Pubdate: Fri, 06 Jul 2001
Source: Richmond Times-Dispatch (VA)
Copyright: 2001 Richmond Newspapers Inc.
Contact:  http://www.timesdispatch.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/365
Author: Tyler Whitley

LIBERTARIANS ADDED TO BALLOT IN 2 RACES

The contests for governor and lieutenant governor each will have a third 
candidate on the ballot.

William B. Redpath of Herndon and Gary A. Reams of Mason Neck qualified as 
candidates for governor and lieutenant governor, respectively, according to 
the State Board of Elections.

Both have been endorsed by the Libertarian Party but will be running as 
independents because the party is not recognized as a political party in 
Virginia. Redpath and Reams both work as consultants in Fairfax County.

The Libertarian Party generally opposes government regulations, taxes and 
social intervention in people's lives.

Dr. Stephen Farnsworth, an associate professor of political science at Mary 
Washington College, said third-party candidates generally fare poorly in 
Virginia because they are unable to gain attention against the major-party 
candidates. The races would have to be unusually close for them to make a 
difference, he said.

Reams, however, has an attention-getting platform. He wants to make the 
contest solely a referendum, or "reeferendum" as he calls it, on the 
legalization of marijuana.

Harry Browne, the Libertarian Party candidate for president last year, got 
only 15,198 votes in Virginia. A third-party candidate for governor in 
1997, Sue Harris DeBauche, received 26,000 votes, just 1.5 percent of the 
total.

Republican Mark L. Earley of Chesterfield, formerly of Chesapeake, and 
Democrat Mark R. Warner of Alexandria are the major-party candidates for 
governor. Republican Del. Jay Katzen of Fauquier and Democrat Timothy M. 
Kaine, Richmond's mayor, are the major-party candidates for lieutenant 
governor.

The election is Nov. 6.