ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, April 16, 1996 TAG: 9604160081
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: TAZEWELL
SOURCE: KATHY LOAN STAFF WRITER
BARNES KIDD, a former Republican state delegate from Tazewell, says he will emphasize economic issues if elected to Congress.
A Tazewell businessman has become the second person to seek the Republican nomination to challenge Rep. Rick Boucher, D-Abingdon, in the Nov. 5 election.
Former state Del. Barnes Kidd, 52, began his bid for the nomination Monday.
Kidd had been mentioned for months as a possible 9th District candidate. He joins Patrick Muldoon of Giles County, a first-year law student, in seeking the Republican nod to oppose Boucher, a 14-year incumbent.
Thomas DeBusk, who is a Blacksburg native and Montgomery County Republican vice chairman, said he also is considering seeking the nomination.
Kidd said in a news release that his focus will be on economic issues, "from taxes to jobs to economic and community development."
He said he is the only experienced legislator in the race for the 9th District Republican nomination. Kidd narrowly lost his House seat last fall to Marion lawyer John Tate. In 1993, Kidd upset a 12-year incumbent to gain the seat.
"I have the experience as a father, as a legislator, as a working man and as a business owner to work for the people of the [9th] District," Kidd said in a news release.
Kidd referred to his work in the House of Delegates, saying he wrote and helped shepherd legislation allowing prayer in Virginia schools and protecting public health.
"I am clearly the best, most conservative choice for the nomination," Kidd said. "I think it is fitting that on tax day, I should say that we should lower taxes to spur growth and investment so families can pay for college and retirement."
Kidd, an owner of S&K Welding and a contracting business in Tazewell, said he wants to help recruit major businesses to Virginia.
"Why do we not have an automobile factory, a computer manufacturer or other major industries coming into the [9th] District? That's what I want to bring home," he said.
Boucher usually does not go public with his re-election campaign until the district Democratic convention, which will be May 11 in Abingdon. That same day, Republicans will meet in Wytheville to pick their candidate.
Republicans will meet May 11 in Wytheville to pick their candidate.
LENGTH: Medium: 53 lines KEYWORDS: POLITICS CONGRESSby CNB