ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, October 2, 1996 TAG: 9610020067
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: HAMPDEN-SYDNEY
SOURCE: Associated Press
DESPITE A LETTER from Newt Gingrich, candidate Virgil Goode says his GOP rival can't guarantee he'll sit on the powerful Ways and Means Committee.
Republican George Landrith promised a debate audience Tuesday that he'll be on the Ways and Means Committee if elected to Virginia's only open congressional seat and have immediate influence.
``From Day One, I'll be in a position to get things done,'' Landrith, an Albemarle County attorney, said at Hampden-Sydney College.
But state Sen. Virgil Goode, Landrith's Democratic opponent in the 5th District race, said he believes in making campaign promises he can keep - and that's not one of them.
``Be wary of guarantees,'' Goode told the crowd of 400 people. Goode said his experience in the General Assembly has demonstrated that committee assignments are subject to much give and take from both parties at the beginning of sessions.
``You can't always guarantee a position. Even the speaker can't,'' Goode said.
After the debate, Landrith pulled out a letter from House Speaker Newt Gingrich to back him up.
``You can rest assured we will do everything possible to make you Virginia's member on the Ways and Means Committee,'' Gingrich wrote.
Landrith said he would be in a more influential position as a member of the Republican majority in Congress than Goode.
If Goode wins and the Democrats manage to regain the majority, ``You will get the most left-wing leadership we have ever had,'' Landrith said.
Goode said Landrith might feel obliged to repay Gingrich for the help. ``It would be a factor in how you vote,'' Goode said. ``I won't be beholden to any speaker or any president.''
In a debate that lasted well over an hour, the candidates clashed on only one other issue. Landrith said he supports government backing for private grade schools with vouchers or tax credits. Goode opposes the idea.
Landrith and Goode also released their federal campaign disclosure forms this week.
Landrith said before the debate that he hasn't had time to practice both law and politics and will be broke by the November election.
Landrith, 35, said he's so committed to taking conservative values to Congress that he reported earning virtually no income over the past 16 months. The $50,000 that was in the family's savings account two years ago is almost wiped out, and Landrith said they'll be ``down to zero'' next month.
Landrith formed a political action committee last year to help Republican candidates, but used almost a third of the $10,000 the PAC raised to pay for health insurance for himself, his wife and their five children.
Landrith said his time and money spent working for his PAC - Virginians for a Conservative Majority - were worth far more than the amount of PAC money he used for health insurance.
Bruce Meadows, the secretary for the state Board of Elections, said he's never heard of a PAC paying for the health insurance of a candidate and his family, but it's not against state law.
``It's a large, large stretch, but it's not illegal,'' Meadows said. ``I've seen expenditures for things like a candidate's wardrobe and things of that nature, but getting as personal as your health care, I haven't seen it.''
LENGTH: Medium: 67 lines KEYWORDS: POLITICS CONGRESSby CNB