THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, October 16, 1995 TAG: 9510160035
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
SERIES: Election '95
SOURCE: BY LISE OLSEN, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Long : 145 lines
It was a bit like a Miss Virginia pageant - Republican style.
A committee of Republican Party honchos in Richmond spent months scrutinizing candidates' performances, their poll figures and the composition of their districts.
Then the committee sent out acceptance letters. And big checks.
Locally, that money has helped bankroll Republican contenders in at least four races. Areawide, Republican challengers have gotten at least 20 percent of their large contributions directly from the party, according to a Virginian-Pilot analysis of donations.
Still, GOP challengers probably will be outspent by better-known and better-financed Democratic incumbents. As of Sept. 15, incumbents with opposition had raised an average of $55,000 in large contributions compared to an average of $17,376 by their Republican opponents.
But party money helps Republican contenders compete.
So far, the most Republican money has gone to Edward L. Schrock, a candidate for Senate in Virginia Beach. With party help, Schrock raised $71,000 by mid-September in his bid to defeat incumbent Democratic Sen. Clarence A. Holland. That doesn't include $45,000 from a recent fund-raiser featuring Gov. George Allen.
Even so, Holland may outspend Schrock - he had raised $149,000 as of Sept. 15. Both campaigns are likely to spend more than $200,000.
``To most people that's going to seem like a ridiculous amount of money - and it is,'' said Rob Catron, Schrock's campaign manager. ``But that's just the way it is.''
In a series of interviews last summer, Virginia voters said they disliked big-money races, attack ads and corporate contributions. But candidates and campaign workers say money has become crucial in a metro area where neighbors are strangers and districts are too large to canvass on foot.
Catron likened a political campaign to a poker game: Candidates begin with yard signs, graduate to mailings, then move on to radio and TV. Each time the stakes are raised, the opponent must be prepared to ante up - or risk losing.
Six weeks before the elections, stakes in Hampton Roads are pretty high.
Seven incumbents have raised more than $100,000 apiece. And House Speaker Thomas W. Moss, D-Norfolk, has collected nearly $250,000.
Incumbents also get bigger checks than most challengers. Locally, incumbents facing opposition collected an average of $55,000 each in large contributions, those over $100, and corporate interests donated half the money, according to the newspaper's analysis of September campaign reports.
All that money means voters soon will see a blitz of TV and radio ads in the final days of the General Assembly elections. And the funds go fast when air time costs as much as $1,000 for 30 seconds.
Not every candidate needs TV ads to compete. But even in small House districts, candidates need several thousand dollars to send mailings and make themselves known to voters, campaign managers from both parties said.
About a third of the local challengers have yet to collect that much money. Four had reported no contributions over $100 as of Sept. 15.
For the most part, the challengers who now have the biggest campaign funds were tapped by the Republican Party selection committee. Schrock's race was targeted early because his district is dominated by Republicans and he did well in the primary, Catron said. Other races targeted by the selection committee include:
Thelma S. Drake, running against Del. Howard E. Copeland, D-Norfolk.
George E. Schaeffer III, running against George H. Heilig Jr., D-Norfolk.
Jerry B. Flowers III, running against Holland's brother, Sen. Richard J. Holland, who represents a district that stretches from Suffolk to Southside Virginia.
Flowers, who had collected more than $45,000 as of Sept. 15, has come closest to matching his incumbent competitor's spending power.
``It's unfortunate that the focus of a campaign has to be going out and raising money,'' said Marshall Manson, Flowers' campaign manager. ``We spend probably 50 percent of our time to figure out how to get the money to get our message out and that's really a shame, because Jerry likes going door-to-door, he likes talking to people.''
Only one Democratic challenger has raised much money: Johnny S. Joannou, a former senator from Portsmouth who is trying to recapture his 13th district seat from Republican Sen. Frederick M. Quayle.
Buoyed by lawyers and labor unions, Joannou had raised $22,000 by Sept. 15 but trailed Quayle by about $40,000.
Democratic Party committees and individual candidates also have huge campaign cash reserves. But so far, only two Democrats - Sens. Richard Holland and L. Louise Lucas - have received a sizable portion of their campaign money from party donations. But that could change.
Moss may share his war chest with other Democrats, especially since his opponents, Republican J.W. ``Jay'' Sherrill and Green Party candidate Mark A. Yatrofsky, have raised only $5,305 and $256 respectively.
``Nationally, any speaker of the house has always fulfilled a role in fund raising for other candidates,'' said Marion Tucker, Moss' chief of staff. ``In the constitution, he's fourth in line under the governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general - and we (Democrats) don't have a governor right now.''
Money doesn't guarantee success or failure. But it gives candidates options.
With his money, Moss has been able to commission for polls, pay for Democratic Party research and even charter a boat for a fund-raiser. Meanwhile, the strategy of challenger Sherrill is to introduce himself in public places and try to be quoted on radio and TV without paying. Sherrill hopes that's enough.
``I don't believe that mass mailing and media is going to determine the strength of the candidate,'' Sherrill said. ``All that says is one candidate has more money than another.'' ILLUSTRATION: A CLOSER LOOK AT TARGETED RACES:
Challengers in some local races have benefited by being targeted
by Republican Party leaders. Here's more information about the money
in those matches, based on reports filed September 15.
SENATE DISTRICT 7 - Virginia Beach
Edward L. Schrock, (R): $71,633; Biggest contributors: Republican
party groups ($14,500), medical ($1,300)
Incumbent: Clarence A. ``Clancy'' Holland (D): $149,978. Biggest
contributors: Medical industry ($18,350); lawyers ($3,100)
SENATE DISTRICT 15 - Western Tidewater/Southside
Jerry B. Flowers III (R): $45,185; Biggest contributors:
Political/Party organizations ($3,135 from groups)
Incumbent: Richard J. Holland (D): $81,120; Biggest contributors:
Banking ($2,600), insurance ($2,250); Senate Democratic Caucus
($10,000)
HOUSE DISTRICT 87 - Norfolk
Thelma S. Drake (R): $27,243; Biggest contributors: Republican
Party ($3,800 plus in-kind)
Incumbent: Howard E. Copeland (D): $60,295; Biggest contributors:
unions ($7,250), lawyers ($6,350).
HOUSE DISTRICT 86 - Norfolk
George E. Schaefer III (R): $8,210; Biggest contributors:
Republican Party ($3,500); builders ($1000)
Incumbent George H. Heilig Jr. (D):$165,337. Biggest
contributors: Banking interests ($7,150); medical interests
($5,800).
Note: Biggest contributors identifies totals from large
organization contributors, candidates probably receive more from
those sources from individuals. Totals are year-to-date as of
September 15 reports.
by CNB