
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, October 26, 1995                   TAG: 9510260046
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-1   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: BRIAN KELLEY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG                                LENGTH: Short

SURPRISE, SURPRISE; GOP SWEEPS

If a rose by any other name would smell as sweet, then a Republican sweep of a Montgomery County straw vote might be said to smell a little ... fishy.

Republican candidates overwhelmingly won all five straw votes at Wednesday's Christiansburg-Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce membership luncheon.

Never mind that the county Republican Party canceled its regularly scheduled monthly luncheon, usually held at the same hotel at the same time. Never mind that the place seemed packed with Republicans. Fair is fair. As GOP Chairman Dave Nutter noted, the event was open to the public. (Or at least that portion of the public willing to pay $10.)

Longtime Commissioner of Revenue Robertine Jordan summed it up for many in the other party. "We should have brought our people," she said.

Though absolutely meaningless, we'll report the straw-vote results anyway. After all, we went and sat through the entire event (yes, we are in severe need of a life).

State Senate race: Pat Cupp (R) 90, Madison Marye (D) 46; House race: Larry Linkous (R) 90, Jim Shuler (D) 44; Montgomery County sheriff: Doug Marrs (R) 80; Jerry Olinger (D) 29; O.P. Ramsey (I) 19; Garnett Adkins (I) 6; commissioner of revenue: Helen St. Clair (R) 85; Nancy Miller (D) 49; commonwealth's attorney: Joey Showalter (R) 99; Phil Keith (D) 35.

Keywords:
POLITICS

by CNB