THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, June 7, 1996 TAG: 9606070483
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: 29 lines
Democratic Senate candidate Mark R. Warner got the endorsement of his former rival for the nomination Thursday, the day before Democrats gather in Hampton to anoint Warner as their nominee.
Leslie Byrne, a former Northern Virginia congresswoman, abandoned her campaign after Warner swept local caucuses in April, but she had not endorsed him and had sharply criticized the nominating process.
``I hadn't been asked,'' Byrne said to explain her delay in endorsing Warner. She said he asked her last Friday.
``It's become clear there's not a dime's worth of difference between the Republican candidates,'' Byrne said in an interview.
``When it comes to protecting the environment and standing up for working people and education, Mark is clearly head and shoulders above what Republicans are offering,'' she said.
State Democratic Chairwoman Sue Wrenn said she expects about 2,500 delegates at the convention, which opens tonight. ILLUSTRATION: Mark Warner is expected to get the Democratic
nomination on Saturday.
KEYWORDS: ENDORSEMENT < by CNB