Democratic support carries Roebuck

and CARA TANAMACHI State Representative Jim Roebuck won in a landslide victory last night for a fifth consecutive term in the 188th District, which includes a large part of the University. While many people are unfamiliar with Roebuck himself, they may have voted for him anyway because he was one of many candidates on a Democratic block endorsed by Congressional Representative Lucien Blackwell and topped by President-elect Bill Clinton. Since Blackwell shares his campaign volunteers and resources with Roebuck, there were few distinct Roebuck supporters at the victory party at 39th and Market streets last night. Most volunteers at the reception wore Blackwell hats and buttons, but said they favored the Democratic block of candidates. "I've been working for the Democrats ever since I can remember," Noel Gandy, a Blackwell volunteer, said last night. "I basically vote for all the candidates [Blackwell] endorses. It's been like a family [of candidates]." Elisabel Christian, a Blackwell volunteer, added that her support extends beyond Blackwell to other Democratic candidates. "We must be for all the Democrats, not just one," she said. Although most of the voters at the victory reception knew little about Roebuck, there were a few people who personally endorsed him. Maryellen Cabry, a 19-year-old friend and supporter of Roebuck, said she thinks he is very "polite" and takes time to listen to his constituents. "If you want to talk with him, he'll take time out to talk with you," Cabry said last night. "When I visit him at his office, there are a lot of stairs that I can't climb [in my wheelchair]. Roebuck comes down from his office to talk with me." Cabry's mother, Rita Cabry, also a Roebuck volunteer, said that Roebuck has been very receptive to community needs in the past. "Anything he can do for you, he will," she said. "I brought him a couple of problems of the district and he's helped out, or pointed us in the right direction." Roebuck said he would concentrate on many community issues in his new term, including restoring some state funding to the University. "Hopefully, [the state legislature] will readdress this issue when the new session begins in the next few weeks," Roebuck said. "They probably will not restore full funding, but some of the governor's cuts, like those to the Veterinary School should be looked at." Roebuck said education, both on the college and high school level, would be one of his top priorities. "I've always been trying to strengthen education so kids can make a good life for themselves," Roebuck said. "Not only kids that go to college, but also for those who don't." Roebuck said that although he never doubted his victory, he was encouraged by the unusually high voter turnout. "The turnout was very large -- upwards of 80 percent in most districts," Roebuck said. "It was even higher in the university area. I heard it was upwards of 90 percent." Roebuck won his election with XX percent of the vote with XX percent of the precincts reporting. Reverend James Eberhardt, a volunteer in the Roebuck campaign, attributes the high voter turnout to many voters' discontent with national policies. "I think what really brought the people out today was the state of the economy and the lackluster of Bush," he said.