Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, March 11, 1993 TAG: 9303110309
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: ROB EURE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium
TERRY MAKES CANDIDACY OFFICIAL
Surrounded by squirming 4- and 5-year-olds from a nearby day-care center, Mary Sue Terry formally opened her campaign for governor on Wednesday by promising to make family and children her focus.Terry, 45 and single, already is the frontrunner in her bid to become Virginia's first female governor and the fourth straight Democrat in the job.
Terry's two terms as attorney general - she resigned in January to devote full time to running for governor - have made her far better known than any of her potential Republican competitors. She already has raised more than $2 million for this race.
Borrowing heavily on the rhetoric of the Democrats' 1992 presidential campaign, Terry's announcement speech was full of promises of "new government," laced with references to her rural roots in Patrick County.
In eight years in the House of Delegates and as attorney general, Terry has become one of the ultimate insiders in Virginia politics - her campaigns financed by the state's business establishment and her positions carefully moderated.
She spoke Wednesday of her record in winning tougher drunken-driving laws in Virginia - she sponsored the first successful effort to lower the blood-alcohol content level for drunken-driving convictions - as well as fighting domestic violence, rising utility rates, and drugs in schools.
Terry also took a shot in her remarks at the controversial hot line Republicans have set up to collect critical reports on her.
"Have you heard the Republican slogan? `Reach out and slander someone?' " she said. "I'll be doing my own digging and plowing during the course of this campaign, but it won't be for dirt. It will be for ideas and people who will join with me in moving into a new day for Virginia."
Terry made a quick, passing reference to her nominal opponent for the nomination, Nancy Spannaus, a follower of political extremist Lyndon Larouche. Terry bragged of her record coordinating an investigation into Larouche operations in Virginia and securing fraud convictions of several of his associates.
In addition to Richmond, Terry had kickoff events Wednesday in Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads. She has several Western Virginia stops today, including one at 10 this morning at the Bradley Free Clinic in Roanoke.
Gov. Douglas Wilder, who sparred with Terry last year over operations at the Virginia Retirement System, turned out for her Richmond announcement, proclaiming her a sure winner. Wilder said former Rep. George Allen of Charlottesville, the frontrunner for the GOP nomination, would be Terry's toughest opponent. But he said "I don't think [any candidate] would ever come close" to defeating her.
The Republicans will choose their candidate from among Allen, retired Northern Virginia businessman Earle Williams and Del. Clinton Miller of Shenandoah.
Terry said her campaign will emphasize crime-fighting in schools and educational reform. She said she envisions each school in the state being run by a local board of parents, teachers, students and business and community leaders.
State Sen. Virgil Goode of Rocky Mount, a politician known for his ability to whip up a partisan crowd, introduced Terry in Richmond, but his remarks caused her some embarrassment. Goode, recounting Terry's career breaking into offices usually reserved for men, recalled her first race for the House of Delegates in 1977, when "folks didn't think a lady ought to run. Well, she turned the trick and won and led the ticket."
"When I heard Virgil talk about me turning tricks, I got a little nervous," Terry joked when she took the platform.
Keywords:
POLITICS
Memo: shorter version ran in the Metro edition.