THE LEDGER-STAR
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, September 15, 1994 TAG: 9409150703
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JEAN McNAIR, ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Short : 48 lines
As two polls showed him losing ground in his independent Senate bid, L. Douglas Wilder abandoned his campaign today.
An unnamed adviser to the former Democratic governor told the Richmond Times-Dispatch that Wilder opted to withdraw from the four-way race because the poor showing in the polls made it impossible to raise enough money for television ads.
``The polls did it,'' the adviser said. ``This late in the game, perception is everything.''
Wilder abruptly scrapped his campaign schedule Wednesday and returned to Richmond.
Wilder's withdrawal leaves the field to Democratic Sen. Charles S. Robb, Republican Oliver North and independent Marshall Coleman.
Michael G. Brown, secretary of the state Board of Elections, said that Wilder's name probably would remain on ballots, since they are already being printed.
Wilder withdrew from a health care forum in Salem and canceled what had been billed as a major address in Roanoke Wednesday. He also canceled events planned for today and Friday.
Wilder, who in 1990 became the nation's first elected black governor, has a history of dramatic campaign announcements. He entered the presidential race in September 1991 but announced in a statewide televised address four months later that he was withdrawing to attend to state budget problems.
Last year, Wilder said he would challenge Robb, his longtime rival. Then Wilder announced in his farewell State of the Commonwealth address that he would stay out of the race. Six months later, he was back in as an independent, pledging to remain in the race until the end. ILLUSTRATION: Color Photo
Trailing badly in the polls, ex-Gov. L. Douglas Wilder abruptly
scrapped his campaign schedule and returned to Richmond.
KEYWORDS: U.S. SENATE RACE CANDIDATE POLL WITHDRAWAL by CNB