THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, October 27, 1996 TAG: 9610240564
SECTION: VOTER GUIDE PAGE: V11 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Special Section
Voter Guide covering the candidates and campaign issues in the races for
President, U.S. Senator from Virginia, and area Representatives
SERIES: DECISION '96
SOURCE: BY ALEX MARSHALL, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 59 lines
With 14 years in Washington but only two as a member of the majority party, Rep. Herbert H. Bateman, R-1st District, is eagerly anticipating another term with more leadership roles within the House of Representatives.
Running without opposition after seven terms in office, Bateman is the fifth-ranking Republican on the National Security Committee and chairman of its military readiness subcommittee.
The Republicans gained control of the House in 1994, giving Bateman the chance to influence federal policy more directly.
``It gives him more control on how things are done, and more opportunity to lead rather than follow,'' said Dan Scandling, a spokesman for Bateman in Washington.
In his eighth term, Bateman would continue to work to protect the interests of his district, particularly the Newport News Shipbuilding and the shipbuilding community, Scandling said. Bateman would work to win funding for construction of another aircraft carrier and to keep submarines being built in Newport News.
Bateman is the only Virginian to serve on the Transportation Committee. His principal focus there, Scandling said, is ensuring that the state gets a larger share of federal transportation dollars. Under the present formula, Scandling said, the state gets less than it puts in.
Bateman could lose his leadership roles if Republicans lose control of the House. Some commentators have said Democrats have a chance of recapturing control of one or both houses of Congress, particularly if President Bill Clinton wins re-election easily.
Bateman faced opposition this election until Democratic nominee Russell N. Axsom dropped out of the race last summer. In June, Bateman beat an attempt by social conservative David L. Caprara to win the Republican nomination.
The heavily Republican First District stretches from the Peninsula north to the Fredericksburg area and across the Chesapeake Bay to the Eastern Shore.
Bateman has said his health is fine and a bout with prostate cancer in 1992 has been won. Regular checkups have found no sign of a return of the cancer. He did suffer a mild heart attack in 1995 that put him in the hospital for several days.
The congressman is making no predictions about when he will retire. After pledging to make the current term his last, Bateman reversed himself after the Republicans won control of Congress in 1994. It marked the first time Republicans had controlled both houses in 40 years.
Bateman is 68 years old. He lives in Newport News with his wife. They have two grown children.
KEYWORDS: SUPPLEMENTS SPECIAL SECTION
CONGRESSIONAL RACE VIRGINIA ELECTION VIRGINIA
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