DATE: Wednesday, November 5, 1997           TAG: 9711051178

SECTION: FRONT                   PAGE: A3C  EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: STAFF REPORT 

                                            LENGTH:   47 lines

VETERAN DELEGATE BLOXOM WINS ON EASTERN SHORE

Robert S. Bloxom retained the seat that he has held for 20 years Tuesday, defeating Richard Andrews, a political newcomer, in a landslide for the House of Delegates, 100th District.

Bloxom, 61, garnered 77 percent of the vote to Andrews' 23 percent with all but two precincts reporting.

The 61-year-old Republican sits on some key committees: Agriculture, Labor and Commerce; Chesapeake and its Tributaries; Appropriations. He's voted on 80,000 proposed pieces of legislation during his tenure as the Eastern Shore's delegate.

During the campaign, Bloxom pointed to his accomplishments as a reason for re-election. He has helped to get funding for the Eastern Shore Community College, Kiptopeke State Park, the Eastern Shore Farmers' Market and Spaceport Virginia.

Andrews, a 41-year-old physician, said winning the race wasn't the sole point of his candidacy. His campaign's budget was $4,000.

``One of my main objectives was re-invigorating participatory democracy,'' Andrews, an independent, said in an interview early in the campaign. ``Of 100 delegate races in the state, 48 are uncontested. We're seeing democracy vanish before our very eyes.''

Andrews wanted to spark public debate, and he had some success during the race. The local newspaper on the Eastern Shore printed four articles in which he and Bloxom described their views on education, the environment and economy.

But Andrews said he was disappointed that Bloxom declined an offer for a radio debate. And the newspaper articles didn't touch capital punishment, abortion, gay rights and drug policies.

Voters need to know their candidates' views on all the issues for the election process to work properly, he said.

``It's easy, when you get complacent, to forget that we are the government,'' Andrews said. ILLUSTRATION: Photo

Bloxom

Graphic

BLOXOM 77%

ANDREWS 23% KEYWORDS: ELECTION VIRGINIA RESULTS HOUSE OF

DELEGATES RACE VIRGINIA

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