THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, September 17, 1996 TAG: 9609170325
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: 47 lines
Seven months after announcing he would leave Congress to spend more time with his family, Democrat L.F. Payne embarked on yet another political campaign - this time for lieutenant governor.
Payne announced his candidacy Monday at the Nelson County courthouse and at the Capitol, where he hopes to spend the winters of 1998-2001 presiding over the state Senate and perhaps positioning himself for a run for governor.
``Having grown up in Virginia, there is certainly no greater honor that can be bestowed upon anyone than to be governor of Virginia,'' Payne said when asked whether he wanted to be governor. He said his focus now is on winning state government's No. 2 job, but he left open the possibility of running for governor later.
Payne, 51, was elected to the 5th District seat in Congress in June 1988 after Rep. Dan Daniel died. While representing one of Virginia's most conservative areas, Payne supported President Clinton's 1993 tax increase but fought tobacco taxes and gun control. He narrowly won re-election in 1994 and announced in February that he would not seek another term.
The developer of the Wintergreen ski resort said he intended to return home to Nelson County to concentrate on his business and spend more time with his family, but Democratic leaders urged him to run for lieutenant governor.
``I think it is going to be a very challenging and grueling experience, but I will be able to spend a lot more time in Virginia than I have. I will be able to spend more time at home,'' he said.
Sen. Richard Saslaw of Fairfax County, Democratic leader in the evenly divided 40-member state Senate, said it is crucial for Democrats to keep the lieutenant governorship. The lieutenant governor breaks tie votes in the Senate.
Democratic Lt. Gov. Donald S. Beyer Jr. is the party's likely nominee for governor next year.
Payne is the first Democrat to declare for lieutenant governor. Former state education secretary James Dyke said Monday he is close to deciding whether to enter the race.
Republicans who are considering running for lieutenant governor are longtime party official John Hager of Richmond, Fairfax County business executive T. Coleman Andrews and Del. Jay Katzen of Warrenton. ILLUSTRATION: L.F. Payne
KEYWORDS: CANDIDATE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR by CNB