
                         THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
                 Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, June 13, 1994                    TAG: 9406130064 
SECTION: LOCAL                     PAGE: B3    EDITION: FINAL  
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS 
DATELINE: 940613                                 LENGTH: ALEXANDRIA

ROBB PREDICTS LOW TURNOUT IN PRIMARY AMONG HIS SUPPORTERS \

{LEAD} Sen. Charles S. Robb said Sunday many of his supporters will not vote in the Democratic primary because they think primaries are unimportant.

``Primaries are traditionally very low turnout affairs, and especially when the perception is that it's not a close race, it makes things very difficult,'' Robb said. ``Those who are most likely to turn out are those who are going to vote for somebody else.''

{REST} In a low-key afternoon of campaigning in Northern Virginia, Robb shook hands at the Alexandria Waterfront Festival and chatted about football and fast food.

Robb said he is confident he will defeat his three challengers in Tuesday's primary voting.

``Of course I'm not taking anything for granted. We're working right up to the last minute,'' Robb told reporters.

Registrars around the state report little interest in the primary among voters. Political analysts predict between 9 percent and 14 percent of Virginia's 2.9 million registered voters will show up.

Robb spent the weekend in Northern Virginia, where he lives and holds his major base of support. He planned to campaign in Richmond and Portsmouth today.

He said he stayed away from southwestern Virginia in deference to Sen. Virgil Goode Jr., a Franklin County conservative who is challenging Robb.

``I expect a good turnout (for him) particularly in the far southwestern part of the state. I expect he will do very well in his home area. As a courtesy I have not pushed too hard in that area.''

Goode campaigned Sunday in Hampton Roads because his campaign believes the region could be the key to Tuesday's election, Goode spokesman Craig Bieber said.

``We think we will carry the rural areas, Robb is strong in Northern Virginia, and it looks pretty even in the Richmond area. The big question mark is Hampton Roads,'' Goode said.

He said that while Hampton Roads has some of the same urban-suburban characteristics as Northern Virginia, it has a decidedly more blue-collar work force that might have more in common with rural Virginians.

``Those are people we think are going to make the difference in this election,'' Bieber said.

Goode campaigned at an arts festival in Newport News and a country music shindig in Virginia Beach.

Richmond lawyer Sylvia Clute and Nancy Spannaus, an associate of political extremist Lyndon LaRouche, also are challenging Robb in the primary.

{KEYWORDS} CAMPAIGN U.S. SENATE RACE DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY by CNB