THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, December 15, 1995 TAG: 9512150532
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Short : 41 lines
Republican Del. J. Randy Forbes of Chesapeake, a close ally of Gov. George Allen, said Wednesday he will run for state Republican Party chairman.
The current chairman, Patrick M. McSweeney, is not running for re-election after one term.
Republicans will choose a new chairman at a convention in June in Salem.
Forbes said Attorney General James S. Gilmore III, Secretary of Administration Mike Thomas, and the House minority leader, Del. S. Vance Wilkins Jr. of Amherst, have endorsed him.
Thomas withdrew his candidacy for the post after McSweeney and other Republicans said there could be a conflict between his political duties and responsibility to taxpayers if he were elected.
Forbes, 43, has served in the House of Delegates since 1990. He is a lawyer.
Forbes said he has not talked with Allen about the chairmanship.
Ken Stroupe, Allen's press secretary, said ``there are a lot of good names being mentioned,'' but the governor has endorsed no one.
``Randy Forbes has been a tremendous ally of the governor in the General Assembly, and we are certain he would be a tremendous ally as party chairman,'' Stroupe said.
Other possible candidates are retiring Secretary of Health and Human Resources Kay James and Norfolk lawyer James Chapman, who lost bids for Congress in 1992 and 1994. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Del. J. Randy Forbes of Chesapeake says he has the support of
powerful Republican state leaders.
by CNB