DATE: Friday, August 15, 1997               TAG: 9708150741

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B7   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY LOUIS HANSEN, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: SUFFOLK                           LENGTH:   41 lines

2-GOVERNOR TURNOUT BOOSTS CANDIDACY OF SUFFOLK'S JONES

It helps to have friends in high places.

At least, those are the hopes of local Republicans, who brought Gov. George Allen and former Gov. Mills E. Godwin to Suffolk Thursday night to support 76th House District candidate S. Chris Jones.

Jones said the support was ``unbelievable. . . . I'm very humbled by it.'' He expected the fund-raiser to bring at least $22,000 to his campaign.

The race has drawn attention from the state GOP leaders after Republican Del. Robert E. Nelms decided in March to step down after serving three terms.

Republicans are outnumbered in the House by a 53-46 margin, and Nelms' seat in the conservative 76th District is one they would like to hold.

Allen said that the Republican ticket had outstanding new candidates in at least six House districts - a number that would swing the House to a GOP majority.

Godwin, the commonwealth's only twice-elected chief executive, and Allen mingled at the $100 per couple fund-raiser held at the Sleepy Point home of Thomas and Barbara Everett.

Local Republicans, between cocktails and shrimp, sensed the significance of the race. ``This seat is very important,'' said Suffolk Republican Dana Dickens. ``Governor Allen coming down here is one indication of how important it is.''

The 76th District campaign has boiled down to a race between Jones, a Suffolk pharmacist, and Democrat Michelle Degnan, a Chesapeake high school teacher. The seat represents parts of Suffolk, Chesapeake, and Isle of Wight County.

Jones handily won the Republican primary, taking 82 percent of the vote against two challengers.

With 10 years of service on City Council, including a stint as mayor, Jones was the only candidate in either race with experience in an elected office.

Jones has focused his campaign on keeping taxes low, while improving schools and law enforcement. Allen said he and Jones share common goals. KEYWORDS: CAMPAIGN CANDIDATE 76TH DISTRICT CONGRESSIONAL

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