ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1995, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, December 21, 1995 TAG: 9512210098
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: RICHMOND
SOURCE: Associated Press
Former Rep. Leslie Byrne said Wednesday she thinks she can overcome her opponent's vast financial resources and strong political connections to win the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate.
Byrne said she will oppose Mark Warner at a party convention June 7-8 in Hampton. The winner will run for the seat now held by Sen. John Warner, who faces a Republican primary challenge from Jim Miller, former budget director under President Reagan.
Mark Warner is a multimillionaire who built a network of political allies as chairman of the state Democratic Party. He quit as party chairman earlier this year to concentrate on his Senate bid.
``This is not about money; it's about message,'' Byrne said at a state Capitol news conference. ``I think we're going to raise what we need to get the message out.
``This is a process for nurses, firefighters, teachers and other working Virginians to get involved in,'' she said. ``These are the folks we're going after.''
Mark Warner's campaign had little to say about Byrne's official entry into the race. ``Mark's always said we welcome any challengers,'' said campaign spokesman Jeff Mitchell.
Byrne was elected to Congress in 1992 but was defeated for re-election by Republican Tom Davis in Northern Virginia's 11th District. Before that, she served eight years in the Virginia House of Delegates. She said she would work for a higher minimum wage and tougher environmental protection.
LENGTH: Short : 41 lines ILLUSTRATION: GRAPHIC: Leslie Byrne: Personal information chart. Seeby CNBmicrofilm for rest. KEYWORDS: POLITICS