ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, April 14, 1996 TAG: 9604150128
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: RICHMOND
SOURCE: WARREN FISKE, LISA K. GARCIA AND DWAYNE YANCEY STAFF WRITERS
THE MILLIONAIRE has been campaigning more than a year for the nomination, pledging support for education and early intervention programs for disadvantaged youths.
Businessman Mark Warner apparently clinched the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate on Saturday, trouncing two opponents at a series of local political caucuses held across the state.
Warner, an Alexandria cellular phone magnate whose personal wealth is estimated in excess of $100million, won more than four out of every five delegates chosen to make the nomination at the Democratic state convention in June.
About two-thirds of the 3,500 delegates to the state convention were chosen at the local caucuses Saturday; the rest will be chosen Monday night.
"I feel very good and gratified by what's happened today," Warner said Saturday. "What we've seen all across the commonwealth is Democrats uniting behind our campaign."
Warner, 41, is a former state party chairman with close ties to party activists across the state. He has been campaigning more than a year for the nomination, pledging support for education and early intervention programs for disadvantaged youths, and billing himself as a youthful leader who understands the technological challenges of the future. Warner already has funneled more than $500,000 of his fortune into his campaign.
Warner carried all but two localities that held caucuses Saturday - often by overwhelming numbers. Only Radford and Montgomery County went to former Rep. Leslie Byrne of Fairfax County.
Elsewhere, Western Virginia was just like the rest of the state - a Warner stronghold. He scored shutouts in Roanoke, Alleghany County, Bath County, Bristol, Buena Vista, Craig County, Floyd County and Henry County - and claimed all but one of the 15 delegates selected in Botetourt County.
Byrne - who entered the race in December, billing herself as an unapologetic liberal - was hoping to make a strong showing in Northern Virginia. However, Warner defeated her there by a 4-to-1 ratio, according to unofficial returns.
Byrne's weak showing is certain to generate pressure from Democratic leaders for her to drop out of the race. "It looks like Mark's nomination," said Sandra Brandt, the Democratic chairwoman in Virginia Beach. "The numbers are there if [Byrne] wants to look at them."
Byrne, however, vowed to file a complaint with the U.S. Justice Department, claiming the complicated rules governing the delegate selection process hurt her chances. "They established a deliberately murky process in an effort to close out Leslie Byrne," she said. "If the process was unfair, what does that say?''
The third candidate is Nancy Spannaus, a follower of political extremist Lyndon LaRouche and an almost perennial candidate for statewide office. Outside the LaRouche organization, there appeared to be little support for her.
Issues apparently played little role in the contest. Many Democrats said they based their decision on which candidate they knew best. With that criteria, it was clear that Warner's tenure as party chairman - and Bryne's late start - were deciding factors.
In Roanoke, the Rev. William Holland said he committed to Warner more than a year ago. "He's been here, and I've been to the breakfasts for him," he said.
Even Onzlee Ware, the Democrats' 6th District chairman, said he didn't know much about the only woman who has served Virginia in Congress. "I feel I know him," Ware said in explaining his support for Warner. "I don't know Leslie.''
State Sen. John Edwards, D-Roanoke, said that Warner's high-tech experience should be reassuring to voters at a time of economic change. "It's important to have someone who understands where we are historically. We need to develop an economy for the 21st century, and he has the knowledge and background to understand that."
Some Democrats also said they believe Warner's business background should help him appeal to swing voters in the fall. "He can both inspire the Democratic constituency as well as reach out and appeal to independents and moderate Republicans," Edwards said.
Indeed, Arne Saari of Blacksburg said he was drawn to Warner because he saw him as the more conservative of the two candidates. "The Democratic Party needs conservatives" for balance, he said. ``And I'm not against someone running who's a millionaire."
By contrast, Byrne found pockets of support among union members. "She's for working families," said Rick Howard, a machinist from Bedford County who was working on Bryne's behalf. "And she's got a voting record to prove it. Mark doesn't haven't a voting record."
Bryne also won over Allyn Moss, a 15-year Blacksburg resident, because of her stands on environmental issues. ``I moved to this area because it has one of the last healthy ecosystems in the country and particularly in the East; I want to preserve this bio-region,'' Moss said.
Bryne's recent campaign swing through the New River Valley apparently helped her break through there. Many Montgomery County Democrats said they had met Byrne when she came to speak in Blacksburg and were impressed. When asked what they knew about Warner, many said ``not much'' - an indication that Warner remains an enigma even to many party supporters.
Turnout at the caucuses was sparse, reflecting the low-key nature of the contest - and the weather. ``Democracy's tough on a pretty day,'' said Steve Cochran, a Warner supporter in Montgomery County.
In Montgomery County, 164 Democrats took part - twice the number in Roanoke, where 80 voters showed up for the hour-long meeting. In Floyd County, only 12 people were in attendance.
Republicans will decide their nomination in a June 11 primary. Three-term incumbent Sen. John Warner (no relation to the Democratic Warner) is facing a stiff challenge from Jim Miller, a former federal budget director.
LENGTH: Long : 111 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: 1. ERIC BRADY/Staff Democrats vote for their delegatesby CNBduring a mass meeting at William Fleming High School on Saturday.
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2. headshot of Warner
3. chart - Delegate Count color KEYWORDS: POLITICS CONGRESS