THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, November 9, 1995 TAG: 9511080246
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 04 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Election '95
SOURCE: BY MARC DAVIS, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Long : 112 lines
In the end, the black vote may have doomed Randy Wright to defeat.
An analysis of Tuesday's election results for Norfolk Circuit Court clerk shows that black voters deserted Wright, the Democrat, in just enough numbers to throw the election to Republican Albert Teich.
Teich, a 66-year-old downtown lawyer, won the election with only a plurality of the vote, 47.7 percent, not an outright majority. Instead, it was another candidate, independent Malcolm Gaines, who won just enough votes in the majority-black precincts to give Teich the election.
``The black vote is very effective here in Norfolk,'' said Gaines, the only black candidate. ``It didn't give me the victory, but it was the decisive factor in keeping Randy Wright out of office.''
Wright, who got 33 percent of the vote, did not agree. He cited other factors in his election night concession speech and in a post-election interview.
Foremost, Wright said, voters wanted to keep him on City Council.
``Too many people came up to me today (Tuesday) and said, `We don't want you to leave City Council,' '' Wright told about 50 supporters in a post-election speech. ``Evidently there were a whole lot more of them out there than I thought.''
He also blamed Teich's negative campaigning. Throughout the campaign, Teich hammered on two points: Wright's lack of experience in the courthouse and Wright's alleged threat to introduce partisan politics into the clerk's office.
``The voters of Norfolk said yes to negative campaigning and negative advertising,'' Wright told his supporters.
Teich has acknowledged all along that his chief motive for running was to keep Wright out of the courthouse. He said it again Tuesday night, after the results were in.
``I would not have run for the job at all except for (Wright),'' Teich said. ``He didn't have the qualifications, and he didn't have the experience.''
Teich also repeated a vow he made several times on the campaign trail: There will be no purge of the clerk's staff. Teich has said repeatedly that he likes the way Clerk William Ryan runs the office.
``They're a good staff,'' Teich said Tuesday night. ``I've told them already that if I'm elected I plan on keeping all of them.''
A precinct-by-precinct analysis shows how Teich won - and how Wright lost.
Wright, 49, is a popular City Councilman with a loyal constituency in Ocean View and other white neighborhoods. But he knew he needed a large chunk of the black vote to win. Normally in Norfolk, that vote goes overwhelmingly to the Democrat.
Wright, however, knew he would have to work harder. Some blacks already held a grudge against him for leading opposition to a rezoning for Calvary Revival Church on Little Creek Road in 1993 and '94.
``I had a lot to overcome with the black community,'' Wright acknowledged Tuesday night. ``It was an uphill climb. . . . I never had any illusions of getting more than 50 percent of the black vote anyway, and I got that.''
But the real surprise was Gaines, a political unknown from Lamberts Point who was endorsed by Councilman Paul Riddick, Bishop L.E. Willis and the Rainbow Coalition.
Gaines, who got 13.7 percent of the vote, won nine of Norfolk's 19 majority-black precincts. Later, he said he might run for City Council next year.
If Gaines had not been a candidate, and if almost all his 5,025 votes had gone to Wright - not unreasonable for most Democratic candidates - the election would have been a dead heat between Wright and Teich.
A fourth candidate, independent Ben Rogerson, got 3.5 percent of the vote.
Gaines said he was glad to see Wright defeated. That was one of his goals in entering the race, Gaines said: ``So that was a victory in itself.''
Norfolk Republican Chairman Wayne Nunnally blamed Democrats for trying to force Wright onto an unwilling public.
``It's proof the so-called nonpartisan City Council are marked men,'' Nunnally said. ``They cannot force incompetence down the throat of the people. They will pay for it in the next election.''
Teich said the political bickering will end when he takes office Jan. 1.
``Partisan politics,'' Teich said, ``stops at the door to the courthouse.'' ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by CHRISTOPHER REDDICK
A victorious Al Teich is all smiles at Norfolk's GOP headquarters.
Staff photo by MOTOYA NAKAMURA
With his wife Arlene alongside, Randy Wright addresses his
supporters.
AL TEICH'S POLITICAL CAREER
1969: Leaves Democratic Party to join the Republicans.
``Through the last few years I have become more and more
uncomfortable with many of what I call the ultra-liberal views of
more and more of the members, officeholders and would-be
officeholders.''
1971: Wins House of Delegates election - first Republican to win
in Norfolk this century - finishes fifth among 13 candidates - top
seven win House seats.
``Gone are the days (when Virginians) bow down to one-party
rule.''
1973: Loses re-election bid - finishes behind six Democrats.
``Naturally I am disappointed, but let me say that Al Teich will
still be alive and kicking in Norfolk politics.''
1974: Named Norfolk Republican Party chairman.
1975: Loses State Senate election to Joe Fitzpatrick, Stanley
Walker and Peter Babalas.
1995: Wins Circuit Court clerk election against Democrat Randy
Wright and two independent candidates.
``I've won, I've lost, I've won, I've lost, I've struggled.
Losing didn't kill me, but it's better to win.''
KEYWORDS: ELECTION RESULTS NORFOLK CLERK'S RACE by CNB