THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, October 29, 1995 TAG: 9510290086
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY KAREN WEINTRAUB, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Medium: 96 lines
Ed Schrock insists he's still having fun in his whirlwind campaign to unseat State Sen. Clarence A. ``Clancy'' Holland. But there are new bags under his eyes and his anxiety is palpable.
Holland, a Democrat trying to hold on to a spot the Republicans very much want to take away, is showing signs of strain too. Usually low-key and affable, Holland got into a screaming match with Schrock during the recent taping of a television show.
The two are under tremendous pressure from their parties to win the 7th District. Only three seats separate the Republicans from gaining control of the Senate, and because Holland is a Democrat in a mostly Republican district, his race has been one of the most targeted in the state.
The result is a massive infusion of cash, a barrage of television and radio ads and a flurry of door-knocking.
``We're two weeks out, and it's crunch time,'' said Schrock, who cracks a broad, relieved smile at talk of a victory party.
Schrock and the Republican Party have set an aggressive tone, putting Holland on the defensive on many issues. Most of the accusations come down to one thing: Schrock is a Republican and Holland isn't.
Holland said he doesn't mind running on his record, but he's concerned about Schrock's emphasis on partisanship.
``I know that I live in a very Republican district,'' Holland said. ``I have known that all my life.
``But the folks have always voted the person rather than the party and certainly that has to be my greatest concern, that they will just vote the party line,'' he said.
Both the Schrock and Holland campaign staffs said their research shows a huge number of 7th District voters have yet to make a choice - that about one-third of the voters are undecided.
That's why both candidates have turned up the heat in the final 10 days.
Although they don't have to report recent expenditures until next week, Holland's television ads are blanketing the early evening hours; and Schrock's ads also went on the air last week.
``I hate to have to raise money,'' Holland said, ``but I've probably raised more money (for this race) - three times the amount total - that I've spent in 25 years of politics.''
``The election has been about raising money and refuting the advertising done by my opponent,'' he said.
Because Schrock has put out mailings and ads that attack his record, Holland said he has had to work hard ``to tell people what Clancy Holland is really about.''
Holland, a family doctor, and former Virginia Beach City Council member and mayor, said the success of his fund-raising effort has given him confidence that his constituents still want him in office. He would be in great shape, Holland said, if only the Republican party hadn't given so much money to his opponent.
In one of the most expensive races in the state - spending is expected to reach $400,000 - Schrock is drawing significant party support.
Schrock, a career Navy public affairs officer, and retired stock broker, raised tens of thousands of dollars at a fund-raiser that Gov. Allen attended. The party has printed two mailings supporting Schrock's campaign; and provided a quarter of the large contributions he received as of Sept. 30.
The cash infusion has given Schrock a luxury almost unknown to political newcomers - instead of spending all his time raising money, Schrock can spend his evenings going door to door, speaking directly to constituents. He has knocked on about 19,000 doors since he began his bid for the seat in April. That could be crucial, because his opponent, an incumbent who has worked in the community for decades, has very high name recognition.
Holland's campaign literature has accused Schrock of being little more than a Gov. Allen groupie.
Schrock started out the campaign emphasizing what he had learned from his door-to-door talks with voters. Now, he mostly talks about his support for the Allen agenda and the Republican Pledge for Honest Change, a party platform unveiled earlier this month.
Schrock gets annoyed at the suggestion that he gets all his ideas from party officials. ``Schrock has never been a rubber stamp for anyone, nor will he ever be,'' he said.
In the end, Schrock hopes voters will see his Navy career and years of public service as proof of his sincerity and ability to provide ``principled leadership.''
``I'm going up there with a set of principles I've always believed in,'' he said. ``My value system has always been intact. I don't want to go up there and play silly games.
And Holland hopes voters will remember his voting record and his 20 years of involvement in state and local government.
``I don't think there's anybody in this area who understands the legislative process better than Clancy Holland,'' he said. ``I was raised in it. I'm one of the few people who has served in local government who is in the General Assembly.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photos
Ed Schrock, left, is challenging State Sen. Clancy Holland, right.
KEYWORDS: VIRGINIA STATE SENATE RACE CANDIDATES by CNB