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unclear. Attempts to reacn \ ’'f \ him were unsuccessful be- ^ cause, according to his office, he. will be away anti unavailable for comment until sometime early in March.
A source close to Mr. Byrd who asked not to be identified confirmed Mr. Byrd is being urged to enter the race. According to the source, the former senator is not seeking the nomination, but at the same time has not discouraged the efforts of those trying to persuade him to run.
If Mr. Byrd did become a candidate, there is little doubt he would do so under the Republican banner. Although he was elected twice to the U.S. Senate as an Independent, an independent candidacy for the governorship could prove disasterous.
Virginia Republicans are quietly unhappy with Mr. Byrd for a number of reasons. For several generations the old Byrd Organization Democrats shut the GOP out of any real participation in the political affairs of the state. Mr. Byrd himself steadfastly, if smilingly, turned aside repeated Republican urgings that he join the Republican Caucus in the U.S. Senate. And most recently, he seriously considered reversing his decision to retire in 1982. If he had done so, and sought another term as an independent, it would have insured the defeat of GOP candidate Paul Trible, who had entered the race with the understanding that Mr. Byrd was stepping down.
The prospective Byrd Senate candidacy especially angered Republican leaders w ho had helped him in 1976 by not fielding a candidate against, himKj*nd had therefore contributed materially to >hi* landslide win over Democrat Elmo Zumwalt.
If Mr. Byrd should run as an inependent for the govemship, however, there is little chance that the GOP would stand aside. They would nominate a candidate who would very likely split the conservative vote and increase the likelihood of a Democratic victory.
But does Mr. Byrd want to run?
He will reach the age of 70 in December, but he is the picture of lean and vigorous good health. It does not appear that his age would be a factor w hen one considers that most of the world’s leaders are years older.
When he retired from the Senate, he said that he was doing so to have more time with his wile, Gretchen, and to escape the crush of life in Washington.
Boosters of his gubernatorial bid note that he could achieve both of these objectives by a period of residence in the Governor’s Mansion. It is certain, however, that Mrs. Byrd’s wishes will weigh heavily on his final decision of whether or not to run.
Could he win if his decision is to go for it?
Some think it is doubtful in view of the head of steam built up by the Virginia Democratic party under the rejuvenating leadership of Gov. Chuck Robb.
But on the ther hand, did anyone ever hear of a Byrd losing? In Virginia, it is very nearly an unthinkable - if not an un-Virginian - thought.
It may be some time before Mr. Byrd’s intentions are made known on the subject. Always in the past pre-announcement questions about his prospective candidacies have been met with a twinkly, “It’s a little too early to talk about that just yet.”
For a Byrd, it’s always too early to talk about political plans until its too late for his opponents to do much about whatever they may be.
In any event, the rumor means that it is fingernail-gnawing-time among both Republican and Democratic gubernatorial aspirants as they wait for this latest “Word from Byrd.”
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