Evening star., 1951-01-07
Local Issues Dominate
AS New Year Begins
In Virginia Politics
By the Associoted Press

BY the Associated Press
RICHMOND, Va, Jan. 6.-The
New Year impends as significant
in Virginia politics in spite of the
fact that no major State cam
paigns are in prospect for the next
IL months.
1t will be q year of many local
elections. Of more Importance
from a Statewide viewpoint, it
may be a year of getting ready
for the bigger political battles to
come in 1852 for United States
Senator and in 1858 for Governor
Virginia voters in 1851 will be
concerned Immediately with the
election of 140 members of the
General Ass smbly and some SOC
county officials, not counting the
county boards of supervisors.
Factional Contests Possible.
A possibility exists that some of
the local contests will be waged
along the split in Virginia's Demo-
cratic Party-the dominant, con-
servative organization headed by
Senator Byrd against the more
liberal anti-crganization forces OF
Francis P:ckens Miller, Martin
Hutchinson and Delegate Robert
Whitehead.
In most contests, however, the
issues are expected to be pre-
dominantly local.
More weight regarding future
prospects may be gained from the
assembly contests, where a num-
ber of battles are expected to be
Waged on the organization issue.
Aside from the elections, the
New Year may shape decisions or
two or three other important fac
tors. These include:
/. Redistricting Of both con.
gressional and assembly districts
2. Legislation to provide run.
off primaries for major State Of
fees.
3. A change in the date for pri-
mary elections.
Up to Legislature.
The ultimate decision on ali
three points actually will remain
for the 1852 General Assembly
but the general outlines of what
to expect should be evident by the
end of this year.
A special commission was es-
tablished by the 1850 legislature
to begin the preparation of plans
for redistricting. Expected to
start work in a few weeks, it is
charged with recommending a
plan for reapportionment of 100
House and 40 Senate seats.
The 1850 census, which gives
Virginia a new and tenth member
in the House, also poses the prob
lem of carving the State into 10
congressional districts where now
there are nine.
There is no official study being
made of the run-of primary prop
osition, but several leaders in the
organization have indicated they
favor the idea-particularly since
it appears another multiple
candidate field might be in the
gubernatorial race in 1858.
Candidates Mentioned.
There are four or five prospec-
tive candidates for Governor in
the organizations ranks and one
potentially strong runner on the
other side.
For the organization, the ap-
parent candidates include At
torney General j. Lindsay Almond.
jr.; Representative Thomas B.
Stanley, of the Fifth District;
Lieut.. Gov. L. Preston Collins, of
Marion; and State Senator Charles
r. Fenwick, of Arlington. A dark
horse candidate is L. Mccarthy
Downs since his return as chair
man of the State Compensation
Board.
Nelson County Delegate White
head at present seems to be the
nti-organization hope for 1858,
but he hasn't said he will or will
not run.
Change Foreshadowed.
Unless there is a sharp clarifica-
ton of the gubernatorial picture
by next winter. it is believed prob
able the 1852 legislature will pass
run-off primary legislation.
A change in the old custom of
holding primaries in August is
foreshadoWed by the 1850 AS
sembly's action in directing
the Virginia Advisory Legislative
Council to study the primary date
question.
The Assembly's directive made
no suggestions as to new dates,
but the idea back of it appears to
have been that primaries should
be held either in the spring or in
The VALC study hasn't started
yet.