THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, December 20, 1995 TAG: 9512200445
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY DAVID M. POOLE, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Long : 201 lines
Candidates spent more than $20 million in General Assembly elections this year, more than twice as much as spent in races four years ago.
``Everyone must be appalled,'' said Del. Marian Van Landingham, an Alexandria Democrat who heads a panel that considers campaign finance laws.
Yet the exponential spending surge is not expected to stir the 1996 General Assembly to put a clamp on campaign contributions.
There remains a consensus among lawmakers that limiting the amount of money from any one individual or corporation will not work because contributors will find ways to skirt the law.
Lt. Gov. Donald S. Beyer Jr. noted that when Maryland imposed a $4,000 limit, people began listing gifts under the names of spouses, children and co-workers.
``Everybody is good for $4,000,'' he said.
Instead of setting limits, the General Assembly is more likely to strengthen enforcement of existing disclosure laws. A Virginian-Pilot analysis this fall showed candidates routinely fail to report occupations and employers for people who give more than $100.
Van Landingham said her committee would recommend budget amendments to computerize campaign finance reports and ensure the Board of Elections has enough staff to monitor compliance.
``One of the best things we can do is to get that office shaped up,'' she said.
Virginia is one of eight states where the sky is the limit for campaign contributions. The wide-open nature of the system was on full display this fall as Democrats and Republicans fought an unprecedented battle for control of the General Assembly.
Candidates for the 140 seats reported spending a total of $20.9 million through Nov. 30, according to the Virginian-Pilot computer analysis of campaign finance reports.
That is more than twice as much as the $10.2 million that candidates spent in 1991, the most recent year when all seats were up for re-election.
One indicator of increased spending is that membership in the once-exclusive $100,000 club became almost commonplace. One-quarter of major party candidates for the House of Delegates and 60 percent in the Senate spent $100,000 or more.
Another development was the influence of so-called ``jumbo'' contributors who - with the stroke of a pen - were able to change the dynamics of individual races.
In the Roanoke Valley, Edward and Peter Via wrote checks totaling $100,000 for two GOP challengers to Democratic Dels. C.A. ``Chip'' Woodrum and C. Richard Cranwell.
On the statewide level, Smithfield Foods pitched $125,000 to Gov. George F. Allen's ill-fated bid to overthrow the legislative Democrats.
The contribution generated headlines because it came at a time when the Allen administration was deciding whether to levy fines against Smithfield for water pollution violations.
Del. James H. Dillard II, a Fairfax County Republican, is one lawmaker who is troubled by six-figure contributions.
``Although we say it's providing access, realistically you have to ask if they'll get more than access, but special consideration,'' Dillard said.
Still, Dillard is no fan of contribution limits. He would rather see big corporate money offset by greater numbers of individuals giving $15 and $25.
Dillard will be back next year with legislation that would provide small campaign contributors with tax breaks of up to $50 for individuals and $100 for families. His bill passed the House of Delegates, but was never considered by the Senate Finance Committee.
``The real solution to campaign finance reform is to get the public more involved,'' he said. MEMO: CAMPAIGN SPENDING IN SELECTED RACES
5 MOST COSTLY RACES: STATEWIDE
IN THE SENATE
1. $602,844 - ROBB-COURIC
25th district: Charlottesville; counties of Albemarle, Greene,
Madison and Nelson; part of Orange County
EDGAR S. ROBB, R (incumbent): $288,208
* EMILY COURIC, D: $292,586
DONAL DAY, I: $12,345
ERIC P. STRZEPEK, I: $9,705
2. $595,906 - ANDREWS-WILLIAMS
1st district: Poquoson; part of Newport News, Hampton and York
County.
HUNTER B. ANDREWS, D (incumbent): $411,987
* M.E. ``MARTY'' WILLIAMS, R: $183,919
3. $546,848 - GARTLAN-PARRIS
36th district: Southeastern Fairfax County
* JOSEPH V. GARTLAN JR., D (incumbent): $275,511
STANFORD E. PARRIS, R: $271,337
4. $530,545 - CROSS-BOLLING
4th district: counties of Richmond, Hanover, Caroline, Essex, King
and Queen, King Williams, Mathews, Middlesex and New Kent; part of
Gloucester County.
ELMO G. CROSS JR., D (incumbent): $232,615
* W.T. ``BILL'' BOLLING, R: $297,930
5. $503,296 - HOLLAND-SCHROCK
7TH DISTRICT: NORTHWESTERN VIRGINIA BEACH
C.A. ``CLANCY'' HOLLAND, D (incumbent): $297,728
* EDWARD L. SCHROCK, R: $205,568
HOUSE OF DELEGATES
1. $562,621 - CRANWELL-AVERILL
14th district: Craig County and parts of the counties of Roanoke,
Bedford and Botetourt
* C. RICHARD CRANWELL, D (incumbent): $309,305
TRIXIE AVERILL, R: $253,316
2. $482,502** - MCEACHIN-PRIOR
74th district: part of Richmond and counties of Henrico and Charles
City
* A. DONALD MCEACHIN, D (incumbent): $233,630
GORDON PRIOR, R: $248,872
3. $389,010 - WOODRUM-FALKINBURG
16th district: portions of Roanoke and Roanoke County
* C.A. ``CHIP'' WOODRUM, D (incumbent): $177,220
NEWELL R. FALKINBURG, R: $211,790
4. $378,067 - DIAMONSTEIN-FACE
94th district: part of Newport News
* ALAN A. DIAMONSTEIN, D (incumbent): $314,864
S. ALLEN FACE III, R: $63,203
5. $374,175 - MOSS-SHERILL
88th district: part of Norfolk
* THOMAS W. MOSS JR., D (incumbent): $358,672
JAY SHERRILL, R: $14,668
MARK YATROFSKY, I: $835
HAMPTON ROADS SPENDING
SENATE
5th district: southern Norfolk and northern Chesapeake< * YVONNE
B. MILLER, D (incumbent): $51,116
BRUCE A. WILCOX, R: $30,362
6th district: northeastern Norfolk and northwestern Virginia Beach
* STANLEY C. WALKER, D (incumbent): $194,828
DIMITRIOS N. RERRAS, R: $51,881
7th district: northwestern Virginia Beach
C.A. ``CLANCY'' HOLLAND, D (incumbent): $297,728
* EDWARD L. SCHROCK, R: $205,568
13th district: northwestern Portsmouth; Northern Suffolk;
Northwestern Chesapeake; Surry County; Eastern Prince George and
Northern Isle of Wight
* FREDERICK M. QUAYLE, R (incumbent): $144,414
JOHNNY S. JOANNOU, D: $165,822
15th district: western Suffolk, central Isle of Wight County and
various localities west to Appomattox County
* RICHARD J. HOLLAND, D (incumbent): $169,604
JERRY B. FLOWERS III, R: $110,856
18th district: southeastern Portsmouth; western Chesapeake; southern
Suffolk and various localities west to Halifax County.
* LOUISE L. LUCAS, D (incumbent): $103,408
FRANK M. SLAYTON, I $52,728
HOUSE OF DELEGATES
86th district: part of Norfolk
* GEORGE H. HEILIG JR., D (incumbent): $206,344
GEORGE SCHAEFFER, R: $22,449
87th district: part of Norfolk and Virginia Beach
HOWARD E. COPELAND, D (incumbent) $142,652
* THELMA DRAKE, R: $90,374
88th district: part of Norfolk
* THOMAS W. MOSS JR., D (incumbent): $358,672
JAY SHERRILL, R: $14,668
MARK YATROFSKY, I: $835
83rd district: part of Virginia Beach
* LEO C. WARDRUP, R: (incumbent): $66,448
PHILLIP J. GEIB, D: $45,075
79th district: parts of Chesapeake, Portsmouth and Suffolk
* WILLIAM S. MOORE JR., D (incumbent): $122,959
DANIEL EVANS, R: $57,337
80th district: parts of Portsmouth and Chesapeake
* KENNETH R. MELVIN, D (incumbent): $94,181 +
F.E. ``DUTCH'' ANDREWS, R: $12,046
SYMBOLS
+ through Oct. 25 filing
* winner
** does not include money spent by opponent in democratic primary
KEYWORDS: CAMPAIGN FINANCES CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTION by CNB