Evening star., 1946-09-28
9Th District Democrats
To Pick House Choice;
Quesenbery Gaining
By Alex R. Preston
Ssor Stoff cpsrsspeseent


HARRISONBURG, Va. Sept. %
&C. G. Quesenbery, Waynesborc
member of the House of Delegates
today appeared to be gaining sup
port as 7th district Democrats
went into convention at noon to
nominate a candidate for the House
OF Representatives.
Judge Burr P. Harrison of Win
chester continued to hold the great
est number of preconvention
pledged votes out of a field of six
candidates. Although an 'unan-
. nounced" candidate, his friends said
: he could count on at least LOG votes
on the first ballot. A total of 129 is
needed to nominate,
Mr.. Quesenbery's supporters say
they will start their candidate with
about so votes on the first ballot
and believed that thereafter he
would gain support of other candi-
dates, including G. Fred Switzer of
Harrisonburg.
MIR. Switzer, who is Democratic
chairman and president of the Har-
risonburg Telephone Co.. probably
would get at least 81 votes on the
flrst ballot, it appeared.
Switzer May Be Nominated.
According to best obtainable esti-
mates as the convention assembled
IN the Robert E Lee High School,
the greatest portion of Mr. SWitzer's
support would be thrown to MI.
Quesenbery, unless on-the- floor de-
Eelopments give the nomination to
the Hsrrisonburg man.
Today's convention was called to
nominate candidate for the seat
now held by Representative Rob-
ertson. who received the partys
nomination for the Senate seat of
the late Carter Glass at the State
convention in Richmond earlier this
month.
E. Blackburn Moore, member of
the House of Delegates from Win
chester and Clarke County. had
been slated to receive Clarke
Countys seven votes when the first
ballot is taken. Mr.. Moore said
however, that he was doing every
thing possible to keep his name from
being offered and he would endeavor
to throw his support to Judge Har-
rison.
Judge Harrison also has the
pledged support of Frederick
Countys 10 votes. 80 from Page. 25
from Shenandoah, 20 from Warren
and II from Winchester.
Quesenbery Support Predicted.
DR.. George Torrence of Hot
Springs had the pledged support
of Bath Countys four votes and
w. K. Allen, Amherst, had the
commitments of his county's ~ votes
as the convention was called to
order, but Mr.. Quesenbery's sup
porters believed these ballots could
be counted in his column after the
first roll call.
Ihey were even more certain Of
the support of Nelson County's ID
votes after token nomination of
'. Tlnsley Coleman, favorite son cam
dldate and former House of Dele
gates member.
Mr.. Quesenbery has the sure sup
port OF Augustus q votes and IS
from Staunton.
Some time after the first ballot,
they believe Harrisonburg and Rock
bridge will swing to Mr.. Quesen-
berry, thus giving him the victory.
Had Declined to Be Candidate.
Although Mr.. Quesenbery an
nounced previously he would not
be candidate because he believed
a preconVention choice already i1adf
been made by party leaders, he
was busily engaged in conferences
last night at the Stonewall Jack
son Hotel and the. consensus of most
delegates there was that he was4
very much in the running.
They recalled that not so long
ago another successful Democratic
nominee also was not candida te"
up until the time ne was given the
party's Endorsement.
The reference. Of course. was to
Representative Robertson. who re-
celved the nomination without being
an announced candidate.
Col. L. w. H. Peyton, president
Of Staunton Military Academy, and
chairman of the Board of Visitors
of Virginia Military Institute. was
to deliver the address of welcome
at the convention. Robert N. White
head, House of Delegates member
from Nelson County, was to make
the response
Guy o. Farley, chairman of the
Staunton Democratic Committee,
was host at an informal gathering
Of convention delegates last night
at Stonewall Jackson Hotel.