Evening star., 1951-07-19
81 Legislative Seats
AT Issue in Virginia
Democratic Primary
BY Alex R. Preston
Stor Staff Correspondent


Stor Siaff Correspondent
RICHMOND, July 19.-At least
80 General Assembly seats will be
at issue in the Democratic pri-
mary August Z.
| BY other means, however. as
many as Sc seats have been or may
be involved by action of the Demo-
Gratis. This is why:
OF the 40 State Senate members.
there are IL primary contests to
be settled by ballot; there is one
unopposed nominee to succeed a
candidate who is not running
again. and there are six party
conventions or Democratic COM
Imittee nominations scheduled.
The House of Delegates, with
100 members. finds races involved
for 20 seats; four unopposed can
didates named either to replace
Democrats or run against Re-
publicans in November, and 13
party conventions or committee
nominations scheduled.
Two Republicans In Senate.
Democratic nomination in Vir-
Iginia is, in most cases, tantamount
to election. For example, there
now are 38 Democrats and only
two Republicans in the Senate.
There are 81 Democrats, seven
Republicans and two Independents
in the House.
This is considered an "off year"
for elections in Virginia because
Iof no national. congressional or
Statewide issues to be settled.
Nevertheless it is one of the
most important election years for
the 100 counties because they
choose their local legislative rep
Iresentatives, policy making bodies
and important administrative and
law enforcement officials.
The State Senators are elected
for four-year terms and the Dele
gates for two years. In addi-
Ition. the court clerks are being
named for eight-year terms and
local boards of supervisors, treas
urers. sheriffs. commissioners of
revenues and Commonwealth's
attorneys are elected to four-year
terms.
How Contests Shape Up.
In brief. this is how the Senate
primary contests shape up:
First District-V. Alfred Ethe-
ridge and w. Russell Hatchett
vieing for the seat of Senator
Benjamin T. Gunter. Democrat:
Ex-senator Major M. Hillard op-
posed by Earl A. Cadmus: 4th-
A f1ve-way contest for the seat of
Senator I. Paul Wales, Democrat.
between Walter H. Carter, Donald
|Selvage. j. v. Howell. Boiling Lam
beth and Aubrey E. Strobe; 12th--
Senator Mosby G. Perrow, jr., op-
posed by Robert Boyer, a CIO
leader; 20th-Senator j. C. Car
Ipenter. jr., opposed by Eldon K.
Crowder; 21st-Frederick L. Ho-
back and John B. Spiers seek
nomination for seat now held by
Senator Ted Dalton. Republican;
26th-Senator o. E. McCue, jr,
opposed by j. T. Henley: 18th
Senator Andrew w. Clarke opposed
by John A. K. Donovan.
Thirty-third-Victor P. Wilson,
now a Delegate, opposes G. Alvin
MaSsenburg. Democratic State
chairman, for the seat of Senator
L. y. Noland, Democrat. Mr.. VIII
son beat Mr.. Massenburg by about
$3.50 to 2.970 votes in the House
primary in 1949 and in the general
election Mr.. Massenburg polled %
write-in votes to more than 1000
for the nominee, Mr.. Wilson.
Thirty-fourth-Senator Lloyd c.
Bird opposed by c. Virgil Feather
ston.
Thirty -fifth-Senators Charles w
Crowder, James E. Gardner and
Frank s. Richeson seek renomina-
ton against Alvin v. Leake. G. Ed
mund Massie, Beecher E. Stall
lard and Edward e. Wiley. Seth
Senator Earl A. Fitzpatrick op-
posed by Arnold Schlossberg.
In the 9th, Benjamin L. Camp
bell is unopposed for the seat Of
Senator Morton G. Goode, Demo-
crat. Conventions or committee
nominations are scheduled for the
14th, 18th, 10th. 18th, 18th and
10Th districts.