
                         THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
                 Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, June 25, 1994                    TAG: 9406210019 
SECTION: FRONT                     PAGE: A10    EDITION: FINAL  
SOURCE: Short 
DATELINE: 940625                                 LENGTH:

HAMPTON ROADS IS CONSERVATIVE?

{LEAD} Regarding the arrival and conservative pronouncements of the new editorial page editor: I have lived in Hampton Roads since 1965. I came here as the stepson of a Navy captain, liked the area and decided to stay. I have never considered this a conservative area.

Pat Robertson and his Christian Coalition also arrived and eventually drew national attention to Virginia Beach. Active-duty military arrive and leave, as do defense-related workers, and many retired federal and military citizens have chosen to live here as well.

{REST} Politically, Pat Robertson prays to keep us safe from hurricanes, the military vote is usually split evenly between Republicans and Democrats, and the federal and military retirees claim to have elected George Allen as governor in an attempt to collect state-tax refunds. Kind of sounds like California to me. We have our religious nuts, our moderate hard-working taxpayers and our welfare recipients.

I'll make the publisher a deal: If Oliver North wins a majority of either the Republican or Democratic vote from Hampton Roads for the U.S. Senate in November 1994, I will agree with the pronouncements that Hampton Roads is a bastion of conservatism - or we'll agree that Hampton Roads is a moderately cosmopolitan area with diverse political interest and you will send editorial page editor John Barnes and his one-sided conservative agenda packing.

JOHN A. SUHRE

Norfolk, June 7, 1994 by CNB