Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, November 2, 1993 TAG: 9311020033
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Staff and wire report
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The candidates for governor visited most of the state's media markets, going to rallies to fire up poll workers and supporters and vying for critical seconds on television news shows on election eve.
Up to 2 million Virginians are expected to vote by the time the polls close at 7 tonight. Larry Sabato, a University of Virginia political scientist, predicted a turnout of 1.79 million to 1.96 million - or 60 percent to 66 percent - of the state's registered voters. The 1989 turnout was 66.5 percent.
Allen, the Republican who once trailed Terry by up to 29 percentage points in polls but led by 7 to 19 points in recent surveys, insisted he was taking nothing for granted. In appearances in Lynchburg, Winchester, Richmond and Chesapeake, among other places, the former congressman from Charlottesville asked local Republicans to "please redouble your efforts" to elect the entire GOP ticket - himself, lieutenant governor-hopeful Mike Farris and attorney general candidate Jim Gilmore.
Allen repeated his pledges to abolish parole, make welfare recipients work for their government aid and create 125,000 jobs in the state.
Terry, Allen said, "says we can't do these things. I say we must."
Allen said Terry hasn't come through on a promise to provide a detailed welfare-reform plan. "There are only a few hours left, and we're still waiting."
In Lynchburg, Allen was trailed by a small group of protesters opposed to his support for state aid to private school students. They raised placards telling him, "George, if you want vouchers, go back to your home state of California."
But faithful Republicans shadowed them, and every time the demonstrators raised anti-voucher placards, they were shielded by Allen posters.
Terry also ran into demonstrators, pushing past a crowd of Allen supporters at Christopher Newport University in Newport News and shouting over supporters of Lyndon LaRouche at a rally in Northern Virginia. As state attorney general, Terry figured prominently in a state and federal investigation that sent LaRouche to prison.
She told audiences of Democratic faithful that Allen, Farris and Gilmore made promises to the "radical right" in order to be nominated and urged the election of running mates Don Beyer, the incumbent lieutenant governor, and Bill Dolan for attorney general.
At an evening rally in Richmond, a couple of hundred Democrats shivered in front of the State Capitol, urged on by Rep. Robert C. Scott, D-Newport News. "The only thing that's going to be more fun than just winning is coming from behind and winning," he told them.
Gov. Douglas Wilder, sporting cowboy boots, a bolo tie and a cowboy hat, drew a big laugh when he bemoaned the way Republicans have linked Terry to him and to U.S. Sen. Charles Robb by their continual references to "Robb-Wilder-Terry" Democrats.
"We know that she's had to carry an inordinate burden on her shoulders and around her neck," Wilder said, "carrying me and Chuck Robb this whole time."
Terry finished her campaign with an evening rally in Norfolk. She had said over the weekend that voter sentiment in Hampton Roads seemed more volatile than anywhere else in the state and held out hope that a late shift to her could yet produce a win.
Keywords:
POLITICS
by CNB