DATE: Thursday, March 20, 1997              TAG: 9703200006

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B10  EDITION: FINAL 

TYPE: Editorial 

                                            LENGTH:   28 lines

ATTORNEY GENERAL CULLEN COULD STEP IN

Former U.S. Attorney Richard Cullen, who held the edge in the GOP race for attorney general before dropping out last year, may get to fill the post anyway.

His reason for abandoning the campaign was not lack of interest in the job. It was unwillingness to give up more than a year of his life to run for office.

Now, Cullen is considered the odds-on favorite to serve out the unexpired term of Attorney General James S. Gilmore III should Gilmore decide to leave office while he runs for governor. Even Bill Dolan, who is seeking the Democratic nomination, recently touted Cullen for the job.

Gov. George F. Allen will name a replacement if Gilmore steps down.

Leaving has been the custom of past attorneys general. However, nothing compels Gilmore to give up the post save the advantage of being able to campaign full time.

Nor should it. This is Gilmore's call.

However, if he leaves, Cullen would be an able overseer of the office. And Virginia would get a taste of what it missed by having campaign seasons that are excessively long.

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