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By JOHN GOOLRICK
Some of the pundits are saying that the statewide Democratic ticket of 1993 is a surefire winner; that Mary Sue Terry, Don Beyer and Bill Dolan are as good as elected.
When I read or hear such assertions I recall the recently concluded state Republican convention, a two-day event at which I saw at various times Wyatt Durrette, John Chichester and Buster O’Brien.
What’s that got to do with the price of eggs, you ask? Well, in 1985 it was conventional wisdom among the pundits that a GOP ticket consisting of Durrette, Chichester and O’Brien in that order for governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general was a can’tmiss proposition.
Indeed, that very ticket was nominated. Durrette was expected to beat Democratic gubernatorial nominee Gerald Baliles, who was regarded as a person of little charisma; Chichester was quoted as a 100-1 favorite to beat Douglas Wilder by noted analyst Larry Sabato; and it was felt O’Brien’s infectious smile and winning personality would carry the day against little-known House of Delegtes member Mary Sue Terry.
The pundits ate crow, of course, when Baliles, Wilder and Terry won that November and solidly reestablished Democrats in charge of Virginia’s government.
With nearly five months to go before the balloting I think it premature, therefore, to suggest the election has been decided. After all, a survey taken by a Richmond television station very recently showed the gubernatorial race a virtual dead-heat, something that is astonishing if true; since Republican George Allen must still struggle for name identity against Ms. Terry, who served nearly eight years as the state attorney general.
Many Republicans believe, rightly or wrongly, that a pro-Democrat mentality on the part of media covering the election is responsible for a wishful thinking attitude on the part of the media that things are already settled.
Having been a political reporter for nearly 30 years, my observation was that most of my colleagues probably voted Democratic, but basically tried to be fair in their news coverage.
Besides that, you can take it from me that members of the press could never organize themselves well enough to carry on a conspiracy. We had trouble organizing the annual General Assembly farewell party.
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