ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1995, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, December 14, 1995 TAG: 9512140054
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-3 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: CHARLOTTESVILLE
SOURCE: Associated Press
Some Democratic activists want the state party to consider whether to hold its own primary, a strategy the activists say could imperil Republican Sen. John Warner's bid for a fourth term.
At a meeting of the Democratic State Central Committee on Saturday, the party will decide whether to choose its Senate nominee at its convention in Hampton on June 7-8, or in a primary June 11.
The Republicans will hold a primary on June 11 to decide between Warner or his opponent, Jim Miller, an economist who was President Reagan's budget director.
Some Democratic strategists believe concurrent primaries would help Miller's odds of defeating Warner. Democratic leaders believe Miller would be easier to beat in November than Warner.
``That is a very good argument for a primary; but at this point what I am hearing is pretty much convention, because we're going to have one anyway,'' said Sue Wrenn, state Democratic Party chairwoman.
Wrenn, a former Fairfax County Democratic chairwoman, said she had heard of no groundswell of support for a primary.
In Virginia, voters are not required to state their affiliations to vote in a primary. Warner is appealing openly to non-Republican voters to support him in the open GOP primary, but no voter could participate in more than one primary on the same day, according to state law.
``I think that a Democratic primary probably helps Jim Miller for the Republicans,'' said William B. Harvey, Albemarle County Democratic Party chairman. He said the Democrats, meanwhile, would gain name recognition.
Mark Warner of Alexandria, the former state Democratic Party chairman, is vying for the nomination along with former U.S. Rep Leslie Byrne of Falls Church and Lyndon LaRouche follower Nancy Spannaus.
``I think probably a primary would get Mark Warner more statewide exposure and get more people involved,'' said George H. Gilliam of Charlottesville, a former Democratic chairman from the 7th District.
LENGTH: Short : 46 lines KEYWORDS: POLITICSby CNB