THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, June 26, 1994 TAG: 9406260124
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: 940626 LENGTH: CHARLOTTESVILLE
Robb, battling not only Republican Oliver L. North but also two well-known independents, predicted the race will show the importance of party ties.
{REST} ``We're going to surprise a lot of people around the commonwealth and the nation,'' he told the Democratic state central committee. ``We have an opportunity to demonstrate how important a political party is.''
While Republicans have publicly attacked former GOP Attorney General J. Marshall Coleman's independent Senate bid, most Democrats said nothing critical Saturday about the other independent, former Democratic Gov. L. Douglas Wilder.
Robb told reporters that Democratic officials have urged Wilder to drop out, but he would not talk to the former governor himself.
``I didn't want to personalize it, so I'm just going to let nature take its course at this point,'' said Robb, who has often sparred with Wilder.
Only Sylvia Clute, a Richmond lawyer who lost to Robb in the June 14 primary, said in her remarks that Wilder should quit the race.
``He's changed his mind a lot of times about whether he's going to be in this race, so he can do it again,'' she said. ``We're going to beat Oliver North, but that will make it so much easier.''
Wilder backed down from challenging Robb in January, but said this month that he was back in the race to stay.
Robb told reporters he would not concede any of his Democratic base to Wilder, who as the nation's first elected black governor enjoys great popularity among minorities.
``I'm not going to yield on a single vote or voter,'' he said.
Robb also said he expects President Clinton to campaign for him. The first-term senator has aligned himself closely with the Clinton administration, apparently in hopes that Clinton voters will be all he needs to win a four-way race.
Robb drew a standing ovation when he said he looked forward to working with ``a very able, dedicated, hard-working president of the United States.''
State Democratic Chairman Mark Warner said party officials who choose not to back Robb should resign, but ``we are not going to pressure people. We are not going to push people into corners.''
The secretary-treasurer of the Loudoun County Democrats already has quit to work for Wilder. Warner said he knew of no other defections.
The committee unanimously passed a lengthy resolution that supported Robb's re-election with more attacks on North than praise of the incumbent.
``The effort to defeat Oliver North and his cronies from the dark side will require a tremendous organizational effort,'' said the resolution sponsored by Rhoda Dreyfus of Albemarle County, who backed state Sen. Virgil H. Goode Jr. in the primary.
{KEYWORDS} U.S. SENATE RACE VIRGINIA DEMOCRATIC PARTY CANDIDATES by CNB