Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, November 22, 1993 TAG: 9311220006
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Rob Eure
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Seems like old times: anytime outgoing Gov. Douglas Wilder wants to run for statewide office, Democrats sweat.
The difference is, this time the talk is about how to move both Wilder and incumbent Sen. Charles Robb out of the way.
Since Nov. 2, the night the Democrats' 12-year reign in Richmond ended, party leaders have adopted a new mantra. ABCD - "Anybody But Chuck or Doug."
Support for Robb, once the golden boy credited with leading the Democrats' resurgence during the 1980s, evaporated overnight with Republican Gov.-elect George Allen's 17-point landslide.
Facing Armageddon over the Senate nomination, party regulars are casting about for something, anything, to get them past the Robb-Wilder scenario and salvage what should be a winnable race against likely Republican nominee Oliver North.
The ripples started on election night, as Democrats began talking about forming a group of 100 or so prominent activists to declare their neutrality in the Senate race and keep it open for alternative candidates.
Wilder's confrontations with party leaders - Robb is just one of dozens who've tangled with the governor over the years - have left him with almost no support among the leadership, either.
Despite their hand-wringing over the nomination contest, few leading Democrats hold any real hope the Robb-Wilder fight can be avoided.
Several potential alternative candidates have surfaced, including state Chairman Mark Warner, 11th District Chairman Dan Alcorn and several congressmen.
None has the instant credibility of former Gov. Gerald Baliles, who essentially has taken himself out of the race unless Robb and Wilder both withdraw.
The next decision is whether to stage the fight by convention or primary.
Wilder argues for a primary. Robb said last week he doesn't care. Former party Chairman Paul Goldman, a longtime Wilder ally, argues that conventions diminish black strength now that most black voters have been concentrated into the 3rd Congressional District. Convention delegates are allocated by districts.
Wilder has threatened to run as an independent if the party chooses a convention and shuts him out.
"I think there is a significant faction out there that believes, whoever they end up voting for for the nomination, the best thing to do is fix it so by the end of the year both men are dead," said one ranking Democrat.
Robb is determined to run to vindicate himself. Wilder, fearless and ambitious, relishes the thought of a head-to-head with Robb.
It seems the only belief the two share is that a death struggle is their rightful destiny.
Rob Eure covers state politics from this newspaper's bureau in Richmond.
Keywords:
POLITICS
by CNB