
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, April 19, 1994                   TAG: 9404190168
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B-5   EDITION: STATE 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

NORTH: 4-WAY RACE WOULDN'T HURT CANDIDACY

Oliver North said Monday that a potential four-way race for the Virginia Senate would not hurt his chances for election.

``I think it's an intriguing thought. I don't see how that is injurious to me,'' North said.

Former Gov. Douglas Wilder, a Democrat, and two-time Republican gubernatorial candidate Marshall Coleman both hinted Friday they may enter the race.

The two potential candidacies were viewed by analysts as evidence that some in both political parties are unhappy with North and incumbent Democratic Sen. Charles Robb as the presumed candidates.

``I just don't see that,'' North said after a campaign appearance in Arlington. He predicted victory, ``if there's two candidates or 12 candidates or 20 candidates.''

North carries political baggage from his involvement in the Iran-Contra scandal, and Robb has been dogged by allegations of marital infidelity. Robb admitted to improper personal conduct in a letter to party leaders at the start of the primary season.

At the moment, North faces only one opponent, former Reagan budget chief Jim Miller for the GOP nomination. The Republicans will pick a nominee at a June 4 convention in Richmond.

Robb will face three challengers in the June 14 Democratic primary.

Both Coleman and Wilder could enter the November general election as independents.

North has already declared victory in the race for the nomination, saying he has vastly more votes among convention delegates. Miller disputes that.

North shared a platform with supporters from a coalition of ethnic groups that included black, Asian, Hispanic and Arab leaders.

``All of us on this platform are either immigrants to these shores or the offspring of immigrants,'' North said.

He said liberals in Congress and the media are too quick to ``pigeonhole'' ethnic groups by political affiliation.

``Politically correct elites want to hang a label around our necks,'' North said. He and several speakers decried the practice of hyphenating a person's ethnic tag, as in ``Asian-American.''

Keywords:
POLITICS

by CNB