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

DATE: SUNDAY, August 7, 1994                   TAG: 9408080035
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: E-6   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press RICHMOND
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

ALLEN'S ITINERARY GETS DEMOCRAT'S CRITICISM

Gov. George Allen will make four political appearances on his way home from his California vacation, prompting a Democratic legislator to accuse him of putting personal ambition ahead of state duties.

Allen will stop in Las Vegas for a meeting of Republican governors and attend fund-raising events for gubernatorial and U.S. Senate candidates in Michigan, Rhode Island and Pennsylvania.

Del. Jay DeBoer, D-Petersburg, described Allen as a ``presidential wannabe.'' He said he was surprised the governor was ``going on the national track'' only seven months into his term, given voter resentment over former Gov. Douglas Wilder's abortive presidential effort in 1991.

Frank B. Atkinson, an attorney in the governor's office, said Allen is just being a loyal Republican.

``He's very much in demand around the country and has gotten many, many requests,'' Atkinson said. ``He's turned down all but a small percentage of them.''

Robert Holsworth, political science professor at Virginia Commonwealth University, said Friday that Allen clearly wants to be a player in the national GOP.

``He's not going to turn down the opportunity to be visible outside Virginia,'' he said.

But he said it is much too early to say Allen is pushing ``a specific agenda for his own ambition.''

by CNB