THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, November 11, 1995 TAG: 9511110540
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY DAVID M. POOLE AND LISE OLSEN, STAFF WRITERS
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium: 94 lines
State Sen. Madison E. Marye once got along just fine with campaigns that consisted of bumper stickers, brochures and some folksy radio commercials.
Those homespun tactics were not enough this year as Marye's district in Southwest Virginia was targeted as part of a Republican attempt to grab control of the Virginia Senate.
Marye, 69, survived by adapting to the demands of a modern campaign. He hired pollsters, acquired computerized mailing lists, retained a media consultant and even rented one of those newfangled cellular telephones.
All of this costs money - way more than the cattle farmer would have imagined spending in his previous six campaigns. Marye penned a single check, $23,538 for television time, that almost equaled the entire amount he spent in his most expensive contest previously.
The competitive nature of this week's General Assembly elections drove the cost of admission to the legislature to unprecedented levels:
Seventy-two candidates raised more than $100,000, more than triple the number of candidates who broke that plateau four years ago when all seats were on the ballot.
Legislative candidates already had raised $18.7 million one week before the election, up from $10.3 million spent by all candidates in 1991.
In the House of Delegates, lawmakers with major party challengers raised an average of $94,695, more than double what incumbents in similar situations spent four years ago.
These figures - based on a Virginian-Pilot computer analysis of campaign activity through Oct. 25 - will rise next month when candidates provide a final accounting of campaign expenses.
``I'm not surprised,'' because there were more tight races this year, said Scott Leake, director of the Joint Republican Legislative Caucus. ``When someone is in a competitive race, they raise money and raise money until they can't raise any more.''
The skyrocketing expenditures could renew calls for campaign spending limits. Virginia is one of eight states with no limits on campaign contributions.
Democratic lawmakers who had been cool to limits saw firsthand how big-dollar Republican contributors can reshape a campaign. The most dramatic example was in the Roanoke Valley, where two wealthy brothers gave $80,000 each to GOP opponents of Democratic Dels. C. Richard Cranwell and Clifton A. ``Chip'' Woodrum.
Paul Goldman, a former Democratic Party chairman, said Democrats should seize upon campaign finance reform as a major issue in the upcoming General Assembly session.
Such reforms, Goldman said, would protect Democrats from high-rolling Republican money in the future and earn Democrats credit for trying to tame the shrill, negative campaigns that hit every mailbox and every television this fall.
``People are sick of it,'' he said. ``The Democrats should seize the high ground.''
Del. George H. Heilig Jr., D-Norfolk, raised nearly $200,000 - making him one of the best-funded House candidates. But that does not make him relish the thought of doing it again; he said he would support some kind of cap.
Heilig said he hoped this year's big money races would not recur.
``With the numbers so close and control hanging in the balance there's a lot more effort and a lot more concentration on Virginia,'' he said. ``I certainly hope this might be the end of it.''
The Nov. 7 General Assembly elections were the most expensive because for the first time Republicans had a chance to take control of the legislature. Both sides raised the stakes: It was common for challengers to spend more than what a well-funded incumbent used to spend.
All of the money did not guarantee success. Four years ago, state Sen. Edgar S. Robb spent $70,000 as a challenger and won. This year, he spent $250,000 as an incumbent and lost.
Senate Majority Leader Hunter B. Andrews of Hampton outpaced all candidates with more than $400,000 and lost. Virginia Beach Sen. C.A. ``Clancy'' Holland also lost, despite spending more than $250,000.
Andrews and Holland lost to challengers who each received more than $50,000 in last-minute support from the Republican Party.
In Montgomery County, Marye spent $98,296 through Oct. 25, more than three times his previous record of $30,000.
In South Hampton Roads, Sen. Richard J. Holland was in a similar situation. Holland is a banker from rural Isle of Wight County. He had never been opposed and didn't really know how to go about raising big money. He learned, bringing in $167,000 to save his seat.
``He was only opposed in his first race 16 years ago,'' said Richard Keeling, Holland's campaign manager. ``He'd never had any (big) money before last November.'' Times have changed. ILLUSTRATION: [Color Graphic]
The Virginian-Pilot
Number of candidates who raised more than $100,000
KEYWORDS: POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS CAMPAIGN FINANCING
by CNB