University of Virginia Library

Election '72

Scott For The Byrds?

In the Virginia senatorial
race; the Republican
challenger, Congressman Scott,
is waging an interesting
campaign to unseat Democratic
Senator William B. Spong, Jr.
Rather than stand by his
record, Cong. Scott has geared
his campaign to two tenuous
propositions:

1) In their voting pattern,
Sen. Spong has consistently
canceled out Sen. Byrd's vote.
Result: Virginia is without
representation in the U.S.
Senate.

2) Cong. Scott will join Sen.
Byrd in voting for programs of
President Nixon. Result:
Virginia will be back in the
Senate and all will be well.

Actually, the record will
show that Sen. Spong has
voted with Sen. Byrd more
often–78% of the time–than
Cong. Scott claims to have
voted with the President–75%
of the time. This silly numbers'
game is unimportant as far as
Sen. Spong is concerned.

What is important in this
illustration is that much of
Cong. Scott's thin hopes of an
upset ride on how closely he
can identify himself with Pres.
Nixon and Harry Byrd.

While this may be an
acceptable approach for many
newcomers, Cong. Scott has a
six year legislative background
of his own. Not only does he
attempt to distort Sen. Spong's
voting record, but he also hides
from his own.

A look at various points in
Cong. Scott's record will
explain his hesitancy to
publicize it: he has voted
against the establishment of a
consumer protection agency,
against overriding presidential
vetoes of hospital and
education spending, against
limiting funds to the
Subversive Activities Control
Board; he has voted for federal
loan guarantees for Lockheed
Corp. and for continued S.S.T.
funding. It is not surprising
that Sen. Spong differed with
Cong. Scott in each instance,
but interestingly enough, so
did Cong. Scott's purported
ally, Sen. Byrd.

Moreover, Cong. Scott has
voted for amendments that
weaken the Federal Water
Pollution Control Act, has
voted against all food stamp
legislation, against the Housing
and Urban Development Act of
1968, against emergency
student loan guarantees and
against the extension of the
Voting Rights Act which
included a provision for the 18
year old vote.

Cong. Scott's record speaks
for itself. It is unfortunate, but
not unexpected, that he
chooses to run away from it.