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

DATE: THURSDAY, June 16, 1994                    TAG: 9406160022 
SECTION: FRONT                     PAGE: A18    EDITION: FINAL  
SOURCE: Medium 
DATELINE: 940616                                 LENGTH:

THE RACE BEGINS

{LEAD} The complaint one normally hears from voters at election time is that there's no one to vote for. ``Not a dime's worth of difference between 'em,'' was former Alabama Gov. George Wallace's famed assessment of his major party rivals. Lack of choices, however, won't be a problem this November. Four major candidates are almost certain to be on the ballot, setting up the most interesting Senate race in Virginia history and one of the most rip-roaring anywhere since the direct election of senators began in 1912.

Incumbent Democratic Sen. Charles Robb won his primary Tuesday with close to 60 percent of the vote over three rivals. That would be a good showing for most politicians. But when Robb ran the first time six years ago, the very mention of his name sent potential opponents scurrying for cover. Incumbent GOP Sen. Paul Trible ran from the race with his tail between his legs. And the task of lying down in front of the Robb bulldozer was left to a hapless preacher named Maurice Dawkins.

{REST} Robb has indeed been badly damaged by accusations from former staffers that he attended parties at which cocaine was used and he has admitted to marital problems in a tortured and roundabout way. Three staffers pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy in disseminating a tape of Gov. L. Douglas Wilder making disparaging remarks about Robb on his car phone. Robb himself might have joined them had he not been allowed (twice) to tell his story to a grand jury.

But Robb has not let these difficulties overwhelm him, and state Sen. Virgil Goode could not, by and large, budge the party machinery away from its support of Robb's candidacy. That speaks well of Robb's basic strength as a politician, which is why Republicans should not be rubbing their hands too vigorously at the senator's survival. Oliver North's own well-advertised problems could more than cancel out Robb's.

Then there's former Governor Wilder and former Attorney General and perennial candidate J. Marshall Coleman, both of whom are all but certain to enter the race as independents. Wilder has twice demonstrated his ability to win statewide against heavy odds, but his abortive presidential race highlighted what many consider Wilder's weakest point: a titanic ego. Coleman, who dueled bloodily with Wilder in the 1989 race, hasn't won since 1977 and risks being labeled the ``Harold Stassen of Virginia politics.''

But one thing Virginians will have is a choice. All of the candidates have differing philosophies and political priorities as well as problems. So instead of echoing the pundits and sighing about the senate race, Virginians should welcome the likelihood of a real knock-down, drag-out brawl. The increased fragmentation of politics worldwide in the post-Cold War era means this type of race is likely to be more common in the future. Virginia is well-placed as any to lead the way.

{KEYWORDS} U.S. SENATE RACE CANDIDATE

by CNB