
DATE: Friday, September 19, 1997            TAG: 9709190976

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B1   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY MATTHEW DOLAN, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: NORFOLK                           LENGTH:   96 lines

MEET & GREET: CANDIDATES PRESS THE FLESH AT A FOOD-FILLED EVENT IN NORFOLK

First, they had to run the gantlet.

Sticker-slapping volunteers of every political stripe stumping for candidates lined the narrow entrance to the fifth annual Norfolk Harbor Party Thursday night at Town Point Park.

They were all that stood between the hungry guests and tons of seafood, and the party faithful knew it.

But when five statewide political candidates entered, their reactions to the crowd ranged from that of a deer caught in headlights to a movie star mugging for paparazzi.

For every major state candidate, save democratic lieutenant governor candidate L.F. Payne, it was another day - only 47 left to go! - on the campaign trail.

Promoters sold more than 2,000 tickets for the charity event sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Norfolk and Cox Communications, The Virginian-Pilot and others. Proceeds, which have totaled more than $100,000 since 1993, benefit local children's organizations.

Harbor Party Chairman Kerry Jordan called it ``an opportunity for everyone to talk to those seeking office, ask about issues or just relax and have a good time.''

Each candidate signed their name tags under a muggy evening sky. Each grasped the hands of everyone at the registration table.

James S. Gilmore III arrived first, and he's a deer.

Gilmore came through wearing an Earley for Attorney General sticker (Earley troops caught guests outside the event's walls). An aide soon saw the television camera pointing Gilmore's way and placed his campaign's sticker on the former attorney general's blue oxford shirt.

Gilmore, the Republican's choice for governor, didn't flinch.

He has a formal, but polite manner and quietly received those much more boisterous who approached him.

Gilmore left inside an hour, though his name and supporters could be seen throughout the 1,000-plus crowd.

Fellow Republican Mark L. Earley struggled to enter just before five, the attorney general candidate wearing a khaki open-collar shirt and watching his six scrambling children.

``I'm almost ready for this campaign to be over,'' lamented Earley, keeping one eye on the assembled reporters and the other on his 3-year-old son Frank, who was climbing over the park's anchor statue.

But he was quick to offer a ``How are yoooou!'' to members of his hometown crowd.

William D. Dolan III, snuck up on the crowd. Dolan, the lanky Democratic candidate for attorney general from Northern Virginia, talks as if he only has time for you.

But he gets so close that those who never feared tight spaces could develop claustrophobia after a Dolan encounter. Eventually, after a long explanation of juvenile-justice programs, he moved down the line.

Bringing up the rear, Lt. Gov. Donald S. Beyer Jr., flashed a toothy telegenic smile, his tanned hand reaching out from a pressed white shirt for the next shake.

When asked a question, the Democratic gubernatorial candidate often paused in the middle of his answer to collect his thoughts. Beyer was never far away from the burly firefighters who endorsed him Wednesday.

These politicians were busy in conversations but not swarmed by guests who waited in longer lines for beer kegs. Republican lieutenant governor candidate John H. Hager drew a small crowd near the soundstage.

The Best Body Co. of Virginia Beach set up a tent filled with on-site seated massage chairs, though co-owner Theresa Barbalas said no stressed-out candidate had stopped by.

With an event featuring an all-you-can-eat seafood menu, would it be impolitic to talk about Pfiesteria hysteria, one of the hot political issues of the moment?

Dan Kauffman thought not.

As president of the Virginia Seafood Council, Kauffman gave Beyer a list of scientists examining the flesh-eating microbe known as Pfiesteria piscicida suspected of killing fish in the lower Pocomoke River .

``We're just very concerned about the scientific approach working here. There's no solid evidence on all of this yet. I just hope all the candidates look at this seriously,'' Kauffman said.

As the night wore on, campaign aides corralled their candidates on to the next event.

Still smiling after two hours and drawn away from one final interview, Beyer calls out on his way to a waiting car: ``I wish I could have stayed longer.'' ILLUSTRATION: Color photo

TING-LI WANG/The Virginian-Pilot

SHAKING HANDS, KISSING BABIES

Mark Earley, Republican state senator from Chesapeake running for

attorney general, greets Don Beyer, Democratic candidate for

governor, at the Norfolk Harbor Party in Town Point Park. Earley is

holding his 8-month-old daughter, Anne Harris.

Photo

TING-LI WANG/The Virginian-Pilot

Republican gubernatorial candidate James Gilmore greets revelers at

the Norfolk Harbor Party in Town Point Park. Don Beyer, the

Democratic candidate for governor, also was at the event. KEYWORDS: GUBERNATORIAL RACE CAMPAIGN CANDIDATES