Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, October 16, 1993 TAG: 9310160104
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: BRIAN KELLEY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG LENGTH: Medium
Shuler reported receiving $32,970 between July 1 and Sept. 30, for a total of $34,720 in the campaign, according to reports filed with the state Board of Elections and the local electoral board.
Rush reported raising $5,830 during the same period, for a campaign total of $8,249.
And where Shuler reported spending $22,334 as of two weeks ago, Rush had spent $5,941.
"There have been a lot of people supportive of our efforts," Shuler said. "We've been very pleased."
The 12th District includes part of Christiansburg, all of Blacksburg and most of northern Montgomery and eastern Giles counties. Del. Joan Munford, D-Blacksburg, is retiring.
Shuler's "got a good little war chest here, but it's nothing we can't handle," Rush said Friday.
The more crucial statistic - the ending balance - showed Shuler with $14,478 left in the kitty, compared with Rush's $2,313.
But since the reporting period ended, Rush has appeared at a host of campaign events, including a fund-raising breakfast a week ago with a top state GOP official.
Shuler, too, has continued fund raising. He received a $500 check Friday from two teachers' political action committees, for instance, and attended an Oct. 8 dinner for Montgomery Democrats.
Rush said Friday he doesn't work really hard at fund raising but has already received more money than prior 12th District GOP candidates.
"We've got plenty of money to do all that we're doing," the Christiansburg native said.
Rush reported 80 campaign contributions during the three-month period, 75 of them for less than $100 each. His most generous contributors include the Virginia Automobile Dealers political action committee at $500; Pat Cupp, the Blacksburg real-estate broker he defeated for the nomination at $350, and Blacksburg engineer Ray Chisholm at $250.
Shuler, in contrast, raised half of his war chest via 42 donations of more than $100 each, and $13,800 of it in 255 unitemized donations of less than $100. His largest donors include $3,543 from Munford's campaign fund; $1,215 from the Northern Virginia Veterinary Medical Association; $850 from the Veterinarians PAC of Virginia and $500 from the Cherry Dale Veterinary Clinic in Arlington.
Shuler has had a Blacksburg veterinary practice for 20 years. He practiced in Northern Virginia for three years before moving back here, where he received his undergraduate degree.
He had a host of $200 and $250 contributions from Blacksburg-area residents, many affiliated with Virginia Tech, including head football coach Frank Beamer, who gave $250.
Though two Shawsville women donated $500 and $300, no one with a Christiansburg address is listed on the report of major donors.
The reports show Rush has spent slightly more than $400 on radio ads, $1,800 on cable television ads and the remainder on traditional campaign expenses such as signs and printing.
Shuler, on the other hand, has paid a combined $5,000 for a phone survey by a Washington, D.C., firm, research by a Baltimore outfit and consulting with a locally based business.
In the last 12th District race, Munford spent more than $36,000, outpacing her Republican opponent Al Leighton Jr. by a 4-to-1 margin, according to The Almanac of Virginia Politics. She won with 57 percent of the vote.
Keywords:
POLITICS
by CNB