Evening star., 1928-11-11
V|RG|VA'S BALLOT
STUNS DEMOCRATS
Switch to Republicans May
Give Parties Nearly Equal
Balance in State.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
RICHMOND, Va, November To-
Virginia Democrats are stunned by the
Hoover victory which swept this State
into the Republican column for the
first time since 1872, when Grant won
the State over Greeley by majority
slightly less than 1000.
Unofficial returns from all the pre-
cincts in the State give Hoover a ma
jority of 24,515. His vote was 165,510,
considerably more than twice the 1859
Coolidge received in Virginia in 1924.
Smiths vote was 1909 which was
1.1eS higher than the vote which John
W. Davis received in Virginia four
years ago.
Gov Smith carried So counties and
six cities of Virginia, while Hoover
carried 48 counties and II cities. Hoover
ran better in the cities than in the
rural districts and his vote was excep-
tionally heavy in the sections where the
Ku KluX Klan is well organized.
Gain Three in House.
The Republicans gained three mem
hars of Congress from Virginia,
Menalcus Lankford of Norfolk defeating
Representative Joseph T. Deal in the
second district James A. CARRIER de-
feating Representative Thomas w Har-
riSon in the seventh district, and Joseph
C. Shaffer defeating w. H. Rouse in
the ninth district The Republicans
nominated congressional candidates in
only of the 10 districts. Had they
nominated candidates in all the dis
tricts their representation in the next
Congress would probably have been
larger than it will be. The name of
Claude A. Swanson, Democratic can
didate for reelection to the United
States Senate. was heavily scratched,
although he was unopposed.
The religious issue turned the tide in
this State. Prohibition played but little
Part in the election. The defeated
Democratic congressional candidates
were ardent drys. It is figured that not
more than 25 per cent of the bolting
Democrats will return to the Demo-
cratic party.
Parties to Be Balanced.
This means that the two major
parties will be evenly balanced in this
State for some years to come. For this
reason next years State election in
Virginia is expected to be the most
exciting in 10 years Officers to be
elected next year are governor, lieuten-
ant governor, attorney general. all
AlcAuucLS VI bIlC f1OuSG Ol OEl6SdL6S ana
the local officers of cities. 1t is ex-
pected that an effort will be made to
continue the Anti-Saloon League Ku
Klux Klan and Republican alliance of
interest which last Tuesday carried the
State for Hoover
It is believed that this combination
will place in the field candidates for all
the Statewide and local Offices which
will be voted on next year. The names
of Henry w. Anderson of Richmond.
Republican gubernaterial candidate in
1921; Robert H. Angel of Roanoke,
State Republican chairman James Can
non, jr., Of Blackstone, Bishop of the
Methodist Church South, and j. Sidney
Peters Of Richmond, former State pro-
hibition commissioner, are being men
toned in connection with the guber-
material nomination. No Democratic
dry leader of Statewide political promi-
nence bolted the ticket and therefore
the number of candidates from the
former Democratic alignment is limited.
The Democrats are in a quandary
about the State election and will en-
deavor to limit, as far as possible the
number of candidates for the nomina7
ton for State Offices.
r. L. C. BARRETT.