Despite the presidential primaries stealing much of the public limelight, Sen. Chuck Robb (D) and former Gov. George Allen (R) are busily preparing campaign strategies for the upcoming United States Senate elections to be held in Virginia Nov. 7.
Although it still is early, both candidates already are raising funds and deciding on issues for the race.
For now, the Robb camp plans to emphasize the accomplishments of his two previous Senate terms, in which he supported such issues as strengthening Social Security and Medicare and stopping wasteful spending.
"Keeping the economy strong and the importance of education, social security and healthcare are all issues that Virginians have said are their concerns," Robb Campaign Manager Jim Mulhall said.
Similarly, Allen hopes to gain support by using his past record as Virginia's governor to his political advantage. His accomplishments include developing the Standards of Learning package for Virginia schools and proposing the Truth in Sentencing law, which requires inmates to serve their entire sentence without parole, Allen spokeswoman Terri Hauser said.
Allen hopes to take his philosophy of small government into the forefront.
"Gov. Allen wants to bring his common-sense Jeffersonian conservative approach to Washington," Hauser said.
The Allen camp also emphasized that the entire campaign is not yet fully developed.
Presently, both campaigns have begun preliminary campaign actions through fundraising and brief state tours.
In order to remain competitive, both candidates will need to reaffirm support from groups that helped them in past elections, said Robert Holsworth, chairman of the department of international and public affairs at Virginia Commonwealth University.
Others believe the candidates must focus mainly on middle-of-the-road voters.
"Robb is more left, and Allen is more right," said Larry J. Sabato, professor of government and foreign affairs. "Both candidates need to worry about centeredness."
Early public opinion polls show Allen is ahead of Robb. But experts caution that these polls are not always an accurate indicator of the election's outcome.
"Allen is winning at the polls, but not so far ahead that Robb couldn't win in November," Holsworth said.
The Allen campaign realizes that Robb's experience may hurt Allen in the long run, but they believe Allen's work as governor will speak for itself.
"He is an underdog but has a strong record of accomplishment," Hauser said.
Virginia representative Virgil Goode (I-5th) also stepped into the public eye yesterday when he announced his endorsement of Texas Gov. George W. Bush for the Republican presidential nomination at a Danville press conference. Goode, who ended his affiliation with the Democratic Party this year, already endorsed Allen for the Senate.
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