ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, November 11, 1996 TAG: 9611110071
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-4 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: RICHMOND
SOURCE: Associated Press
As surely as autumn turns to winter and football gives way to basketball, the political season in Virginia is followed by ... the political season.
With the presidential and congressional elections just behind them, Virginians now face almost a year of campaigning by candidates for three statewide offices and the House of Delegates.
Almost a dozen candidates already are running hard for their party's nominations for governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general.
``In Virginia, voters don't get a break,'' said Bert Rohrer, spokesman for the state Democratic Party. ``The election season is constant - it's baseball, basketball and hockey rolled into one.''
Just two days after Tuesday's election, Republican Attorney General Jim Gilmore proposed an ambitious state-funded scholarship program for students with good grades. Gilmore denied he was already campaigning for governor.
His probable opponent for governor, Democratic Lt. Gov. Don Beyer, responded that he had been working on a scholarship plan of his own.
Republicans will choose their nominees in a statewide primary June 10. Democrats will select their nominees at a convention May 9-10 in Richmond.
So far, Gilmore and Beyer are unopposed for their parties' nominations. Also unopposed to date are Democrats Bill Dolan of Arlington for attorney general and L.F. Payne of Nelson County, who is retiring from Congress, for lieutenant governor.
Republican candidates for lieutenant governor are John Hager of Richmond, Coleman Andrews of McLean and Del. Jay Katzen of Warrenton.
Seeking the GOP nomination for attorney general are state Sens. Mark Earley of Chesapeake and Kenneth Stolle of Virginia Beach, and Gil Davis, a Fairfax lawyer. Secretary of Public Safety Jerry Kilgore also is considering a run.
Officials from both parties say they are encouraged by the results of Tuesday's elections. Republican U.S. Sen. John Warner won re-election, but by only 6 percentage points, over Democrat Mark Warner. And Republican Bob Dole edged President Clinton by 2 percentage points in the state.
Chris LaCivita, executive director of the state Republican Party, said the GOP is eager to tie Beyer to Clinton.
``We're not going to let Beyer off the hook,'' he said.
But state Democratic Party Chairwoman Sue Wrenn said Beyer enjoys widespread support. She also said Democrats have been actively recruiting candidates for next year's legislative races, when Gov. George Allen has his last chance to win GOP control of the House.
LENGTH: Medium: 54 lines KEYWORDS: POLITICSby CNB