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By GEORGE BOWLBS
It kn been said, with considerable justification, that former Attorney General M»r«h»n Coleman, bone of the most sagacious politicians in Virginia today. His decision, announced last week, to seek the Republican nomination for lieutenant governor in 1966 instead of governor is entirely consistent with that judgment.
His move leaves the GOP gubernatorial field apparently dear for a monumental nomination shootout between former Fairfax Del. Wyatt Burette, now of Chesterfield, and 8th District Congressman Stanford Parris of Fairfax.
Coleman, of course, still has his political sights set on the Governor^ Mansion. He has by no means abandoned that goal The decisions which he must make now involve choosing the options which are most likely to help in attaining it. To that end, Coleman haa, besides political sagacity, other assets which are vital for a man with his ambitions. At 42 he still has relative youth. Along with it he has patience.
Also, he recognizes political realities when he sees them, and the realities he saw for the year ahead did not bode well for his capturing the top spot on the ticket this time mround.
While there is no doubt that Coleman, as he claims and as his polls ferity, had the widest name recognition among rank and file Republicans, the party’s leadership and the activists who attend the GOP mass meetings and conventions were not in his corner. Also, there was almost no chance that he could have captured the hearts, minds or money of the state’s conservative independents, whose support is still an indispensable ingredient of any GOP victory in Virginia in which the race is dose, and the 1966 gubernatorial race is expected to be very close, indeed.
There is another reality which is only whispered about in Republican as well as in Democratic circles.
It is generally believed within the GOP that state Sen. Douglas Wilder of Richmond^ who is Mack, has a virtual lock on the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor. If he wins it, GOP strategists are convinced that the Republican nomination ftnrthe post will tantamount to election. They, as well as many Democrats, do not believe that conservative Virginia’s 80 per
64.8%