Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, November 8, 1995 TAG: 9511080017
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: BRIAN KELLEY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Medium
State Sen. Madison Marye, known as the storyteller of the Senate, turned the page on another chapter Tuesday, defeating his first challenger in 12 years.
Marye's triumph marked a critical victory in Virginia Democrats' attempt to maintain their narrow control of the state Senate.
It also marked a personal triumph for the 69-year-old cattle farmer from Shawsville. He had decided last winter to retire but changed his mind in the face of Republican Gov. George Allen's budget-cutting agenda.
Marye narrowly defeated Republican Pat Cupp, the owner of a Blacksburg real estate and property management firm. Marye won Montgomery County, which was expected, but also took Galax and, most significantly, Smyth County. Cupp won Grayson, Carroll and Pulaski counties.
Marye remained optimistic to the end. Less than a week before Election Day, he played down any potential problems in the southern part of the district. "I have always done well in Carroll County, while maybe not carrying it," he said. "I've always carried Grayson County and look forward to carrying it again."
Marye had not arrived at the Democratic victory celebration in Blacksburg by late Tuesday night and was unavailable for comment.
Since Marye's re-election bid began in the spring, Republicans have openly questioned whether the senator, who suffered from a major heart attack three years ago, had the stamina to run a vigorous re-election campaign, much less serve another four years.
Marye went through some rough stretches in the long campaign, including campaign forums where he was far from at the top of his game. He took the unusual step of going on the offensive during a joint appearance with challenger Cupp at an August Realtor's forum in Blacksburg.
That feisty day set the tone for a campaign that later put Marye on the defensive on everything from his support for parole reform to whether he stood up sufficiently for Virginia Tech after a 1987 graduation speech by former Gov. Gerald Baliles.
While Cupp stressed a simple three-point agenda - support for jobs, education, and "safe streets" - Marye had a one-point plan: restoring education, from higher education on down, as the state's budget priority.
Cupp sent out a series of direct mailings that pointed to specific Marye votes to paint the senator as a tax-and-spend liberal who opposed gun rights. In the campaign's waning weeks, Marye tried to use the media to fight back. He complained to reporters that the Cupp ads distorted his record and were the last gasps of a desperate campaign.
For his part, Marye placed one of the more unusual campaign ads of the season: a 21/2-minute bluegrass song with lyrics by Marye and performance by "some good old boys in Shawsville."
"It's the only political commercial that's ever been requested every day on the Galax station," Marye said. "People from North Carolina think it's a real song."
Marye, far behind in campaign spending, charged Saturday that Cupp was trying to buy the election. "I'm just going to tell you, it's not for sale," he told Montgomery Democrats. By the end of October, Cupp had outspent Marye by $62,000 for a total of $168,000, making it the most expensive 39th District race ever. The difference came primarily from $60,000 of Cupp's own money.
Keywords:
ELECTION
Memo: shorter version ran in the Metro edition.