumbents they're opposing. The GOP is mounting a major effort to win majorities in the General Assembly for the first time since the 1870s.
"The Democrats need to be very concerned because it's my understanding the national and state parties are literally going to pour money into these contests statewide," Sabato said.
In particular, the Republicans are expected to devote considerable effort - and money - in an attempt to oust Cranwell and Woodrum. Cranwell was the Democratic leader most responsible for rallying opposition to Allen's budget cuts and other legislative initiatives this year, while Woodrum is a prominent Cranwell ally.
In the Woodrum-Falkinburg race, money has been an issue in lots of ways.
Earlier this week, Falkinburg called a news conference to challenge Woodrum to a $175,000 campaign spending cap.
The Roanoke physician said he was fed up with having to spend four hours a day raising money rather than talking about issues.
"I originally believed I would be spending most of my time meeting voters, going door to door and discussing issues," he said. "However, the high cost of the campaign has forced me to spend an inordinate amount of time fund-raising. I feel that to be competitive with a 16-year incumbent who has all the perks and advantages of power, as well as easy access to PAC money, I have to aggressively raise money."
Woodrum countered that "all this is irrelevant. He's raised more than I have and he'll probably spend more."
Woodrum continued Friday to call attention to the way the Via brothers first donated their money to a political action committee controlled by Gov. George Allen and asked that it be forwarded to the Falkinburg and Averill campaigns. After Allen's PAC returned the funds, saying state campaign laws prohibit such "pass-through" contributions, the Vias donated directly to the two campaigns.
Falkinburg makes no apologies for accepting the Vias' money. "I have absolutely no problems with getting it or taking it," he said. "I was doing with the Vias exactly what I was doing with every other contributor. I call them up and talk to them. They like me and they like what I've said and are willing to contribute to me."
Aside from the Via dollars, Falkinburg's largest contributions for the reporting period July 1-Aug. 31 were $2,000 from Dialysis Resources Inc., a kidney dialysis unit of which Falkinburg is a partner, and $2,000 from Valley Nephrology Associates Ltd., his medical practice.
Woodrum's largest contribution for the same period was $7,500 from Roanoke businessman Elbert Waldron. He also received $2,686 from a Democratic Party fund in Richmond.
In the Cranwell-Averill race, Cranwell's relatively slow fund-raising pace continues to mystify Republicans.
As the Democratic leader in the House, Cranwell is in a position to call on contributions from donors statewide. But his report shows that during July and August his fund raising was concentrated in the Roanoke Valley.
His biggest contributions this period were $5,000 from Randall Frazier of Salem, who owns a computer equipment sales company; and $2,685 from a Democratic Party fund in Richmond.
He also remains well behind Averill in another significant category: She's got almost $84,000 of her campaign funds still on hand, ready to use for advertising this fall, but Cranwell has only $14,000 in the bank.
Averill says she's convinced Cranwell is intentionally holding off on fund raising in an effort to lull her into a false sense of security - or to avoid reporting big contributions until after the election.
"He hasn't put the squeeze on all of his PACs yet," she said. "My guess is they'll come in October and he won't have to report them until after the election. I'm just guessing. Trust me, he will not be underfunded."
Aside from the Via contributions, Averill's biggest donations this period were $1,000 from Checker Leasing, a Roanoke auto leasing company, and $1,000 from Virginians for a Republican Majority, a Northern Virginia-based group controlled by businessman Coleman Andrews III, who hopes to run for lieutenant governor in 1997.
Cranwell disputed her allegations and instead called attention to her close ties to Allen. "You can look at the circuitous route that money [from the Via brothers] took. That money is part of the Republican establishment's attempt to make this election a popularity contest on George Allen."
Instead, Cranwell said the election should be about how Allen's budget cuts would have disproportionately hurt schools in Western Virginia, and how Averill would be subservient to Allen's wishes. "She'd be the best delegate the governor's money could buy," he said.
Keywords:
POLITICS
by CNB