THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, November 12, 1995 TAG: 9511120113
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A7 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY TONY WHARTON, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 99 lines
Republicans may not have gained the majority they wanted in the state Senate on Tuesday, but their victories, particularly in Virginia Beach, could pay dividends for the Hampton Roads suburbs.
Most of Virginia Beach, Chesapeake and Suffolk are now represented by Republicans in the Senate, giving suburban Hampton Roads the potential for added clout in the jockeying for state money.
With Edward L. Schrock's GOP victory over Clarence A. ``Clancy'' Holland Tuesday, the 7th, 8th, 13th and 14th Senate seats are now all in Republican hands, which means South Hampton Roads suburbs make up one-fifth of the GOP's presence in the Senate.
Still, no one's ready to say that they are suddenly set to take over. Tuesday's election was the continuation a 10-year trend of suburban Hampton Roads picking Republicans.
And many urban Democratic leaders, such as Norfolk legislators Sen. Stanley Walker, president pro tem of the Senate, and Del. Thomas Moss, speaker of the House, kept their seats and their power.
So what does Tuesday's election mean for the region? Who are these senators, and what influence are they likely to exert?
``I can't help but see the suburbs benefiting,'' said Jeffrey Breit, Democratic Party chairman of the 2nd congressional district, which includes parts of Norfolk and Virginia Beach.
``There's strong support for the suburbs from Dickie Cranwell, a Democrat who has often pressed for suburban rights.
``With Hunter Andrews gone, Cranwell is now much more likely to reach out to Republicans in the Senate. And when you add the fact of Ken Stolle having significantly more power, I see a lot of pressure rising for suburban relief.''
Richard Cranwell is majority leader of the House of Delegates and is often the point person for negotiations between the two chambers.
Stolle was re-elected to his 8th District seat without opposition and has a close working relationship with Gov. George F. Allen.
And the relief Breit refers to generally means money: more money for schools and roads, in particular.
``The suburban cities are growth cities, which means they have a heavy infrastructure need,'' Chesapeake Mayor William E. Ward said. ``They need an infusion of dollars for school construction, road construction, and in some cases water and sewer.''
He is hoping the new Senate, and the General Assembly overall, will be more likely to support funding for projects such as improvements to Virginia Route 168 and U.S. 17.
``We better get help,'' said David Hummel, Republican chairman for the 2nd District. ``We're a cul-de-sac down here. We have the world's best natural port, and if we don't have a way to get people and freight in and out of here quickly, especially down to Raleigh-Durham, we're going to choke.''
Stolle said that because regional interests often drive the General Assembly, regardless of partisan politics, ``suburban legislators often are drawn together from different parts of the state regardless of what party they are.''
``So, to that extent,'' he said, ``if Dickie Cranwell can get together with Senate Republicans, it will probably be on two kinds of bills, regional and philosophical. And if we can agree on regional issues that affect Virginia, that's good.''
There are opposing economic and political forces. Cranwell, for instance, also is expected to push the issue of disparity funding for rural school districts. And everyone acknowledges that this year, at least, Virginia's budget is too tight to expect much. But their hopes are up.
Those hopes are pinned in particular on the increasing influence of both Stolle and Chesapeake's Sen. Mark L. Earley.
After two terms, Earley has built a reputation for being able to reach out to Democrats and work through policy differences. In a Senate split 20-20 between Republicans and Democrats, that skill should be in demand.
``Depends on where the Senate wants to go,'' Norfolk Republican Chairman George E. Schaefer III said. ``Are they going to be conciliatory? Are they going to be aggressive?
``If it's going to be conciliation, then a guy like Mark Earley is worth an awful lot.''
Earley, typically low-key, said, ``I hope I can continue to work with people on both sides of the aisle. That's important regardless of how the balance of power is.''
Stolle, although he's served only one term, has built influence by raising money and allying himself with Allen. Plus, he represents a populous, very Republican city.
``Ken's on a rocket,'' Schaefer said. ``His political standing has risen dramatically. And much of that influence Ken has is derived from the weight of the Beach.''
Hummel noted that Republicans also picked up Andrews' seat in Hampton, not suburban but certainly part of Hampton Roads.
``Before it was Stolle and Earley against everybody else,'' Hummel said. ``Now it will be a unified team with some agreed-upon goals.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photos
From left, Sens. Mark Earley, Fred Quayle, Ed Schrock and Ken Stolle
further the trend of suburban Hampton Roads going Republican.
KEYWORDS: VIRGINIA STATE SENATE by CNB