THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, September 29, 1996 TAG: 9609280503
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SERIES: Decision 96
LENGTH: 101 lines
Virginians who haven't yet settled on their favorite Warner in this year's U.S. Senate contest can reap a little unadulterated insight tonight, (SUNDAY) as both candidates appear in a live, televised forum.
Held at The College of William and Mary's University Center, the debate will feature Democrat Mark Warner and Republican John Warner fielding questions from panels of Virginians from across the state. Ken Bode, host of "Washington Week in Review," will be moderator.
It will not be the candidates' first head-to-head meeting. Both appeared at a Virginia Bar Association forum this summer.
But with the Nov. 5 election just more than a month away, and incumbent John Warner finishing this year's session on Capitol Hill, the debate should kick-off an all-out stump to election day.
And for all the media attention and partisan advertising the campaign will spawn, tonight's debate could be one of the Warners' best hopes for bending the voters' resolve.
When the independent Media Studies Center polled voters about the presidential campaign earlier this month, citizens made clear their most trusted source of information about candidates - live debates, unfiltered by the media.
Sunday's debate will be broadcast at 8 p.m. on all of Virginia's public television stations. It also will be simulcast on several Virginia radio stations.
The Senate program will be followed at 9 p.m. by a live debate among congressional leaders, broadcast from the floor of the colonial House of Burgesses in Williamsburg.
The participants will be House Speaker Newt Gingrich and Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, both Republicans, and House Minority Leader Richard Gephardt and Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle, both Democrats. MARK WARNER TOUCHES BASE WITH TOUCHSTONE CONSTITUENCIES
Democrat Mark Warner enjoyed his final days of campaigning mostly solo last week, as Republican John Warner finished his business in the Senate and prepared to toe the campaign trail full-time.
And much of that time he spent shoring up voters who are historically among his party's most reliable supporters.
Twice last week, Mark Warner attended "Women Choose Mark" luncheons, championing women's issues to groups of female supporters in Richmond and Arlington. Generally considered an easy sell for Democrats, Virginia's women voters are this year supporting the Republican Warner by an 11-point margin, one poll shows.
Also last week, Mark Warner twice visited historically black universities, encouraging voter registration and handing out literature describing John Warner as an opponent of affirmative action and social programs.
The visits came after former Gov. L. Douglas Wilder, the nation's first elected black governor, stumped for Mark Warner and agreed to continue through election day.
The Democrat fares better among African American voters than among women, the poll by Mason-Dixon Political/Media research shows. Some 54 percent support him, compared to 23 for John Warner. Another 23 percent were undecided.
Still, those numbers are considerably lower than most Democrats have enjoyed from African Americans.
"It's because Mark's still getting his name out there and his recognition up. He's doing the right thing paying particular attention," said Del. Donald McEachin, an African-American legislator who campaigned with Mark Warner at Virginia Union University Monday.
"In the next few weeks, I think you'll see him getting the kind of support from the African-American community that most Democrats have been able to count on." ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Former Gov. L. Douglas Wilder
Chart
BY THE NUMBERS
If the 1996 election for Virginia's U.S. Senate seat were held
today, would you vote for Mark Warner, the Democrat, or John Warner,
the Republican? (Source: Mason-Dixon Political/Media Research poll
of 809 registered voters conducted Sep. 14-16.)
Men: John Warner, 59%, Mark Warner, 30%, Undecided, 11%.
Women: 49% 38% 13%.
White voters: 60% 30% 10%
Black voters: 23% 54% 23%
Overall: 54% 34% 12%
THIS WEEK IN HAMPTON ROADS
For complete information see microfilm
Graphic
HOW TO REACH THE CAMPAIGNS
John Warner
Telephone: 703-549-9696
Web Site: http://www.warner96.com/
E-Mail: warner warner96.com
Mark Warner
Telephone: 1-800-637-mark and 804-342-1996
Web Site: http://www.markwarner96.org/
E-Mail: info markwarner96.org
HOW TO PARTICIPATE
Election Day is Nov. 5
Deadline for Voter Registration is Monday, Oct. 7 by CNB