Reams
"Reeferendum"
Heads
Into
Home
Stretch
in
Virginia
10/26/01
Relying on campaign appearances, a few radio ads paid for by supporters, electronic word-of-mouth, and the media attention it has been able to generate, the low-budget Gary Reams campaign for lieutenant governor of Virginia is headed for the November 6 state elections, hoping to draw the votes of tens of thousands of Virginians who want to end marijuana prohibition. Reams is campaigning against Democrat Tim Kaine and Republican Jay Katzen for the largely ceremonial post, but his sole purpose for running is to use the race as a de facto referendum -- the "Reams Reeferendum" (http://www.reamsreeferendum.com), on the current marijuana laws in Virginia. "This is not a vote for Gary Reams, or the Libertarian Party, or libertarianism, this is a vote for marijuana reform," Reams told DRCNet in August. "In a state that does not have an initiative process, this is as close as we can get to a true referendum on the marijuana laws." It is a theme he has never strayed from in his single-refrain campaign. In meetings with small town and big city newspaper editors, addressing students at Charlottesville, or calling in to candidate radio debates from which he was excluded, the Fairfax County (suburban Washington, DC) resident has stayed relentlessly on message. When Charlottesville's WVTF Evening Edition, hosted by Daily Progress political writer Bob Gibson, aired a debate between Kaine and Katzen on August 28, Reams called in to urge support for the Reeferendum and criticize his opponents for supporting prohibition. "It amazes me that these experienced politicians could turn their backs to this constituency," Reams said, telling listeners that other states allowed medical marijuana. Back in August, Reams told DRCNet that if he got above 2% to 3% of the vote -- the high water mark for third-party candidates in Virginia so far -- he would consider the campaign successful. Campaign manager Jim Turney doesn't want to talk precise numbers now, however. "We're hoping that we'd get better than expected," was all he would tell DRCNet. "That would get the attention of the politicians. They and the media have to wake up on the morning of November 7 and find something they didn't expect to see. If we can do that, we will have achieved our objective." National Libertarian Party chairman James Lark, a systems engineering professor at the University of Virginia, was asked by the Cavalier Daily student newspaper if Reams could break the 10% mark. "It's not likely, but it's possible," he said. "Reams has done hardly any TV or radio ads, but he has been showing up in the polls lately.' That was news to Turney. "I don't have any polling numbers," he said. "Nobody polls for lieutenant governor." For Turney, it is now a matter of getting media coverage and spreading the word electronically, in part to make up for public and media attention lost in the wake of the September 11 attacks. "We went over a speed bump with the terrorist attack," he told DRCNet. "We depend on the attention of the media to get the word out. We don't have money for TV, we're doing a few small radio ads, but that money is coming from supporters," he said. Reams did manage to get on a debate televised by Virginia PBS affiliates on October 17, where the Republican Katzen declined to participate, leaving Reams alone with Democrat Kaine for an hour. He stayed right on message: A vote for Reams is a vote to end marijuana prohibition. The campaign continues to court the press across Virginia, said Turney. "We'll be doing more of the same; we don't have enough money for TV ads, so we'll continue to visit the media. We hope to get some favorable attention in newspaper endorsements, if not actual endorsements themselves," he said. "The state press has been excellent, they have published many articles and they have understood our message. The only exceptions have been the Washington Post and the Washington Times. They would barely listen to us, let alone cover us." Turley also implored anyone who agreed with the Reams anti-prohibitionist message to help get the word out. "If you know someone in Virginia, tell those people who are already in basic agreement with us about the campaign, and those people need to tell more. And then pass it on again. Our success critically depends on getting the word out," he said. "I'm hoping for a big surprise on November 6," he added.
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