ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, May 2, 1996 TAG: 9605020053
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG
SOURCE: ROBERT FREIS STAFF WRITER
Political newcomer Tom DeBusk has become the third candidate to announce plans to seek the 9th District Republican nomination for Congress.
He acknowledged Wednesday that unseating seven-term incumbent Rep. Rick Boucher, D-Abingdon, would be "a real David-and-Goliath struggle."
DeBusk joins Giles County law student Patrick Muldoon and former state legislator Barnes Kidd of Tazewell as hopefuls for the district GOP nomination, which will be decided at a May 11 convention in Wytheville.
A Blacksburg native and Republican vice chairman in Montgomery County - the most populous of the 9th District's 23 counties and cities stretching from Roanoke County to Big Stone Gap - DeBusk stressed politically conservative values in his announcement tour of the district, which he styled the "Tour DeBusk."
He called abortion "a terrible holocaust," criticized the federal Goals 2000 education program, and called for repeal of the 1993 4.3-cent federal gas tax and for a dramatic reduction of the federal budget deficit.
Boucher is a popular congressman, DeBusk conceded, but he said that image was "public fiction." He said Boucher philosophically favors big government and is out of touch with his constituents.
DeBusk, 31, is a graduate of Blacksburg High School and Appalachian Bible College. He has earned advanced degrees in theology and Christian education. This is his first try for office.
Biographical information released by his campaign says DeBusk trained for the ministry but decided not to pursue that career "in order to stay in Southwest Virginia."
Following graduate school, DeBusk helped restore an old house owned by his family and became active in local Republican politics. He currently is a contract employee of Virginia Tech's University Relations office.
Boucher hasn't disclosed his re-election plans, though he has been actively raising money for a campaign.
LENGTH: Short : 45 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: (headshot) DeBusk. KEYWORDS: POLITICS CONGRESSby CNB