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members of the group—some of them grudgingly—settled on Del. Pickett. He seemed to have the “fewest negatives” and demonstrated he could raise the necessary money for a campaign. The governor promptly endorsed his candidacy.
But Mr. Pickett, a decent and amiable man, quickly got into trouble. His unwillingness to articulate his positions on issues frustrated party workers, and his professed conservatism along with his admiring remarks about Sen. Byrd infuriated many blacks.
Most especially, they infuriated black Sen. Douglas Wilder of Richmond. The senator threatened to launch his own independent campaign for the Senate, a move which would devastate the Democrats' chances of victory.
There are many other factors involved, but these, simply stated, lie at the heart of Gov. Robb's problem, m sum, as this is written, his party is a political disaster area.
Somehow, between now and the Democratic state convention in June, the governor must reconcile the fractious Democrats ter Del. Pickett’s candidacy or find another man. And. he must Find some formula by which the rebellious black defectors can be returned to the Democratic fold. If he fails on either count, the partv likely faces a stunning rebuff at the polls in November.
But if Gov. Robb is able to bring all this off, and especially if the Democrats can reclaim the Senate seat, his stock as a national figure will soar.
So far, he has had an impressive string of electoral and legislative triumphs. His success or failure in dealing with this latest crisis of leadership could have implications far beyond the election immediately at hand
and far beyond the boundaries of the Commonwealth.
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