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By GEORGE BOWLES
In the days since the Republican National Convention in Dallas, there has beat a quiet quickening of the political pace among those in the GOP who aspire to statewide office in the 1966 elections. Interestingly, much of this flurry of activity has been centered on the race for the nomination for lieutenant governor.
The reason for this is no secret in party circles. Until a few days ago it was generally believed that the Democratic nominee for the post would be black Sen. L. Douglas Wilder of Richmond. While Republican strategists concede that Wilder has a dedicated following among black and liberal white Democrats, they do not believe he has the remotest chance of winning a statewide election in conservative Virginia. This view is privately shared, in fact, by many of Wilder’s Democratic friends.
Thus the Republicans regard winning the lieutenant governor nomination as very nearly tantamount to victory in next year's race for that office.
At the moment the prospective candidates are Sen. John Chichester of Fredericksburg, Sen. Wiley Mitchell of Alexandria, Del. A. R. “Pete” Giesen of Waynesboro, Del. Frank Hargrove of Hanover and Maurice Dawkins of Springfield, chairman of the Virginia Black Republican Council.
Also possibly on the list is former Attorney General Marshall Coleman, the party’s unsuccessful candidate for governor in 1981. Others reportedly eyeing the contest include John Alderson of Botetourt, co-chairman with former Gov. Mills Godwin of the Reagan-Bush re-election effort in Virginia this year.
Most of the candidates say they lament the early activity in next year’s races while the party still hiss to contend with the presidential, senate and congressional elections this November. They say they are being forced into it, and that the force is coming from Coleman.
The former attorney general occupies an interesting position in the increasingly oomplicated min of things. Ho insists that he is running for the riominatioh for governor, but admits that if his gubernatorial candidacy doesn’t work out he would accept the second place on the ticket.
He is most assuredly running for something, and running like there is no tomorrow. His very nearly frenetic activity has given him far more visibility in recent weeks than former Fairfax Del. Wyatt Durrette, his major rival for the governor’s slot on the ticket. Indeed, Coleman’s blistering attacks on Gov. Chuck Robb over the latter’s handling of the recent state prison ind
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