ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, February 26, 1996 TAG: 9602260069
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: TODD JACKSON STAFF WRITER
A PITTSYLVANIA COUNTY TEACHER says he wants to run for the 5th District seat as a member of the state political party inspired by Ross Perot.
Add Gary Thomas to the list of candidates for the congressional seat being vacated by Rep. L.F. Payne, D-Nelson County.
Thomas, a high school agriculture teacher from Gretna, wants to be one of first candidates to run on the Virginia Independent Party ticket.
The party was certified this month by the state Board of Elections, automatically qualifying it for the ballot along with the two traditional parties.
The Virginia Independent Party sprang from United We Stand, the political organization started by Texas billionaire Ross Perot. The Reform Party, which is on the ballot in four states - California, Utah, North Dakota and South Carolina - was started by United We Stand members in Dallas as a way to get a presidential and vice presidential candidate on the ballot nationwide this fall.
Sharon Holman, a spokeswoman for the Reform Party in Dallas, said there have been several third parties formed, such as the Virginia Independent Party and the Patriot Party in Pennsylvania, that are offshoots of United We Stand.
Holman said details are still to be worked out on how the Reform Party movements will work with the other third parties across the county.
"We're just concentrating on president and vice president right now," she said.
Larry Sabato, a political analyst who teaches at the University of Virginia, said Thomas could benefit from a coattail effect, depending on who the Reform Party's presidential candidate is.
"But it's early, and there's a lot of things that could happen."
Sabato said he has heard of no other candidates seeking the Virginia Independent Party's nomination.
If elected, Thomas would be the first independent sent to the House of Representatives in this century from Virginia, Sabato said.
Harry Byrd Jr. was the last U.S. senator from Virginia to win election as an independent -in 1970 and 1976.
Currently, there is only one independent congressman, Rep. Bernie Sanders, a socialist from Vermont.
Thomas said he was drawn to the Virginia Independent Party because of its mainstream principles. He said the party has 20,000 members statewide.
"It's made up of [former] Democrats and Republicans who are disenchanted with the liberal left and the conservative right," he said. "It's people that are tired of extreme views. The average person is fed up with what's going on in Washington. Just look at the federal government shutdown. What a joke."
Thomas, 42, teaches at Dan River High School.
He said he is in favor of term limits and a balanced federal budget. He said he'll be a friend of the tobacco farmer, and will support improvements to the U.S. 29 corridor that runs through Southside. The 5th District extends from Charlottesville to Danville and includes Bedford, most of Bedford County, Franklin County, Martinsville, Henry County and Patrick County.
A longtime Republican, Thomas ran unsuccessfully on that party's ticket for the Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors in 1991 and for treasurer in Pittsylvania County last year.
Thomas is not nearly as well-known as other candidates in the 5th District race, namely state Sen. Virgil Goode, D-Rocky Mount, and Republicans George Landrith and Del. Frank Ruff of Mecklenburg County.
Eric Thompson, a United Parcel Service worker from Bedford County, and Ron Buchanan, a Campbell County businessman, are also seeking the Republican nomination.
But, says Thomas, "Give me half a million dollars, and I can beat anybody."
At this point, however, the party's state chairman, King George County businessman Louis Herrink, said he doesn't know how much support the party can give.
"You know what the mother's milk of politics is don't you?'' said Herrink, a former Republican state delegate and a recent member of United We Stand. "It's M-O-N-E-Y. We have to be practical about this. We have to sit down and try to figure out if we can afford to finance campaigns."
The party's central committee was to meet this past weekend in Charlottesville to talk about its long-term and short-term plans.
Herrink said he has talked to Thomas, and if the Independent Party decides to nominate candidates, then "we'll be glad to look at his candidacy in the 5th District."
"And if we do decide to run candidates, the central committee is not going to dictate to local people which candidates to run."
Thomas said the 5th District Independent Party plans to hold a nominating convention in the Martinsville area in May.
Whether the Independent Party nominates candidates or not, it's likely to become a factor in several races across the state.
David Caprara, who recently resigned as a member of Gov. George Allen's administration, is seeking the Republican nomination for Congress in the 1st District. He'll face incumbent Herbert Bateman, R-Newport News, in the June 11 primary.
Caprara is interested in an endorsement from the Independent Party, Herrink said.
"If anything, we're going to stir up some trouble," he said with a laugh. "But that's what makes politics fun."
LENGTH: Medium: 99 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: (headshot) Thomas. color. KEYWORDS: POLITICS CONGRESSby CNB