THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, November 9, 1994 TAG: 9411090361
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A11 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ALEC KLEIN, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium: 88 lines
The band rang hollow, the ``OLLIE'' signs hung limp, and a pall of blank looks spread over the cavernous, quiet hall. The crowd knew it was over hours before Oliver L. North took the stage to concede defeat.
Still, as their candidate took the stage, the disheartened Republican faithful at the Richmond Center chanted, `` '96, '96,'' urging North to run again.
Defiant to the end, North conceded defeat Tuesday without mentioning his foe, incumbent U.S. Sen. Charles S. Robb.
``The real consequence of this campaign is not just the results of today's ballot,'' he said. ``Your eagerness to bring about real change is not going to fade from the national political landscape.''
North offered a subdued, supportive statement to his followers, a message that lacked the fiery edge of the campaign's final days.
``Count your blessings instead of your crosses. . . . Count your friends instead of your foes. . . . Count your health instead of your wealth . . . your God instead of yourself.''
``I can't believe how fickle and how stupid Virginia voters are,'' said Marj Praml, a Winchester substitute teacher whose eyes were red from crying. ``I get more intelligence out of my sixth-graders.''
Even after defeat was certain, North remained cloistered in his hotel room at The Jefferson Hotel in downtown Richmond. In the early evening, he got a haircut. Throughout, he was surrounded by his extended family.
``Things are a mess right now,'' said a close aide in North's room as the percentages failed to move.
Campaign spokesman Mark Merritt was not prepared to admit defeat until the final tallies trickled in. ``Wait for the mountain vote,'' he said of the state's western region.
About 2,000 North supporters mingled aimlessly on the floor of the convention center. There was no outward anger and there were few signs of the fervor the candidate invoked on the stump.
``I've gotten to the point I rarely drink anymore, but I felt like I really need one tonight,'' mumbled a supporter in the crowd.
With his hands buried deep in the pants pockets of his suit, Michael E. Layell of Henrico County lifted his eyes at the numbers flashing across the television monitor.
``It's still kind of early,'' the Christian bookstore clerk said hopefully. ``This is really important to me. I've been a Republican since I was in the ninth grade. It just hurts.''
Jason Major, a Richmond community college student, stayed up until 6:30 a.m. putting up 5,000 North signs with other college Republicans. ``When I was working the polls today, it seemed everyone was for North,'' he said, shaking his head. ``I can't believe it.''
Despite warnings that his run for the Senate could be problematic, North overcame concerns to win his party's nomination. Backed by evangelical groups, North defeated James C. Miller III, a former federal budget director in the Reagan administration, at the state GOP convention.
Even after his nomination, North found himself the target of constant sniping from Republican U.S. Sen. John W. Warner, who denounced North as a liar and a felon. Warner outraged state Republican leaders and put his career on the line by working against North.
North's honesty was also questioned by many of his former White House colleagues, including former President Ronald Reagan, former first lady Nancy Reagan and former National Security Council Chairman Robert C. McFarlane. Retired military leaders such as Gen. Colin Powell, former chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, and H. Norman Schwarzkopf, commander of operation Desert Storm, also questioned North's character.
North's strength proved to be his contact with voters: At campaign stops, he was a riveting speaker and a powerful fund-raiser. North's passionate speechmaking won deep loyalty from supporters, who turned out in huge numbers to meet him on the campaign trail.
Through a direct-mail enterprise, North raised $19 million in contributions - a record for a U.S. Senate race. Most of the money came from outside Virginia.
Rather than explain his past, North tried to turn the race into a referendum on the policies of President Bill Clinton. North assailed Robb for voting in support of Clinton 94 percent of the time in 1993 - including a $250 billion tax increase, reduction of defense funds and a plan to allow avowed homosexuals in the military. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Oliver North, with his wife, Betsy, was cheerful after voting
Tuesday morning. The mood changed at the end of the night.
KEYWORDS: U.S. SENATE RACE VIRGINIA CANDIDATES RESULTS by CNB