Evening star., 1944-08-02
Virginia Races
Won BY Dr'ewry
And Daughfon
Seven Representatives
Have No Opposition
In Primaries
By the Associated Press.


NORFOLK, Va, Aug. 2.-Ralph
H. Daughton, one Of Norfolk's two
State Senators, and Representative
Drewry Of Petersburg won Demo-
cratic nominations for the House in
yesterdays primaries In the I'd and
4th districts.
Mr.. Daughton, 58-year -old presi-
dent Of the Piedmont League, win
oppose Thomas L. Woodward, Suf-
folk, Republican, for the I'd dis
trict seat now held by Representa-
tive Harris, who Is retiring from
Congress to accept private employ
ment.
Mr.. Drewry, veteran of "a years
service and chairman Of the Demo-
cratic National Congressional CAM
paign Committee, is unopposed in
the general election.
Only two districts were involved
in yesterdays primaries. Seven of
the States nine House members
were unopposed and had been de-
clared the party nominees.
Labor Backed Pare.
Mr.. Daughton, with the backing
of the State Democratic organiza-
ton headed by Senator Byrd, won
in a close three-cornored contest
with former State Senator Vivian L.
Page and Porter Hardy, jr., a Nor
folk County farm leader. No ma
tional issues were involved, but Mr..
Page had the backing of many labor
unions and the CIO Political Action
Committee Of Tidewater.
Mr.. Drewry, holding a lead in
every county and city In the 4th
district except Hopewell and
Mecklenburg, received almost twice
as many votes as his opponent,
Lorenzo Lee Bean, wholesale
groceryman and former Mayor Of
South Hill, on the basis of returns
from 104 of the districts 149 pre-
cincts. Mr.. Drewry polled 6,035
votes to 3,145 for Mr.. Bean. and
Mr.. Drewry's lead was expected to
increase with additional returns.
With only four small precincts
missing-one ip Norfolk County and
three in Southampton, 100 out OF
134 precincts in the I'd district gave
Mr.. Daughton 6,727 votes to 6,207
for Mr.. Page and 5,968 for Mr..
Hardy. The vote was light, being
only about half of the vote reg
istered in the district in previous
primary contests.
Hardy's Vote Stirs Speculation.
Politicians who had predicted a
close race between Mr.. Daughton
and Mr.. Page, who was attempting
comeback after being defeated for
the Senate by Edward L. Breeden,
jr., were surprised at the large vote
polled by Mr.. Hardy and were
speculating today on its effect on
the Daughton-Page contest. Mr..
Hardy easily won the rural counties
|of Isle Of Wight. Southampton and
Nansemond and got q big vote in
his own Norfolk County, which has
much urban area.
Mr.. Page had pluralities In Nor
folk City, Norfolk County and Ports
mouth, where the labor vote is
strong. while Mr.. Daughton carried
Princess Anne, South Norfolk and
Suffolk. 1t was humping major
lty IN Princess Anne, which includes
Vrginia's famous beach resorts,
that put Mr.. Daughton over.
The 4th district contest had been
termed a handshaking contest.
Neither Mr.. brewery nor Mr.. Bean,
who said he was running to give
the voters choice, made any of the
usual type of campaign speeches and
contented themselves with canvass
ing. The 4th district vote also was
exceptionally light.
Mr.. Doughton is a veteran of 10
years in the General Assembly and
has been member of the Senate
since 1910. He sponsored the con-
stitutional amendment to freeze the
Literary Fund at $4,000, 900 which
Will be submitted to the people this
fall,