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If Wilder were to be elected governor, he would become the first black governor in the country, and there is much speculation among Virginians as to the roll that race will play in the November election and the preceding campaign.
“Race will not surface in the way some people think it will,” said Sabato. To raise the issue of race, “a candidate will suffer terrible backlash on either side,” said Sabato who asserts that race can not be raised for political gain.
Will race influence the voter’s choice? There is wide disagreement.
“Some would like to think race is an issue, but it is not,” said Medico. “It just so happens that Wilder is black.”
“I think it was proven four years ago that Virginia is beyond that,” Del. Byrne contended.
The race prejudice “is as broad as it is long,” said John H. Chichester (R-28th District) who faced Wilder in the 1985 race for lieutenant governor. “There are people that will vote for Wilder because he’s black, and there are people that won’t vote for him because he’s black.”
Sabato agrees. “It cuts both ways. Wilder gains and loses.”
One area where Wilder gains is that his historical significance is drawing national attention. Wilder is drawing funds from around the country as well as Virginia and is receiving wide-ranging press coverage.
“That’s free advertising,” said Chichester who said he believes Coleman will have to work twice as hard as Wilder for press coverage.
Two men who are probably among those watching the races closest are Del. Raymond R. “Andy” Guest who faced Coleman early on in the primary before leaving the race and Chichester who was considered the frontrunner in the 1985 election.
“It should be a very interesting race," said Guest. Wilder has had the luxury of "not having to fight tooth and nail for the party’s nomination,” said Guest, but may also have suffered from lack of attention over the past few months.
Chichester said he would advice Coleman to run a positive campaign.
Coleman should “articulate solutions for problems here in Virginia and motivate the people to go to the polls to vote for Marshall Coleman, not to vote against Doug Wilder,” said Chichester .
The crucial weeks are yet to come. The last two wreeks in October and the first week in November are when all of the undecided voters make up their minds, explained Sabato.
91.9%