Evening star., 1953-11-01
Independents Force
Democrats 10 Dig for
Votes in Alexandra
BY Mary Lou Werner

BY Mary Lou Werner
Independent candidates have
Alexandria Democratic nominees
out working hard for votes in
Tuesdays election.
Two contests, one for the
House of Delegates and the
other for Commemorative At
torney. have developed into real
battles.
Democratic Armistead L.
Boothe is seeking election to his
fourth term in the House of
Delegates. He is opposed by
John Alvin Croghan, who is run
ming as an Independent.
Their campaign has been one
of the bitterest Alexandria voters
can recall. Both candidates are
attorneys and gifted speakers.
Their charges and counter
charges have run the gamut
from world federalism to segre-
cation and labor relations.
Upset in Primaries.
Who is a Democrat and who
isn't has been the major issue of
the Commonwealth Attorney
contest. The candidates are
Earl F. Wagner, the Democratic
nominee, and William C.. Bauk-
night, who is running as an In
dependent.
Mr.. Wagner defeated the in
cumbent Howard w. Smith, jr.,
in the Democratic primary. His
majority was overwhelming. The
result was a real upset.
Mr.. Wagner charged that Mr..
Bauknight was put into the race
by the same old crowd" that
couldn't accept results of the pri-
mary. He said Mr.. Bauknight
should have offered himself to
the voters in the primary.
Mr.. Bauknight accused Mr..
Wagner of being politically dis
honest. He said Mr.. Wagner
was Republican who decided
it would be politically advan-
tageous to switch parties. He
produced a list of delegates to
the Republican State conven-
ton last year, including the
name of Mr.. Wagner. He asked
how Mr.. Wagner was able to
sign party pledge for the Dem
ocratic primary.
COurted Democrats.
Mr.. Bauknight has courted
support from the Democratic
party. Two Democrats on the
city council, Daniel F. O'Flaherty
and Frank Mann, have come out /
for him. The Alexandria Demo-
cratic Committee, however. has
put it's official blessing on Mr..
Wagner
The only other contest before
Alexandria voters Tuesday is a
three-way race for the city'S two
civil and police court judgeships.
The candidates are James R.
Duncan, James N. Colasanto and
Denis R. Ayres. judges Duncan
and Colasanto are the present
Office holders. and are the DEM
ocratic party nominees. Mr..
Ayres is running as an Independ-
ent.
Campaign On Records.
This has been a quiet contest.
The candidates have made few
speaking appearances. Most OF
their campaigning has been on
the basis of their records and
qualifications. Judge Duncan has
held office for the past 19 years.
Judge Colasanto was appointed
to the bench last March. Mr..
Ayres has been practicing law
in Alexandria since 1914.
The names of four other un-
opposed Democratic candidates
also will appear on the city-wide
Alexandria ballot, and the names
of unopposed candidates for
justice of the peace will appear
on the ballots in three wards.
The unopposed candidates are:
Roger Sullivan, city treasurer;
Aubrey Callahan, commissioner |
of revenue; Earl Sullivan, clerk
of the court; J. Frank Moriarty,
city sergeant; Michael P. Frasca,
justice of the peace for the fifth |
ward; James R. Carver, justice
of the peace for the first ward,
and Edward Seely, justice of the
N1aooa faV fno civfh HnorH