ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, May 16, 1996 TAG: 9605160176
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C4 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: RICHMOND
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
Republican Attorney General Jim Gilmore has unleashed an early attack on his likely rival for governor next year, Democratic Lt. Gov. Don Beyer.
In a May 10 fund-raising letter, Gilmore branded Beyer a ``protege and ... liberal Democrat friend'' of President Clinton. He also said Beyer, like Clinton, will try to take credit for GOP initiatives, such as the push for smaller government, but will advocate more taxes and a bigger bureaucracy.
Beyer dismissed the letter.
``I do not need to destroy Jim Gilmore or whoever the Republican nominee is to win the race in '97,'' he said Tuesday.
Gilmore wrote, ``Just as Bill Clinton has tried to rewrite history, by claiming it was Republicans that blocked a balanced budget, so will his protege and his liberal Democrat friend Don Beyer attempt to rewrite the story of our success.''
He added, ``Like Bill Clinton, Don Beyer pictures himself as a `New Democrat,' but he supports the same old programs of bigger government, more regulation and higher taxes! The only thing `new' about Bill Clinton and Don Beyer is that they aren't as honest about their goals as the old liberals.''
Gilmore aides said the letter was part of an effort to define Beyer during the 1997 campaign's preliminaries - a period during which big-dollar benefactors, but not necessarily typical voters, are shopping for candidates.
``The shoe fits, and the campaign is going to make him wear it,'' said Gilmore spokesman Mark Miner. ``Over the next few months, we are going to start telling the real story about Don Beyer - Virginia's Bill Clinton. It's time people start finding out who Don Beyer really is.''
Democrats described the attack as a sign that Gilmore is in trouble.
``Jim Gilmore is not perceived as personable, and for that ... people on the Republican side I have talked to don't think Jim sells as well to the public as Don Beyer,'' said Del. Thomas Jackson, D-Hillsville and a possible candidate for attorney general.
In the letter, Gilmore took credit for the abolition of parole and tougher sentencing for adult and juvenile felons, programs that Beyer also supported.
Gilmore also cited his defense of continued single-sex status for all-male Virginia Military Institute. Beyer also favors single-sex education at VMI.
LENGTH: Short : 50 lines KEYWORDS: POLITICS GOVERNORby CNB