THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, July 26, 1996 TAG: 9607260491
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY WARREN FISKE, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: 38 lines
State Sen. Mark L. Earley of Chesapeake, a leading social conservative in state government, said Thursday that he plans to run for attorney general next year.
``I am a candidate,'' said Earley, a Republican who turns 42 today. He said his eight years of legislative experience will allow him to bring ``a certain amount of maturity in dealing with policy'' to the office.
He becomes the second Hampton Roads lawmaker to enter the GOP primary race for attorney general, joining Senate colleague Kenneth W. Stolle of Virginia Beach. Also running is Gil Davis, a Northern Virginia lawyer whose client, Paula Jones, is pressing sexual harassment charges against President Clinton. The primary is June 10.
Earley, a lawyer, pledged to run the attorney general's office ``without favoritism or partisanship'' and to defend any challenge to recent state policies that toughened criminal sentencing and tightened welfare requirements.
In recent years Earley has led unsuccessful efforts to enact parental consent laws before teenagers could receive abortions. He said he would continue to promote such legislation as attorney general. A key adviser to his campaign is Anne Kincaid, one of the state's most visible anti-abortion lobbyists, he said.
``It seems to me over the last decade that the sanctity of life has been an issue in almost every campaign, and I expect it will be in this one,'' Earley said. ``At least I have the luxury of people knowing where I stand. I'm very pro-life.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Chesapeake's Mark Earley is the second local senator to announce,
after the Beach's Kenneth Stolle.
KEYWORDS: CANDIDATE ATTORNEY GENERAL VIRGINIA by CNB