THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, June 15, 1994 TAG: 9406150504
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A8 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY TONY WHARTON, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: 940615 LENGTH: Medium
Chapman's victory was calculated in small numbers: Only about 12 percent of the registered voters turned out in Virginia Beach and 16 percent in Norfolk. And of those, most voted in the other primary of the day, the contest for the Democratic nomination to the U.S. Senate.
{REST} ``It was a big win today and very gratifying,'' Chapman, 37, said after learning he had out-polled Wagner with about 60 percent of the vote. ``It gives us a tremendous amount of momentum for November.
``I think we just outworked him. Folks knew I ran a good campaign in 1992 and knew I was energized to run a good, winning campaign in 1994.''
Wagner, 38, said: ``He turned out his support better than I turned out mine. What more can you say?''
Chapman's support, Wagner said, came from the religious right. ``Obviously,'' Wagner said. ``That's going to be a consistent thing, no doubt about it. Not enough moderates turned out. Even though I've got a pretty conservative voting record.''
Chapman said he ``pulled from all segments of the party. A 60 percent win is a big-tent win.''
He lost to Pickett in 1992 with 45 percent of the vote. But that gives him a boost going into this race, Chapman said: ``As a party, where we've had success is when we've run the same person against an incumbent more than once. Newt Gingrich ran three times in Georgia before he won.''
Chapman and Wagner have spent weeks trying to wake up voters to the fact that there was a Republican primary in the 2nd District. The district covers nearly all of Virginia Beach and a large chunk of Norfolk.
The two men are similar in politics but different in style. Chapman is the polished lawyer who always wears a dark blue suit. Wagner is called the ``Joe Sixpack'' of local Republicans and is much more likely to be found in a rugby shirt with a large soft drink in his hand.
Each man tried to show that he is the ``true conservative.'' Chapman is more ideological, Wagner more pragmatic.
They took similar positions on restraining the growth of government and keeping taxes down, but they parted company on social issues. Chapman is further to the right on many of those, opposing abortion and gun control. Wagner supports abortion rights and has voted for some gun control measures.
Chapman out-spent Wagner, raising $74,692 to Wagner's $28,802, according to reports filed June 2 with the Virginia State Board of Elections. Chapman also reported having more cash on hand - $24,927 compared with Wagner's $4,919.
In Norfolk, Chapman was far more visible, showing up at everything from Ocean View civic leagues to the Nauticus opening on the waterfront. Wagner, an engineering consultant to shipyards, stuck to campaigning in Virginia Beach, his home base as a state delegate from the 21st District.
Chapman argued he was the candidate who could beat Pickett because he picked up 45 percent of the vote in 1992, the best GOP showing ever. Republicans gained strength in the 2nd District when redistricting moved more than 60 percent of Norfolk's black population to the new, black-majority 3rd District.
{KEYWORDS} ELECTION REPUBLICAN PRIMARY RESULTS SECOND CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT
by CNB