Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, November 28, 1993 TAG: 9311280123
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: D-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Sam Garrison charged Saturday that the decision was made by a small group of party leaders without consulting all incumbent Democratic council members and potential candidates.
Garrison, who is running for party chairman, called on the party's executive committee to reconsider its decision to hold a primary instead of a mass meeting or convention.
But the Rev. Carl Tinsley, the current chairman and head of the executive committee, said he will not reconvene the committee and sees no need to reconsider the issue.
"As far as I am concerned, we dealt with it fairly and followed all procedures," he said. "We discussed it fully."
Tinsley said the executive committee, which has the authority to make the decision, is not required to consult all Democratic officeholders and potential candidates.
But Garrison said the committee made a "serious error" by not consulting Councilman John Edwards, several potential candidates and party elders.
Garrison himself belongs to the nine-member executive committee and voted for a primary. Seven members either attended the meeting or had a proxy. The vote for a March 1 primary was 6-1, with only Linda Wyatt, a teacher and potential council candidate, dissenting.
At a news conference Saturday, Garrison said that neither he nor Wyatt had any advance notice that the method for choosing council candidates would be on the committee's agenda when it met Nov. 19.
"Moreover, when we voted, I did not understand how few officeholders or other party leaders [had been consulted] before bringing such an important matter before the executive committee," he said.
If he had it to do over again, Garrison said, he would have moved to table the issue until more people could be consulted.
Mayor David Bowers supports the decision for a primary. Councilman William White said he would have preferred a mass meeting because he is familiar with it, but he supports the committee's decision.
Council members Howard Musser and James Harvey have said a primary is acceptable to them.
While Edwards said he was not contacted by Tinsley, he added there are pros and cons to a primary election.
Tinsley has notified the state Board of Elections of the committee's choice of a primary. The deadline for notifying the state is Wednesday.
But Garrison wants the committee to reconvene in the next three days, reconsider the issue and notify the election board if there is a change.
George McMillan, party vice chairman, said he was surprised by Garrison's call to reconsider the issue. Garrison advocated a primary during the committee's debate, he said.
"We had an open discussion, and [Garrison] spoke for a primary," McMillan said.
McMillan said the committee has no hidden agenda or secret motive in choosing a primary. "It's not up to the candidates to decide the method which is used to select the nominees," he said.
But Garrison said their views should be sought, even if committee members disagree with them.
Some party members accused Garrison of trying to use the primary issue to gain publicity to boost his campaign to become party chairman, but he denied it.
Garrison said the Progressive Democratic Coalition, which he leads, has not taken a position on a primary, but it objects to the manner in which the decision was made.
Keywords:
POLITICS
by CNB