ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, June 13, 1996 TAG: 9606130054
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A-1 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: RICHMOND
SOURCE: DAVID M. POOLE STAFF WRITER note: above
NOW THAT IT'S WARNER VS. WARNER in Virginia's Senate race, the stage is set for confusion.
It sounds more like a divorce case than a political contest.
Warner vs. Warner.
There will be plenty of room for confusion this fall in the U.S. Senate race between Republican incumbent John Warner and Democratic challenger Mark Warner.
The two candidates are responding with pitches that emphasize their first names.
The upstart Warner hands out bumper stickers that read: "MARKNOTJOHN." Not to be outdone, supporters of the established Warner have taken up the chant, "John not Mark."
The Warner-Warner affair adds to a colorful tradition of same-name politics:
nIn Idaho, a 1974 GOP congressional primary pitted conservative George Hansen against liberal Orville Hansen. George Hansen won - only to face Democrat Max Hanson in the general election.
nIn Oregon, two brothers - Jim and Stan Bunn - ran for the U.S. House of Representatives in neighboring congressional districts this year. Incumbent Jim tried to carry Stan, running as an underdog in a GOP primary, by airing radio commercials that emphasized his last name.
nIn Maryland, state Del. Murray Abramson ran afoul of the Baltimore political machine in the mid-1960s. His enemies recruited another Abramson, this one a taxicab driver, and put him on the ballot to dilute the Abramson name recognition. The plan backfired somewhat, however. Both men were elected.
nIn Tennessee, Republican congressional candidate David Davis of Johnson City smelled a similar dirty trick this year when an independent candidate - Dave Davis - jumped into the race.
Political analysts downplay the potential for mischief in the Warner-Warner race because both candidates have wads of cash for television ads to cut through the confusion.
By Election Day, most folks will know that John Warner is the 18-year incumbent, and that Mark Warner is the cellular telephone whiz. who wants to bring his high-tech vision to the Senate.
Staff writer Robert Little contributed to this story.
LENGTH: Medium: 57 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: 1. Warner... 2. and Warner (headshots), 3. (graphic) map,by CNBcolor. KEYWORDS: POLITICS CONGRESS