THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, April 15, 1995 TAG: 9504150287
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY TONI WHITT, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: PORTSMOUTH LENGTH: Medium: 52 lines
L. Louise Lucas, a freshman senator from Portsmouth, said she hopes to ``build on her successes'' with a second term in office.
In announcing her re-election campaign for the 18th District Senate seat, Lucas took credit for bringing five African-American judges to the bench in Portsmouth, Chesapeake, Suffolk and the Suffolk-Surry district.
``I hope in next term I'll be able to build on that,'' said Lucas. ``It's significant for members of the African-American community.''
Lucas, who was elected in a black-majority district, added: ``I'm elected with biracial support. I have very good cross-over support from the white community. Once elected I represent all the people in the district: black, white and Hispanic alike.''
In the past year, Lucas has focused some of her efforts on welfare reform for Virginia - even though she tried to defeat the bill in the end.
After making changes to Gov. George F. Allen's welfare proposal, the General Assembly passed the bill without Lucas' support in its session this year.
``I was holding out for the best bill,'' Lucas said. ``It's better than what the governor presented, but it's not the best. There are some things that concern me greatly. One is, two years and you're out,'' Lucas said, referring to Allen's proposal to limit welfare benefits to a two-year period.
``I'm not convinced we're going to create the jobs by then,'' Lucas said.
Lucas, 51, likened welfare to subsidies for businesses and farmers.
``I'm not saying cut out other subsidies,'' Lucas said. ``Those are much needed. I just don't want to see big business prosper and poor folks die. I'm still very much grass-roots oriented - there's always someone there to speak for the big guy.''
Lucas now sits on the Senate committees for education and health; local government; rehabilitation and social services; and transportation. She has a bachelor's degree in industrial education and a master's degree in urban affairs from Norfolk State University, where she is an associate professor and liaison for the federal workforce retraining program.
Even though she doesn't have any opposition for her seat, Lucas said, ``I still intend to run like I have 99 devils behind me.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo
State Sen. L. Louise Lucas. takes credit for bringing five
African-American judges to the bench in the 18th District.
KEYWORDS: VIRGINIA SENATE RACE CANDIDATE by CNB