From: clarinews@clarinet.com
Newsgroups: clari.news.politics,biz.clarinet.sample
Subject: Clinton captures Virginia caucuses
Keywords: politics
Date: 14 Apr 92 14:08:23 GMT
Followup-To: biz.clarinet.sample
ACategory: usa
Slugword: politics-virginia
Priority: regular
Format: regular
X-Supersedes: <politics-virginiaU2AD1110pe@clarinet.com>
ANPA: Wc: 536; Id: z2703; Sel: xxnp.; Adate: 4-13-1005aed; Ver: ld
Codes: ynp.rxx.
Note: (3grafld -- picksup4thgraf: Clinton expected x x x -- updating with
 latest numbers)


	RICHMOND, Va. (UPI) -- Bill Clinton maintained his dominion over the
South, claiming victory in the Virginia Democratic presidential
caucuses, but his win was clouded by a strong surge of uncommitted votes
from Democrats uneasy with the Arkansas governor.
	In the latest tally reported Tuesday morning, Clinton won 52.4
percent of the delegates selected at Saturday and Monday night caucuses.
But a strong uncommitted vote was close behind at 35.7 percent, to 11.7
percent for Brown. Former Massachusetts Sen. Paul Tsongas, who has
withdrawn from the campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination,
won six delegates.
	Out of a total of 3,500 delegates elected in the two rounds of
caucuses, 3,271 had been reported to the headquarters of the Democratic
Party of Virginia by 9 a.m. EDT Tuesday.
	Clinton expected and got majorities in rural Virginia counties and
towns, most of which caucused Monday to complete the first stage of the
state's byzantine method of sending delegates to the Democratic National
Convention in New York in July.
	The remaining one-third of the delegates were selected at Monday
night's caucuses.
	The party now turns to district and state conventions, which will
choose pledged or uncommitted delegates to the party's national
nominating convention.
	Virginia Democrats ultimately will send a total of 97 delegates to
the national convention. Those will include 80 elected and 17 appointed
delegates.
	Party officials say the turnout at the caucuses -- the lowest
Democratic participation in 20 years -- suggests rank-and-file party
members are dissatisfied with the tone of 1992 election politics.
	University of Virginia political analyst Larry Sabato said the
turnout indicates ``either people are turned off the politics or turned
off to the candidates in particular.''
	Democratic Party Chairman Paul Goldman said the turnout should be a 
``wake-up call'' to the party faithful.
	Unseasonably warm weather may also have lured Democrats outdoors
instead of inside meeting places.
	``Local Democrats feel that it (a Clinton win) is something that was
inevitable,'' said Harry Carver, a spokesman for the Democratic Party. 
``It if was a tight race between a couple or two or three candidates,
weather wouldn't had anything to do with it.''
	Monday's final round of caucuses represented a modest upsurge in
support for Clinton.
	After figures from Saturday's caucuses were tallied, Clinton had 53
percent of the votes committed to him. Brown had garnered 15 percent,
scoring isolated victories in Richmond and some parts of South Hampton
Roads, but 32 percent were undecided heading into the district
conventions.
	Brown's appearance on the campus of Virginia Commonwealth University
apparently boosted his standing in Richmond in time for the Saturday
caucus. Eighty-seven delegates went for Brown, 48 for Clinton and 48
remained uncommitted.
	But Clinton swept the Washington suburbs, where many party leaders
have come out in favor of his candidacy, winning 315 delegates to 16 for
Brown and 68 uncommitted.
Xref: sparky clari.news.politics:472 biz.clarinet.sample:1090 clari.news.top:184