Va. Road Proposal Faces Hurdle

Through much of his tenure (he became chairman of Senate Finance in 1996 and president pro tempore of the Senate in 2000), Chichester, a retired insurance agent who turns 70 in August, could count on the other members of the Gang of Five. Often, in the face of tremendous pressure from fellow Republicans, they stood together in the name of fiscal stewardship. They shared an outlook that a sound state budget was more important than a hard-and-fast promise to keep taxes low.

Today, by all accounts, that alliance -- Chichester, Norment, Stolle, Senate Majority Leader Walter A. Stosch (R-Henrico) and Sen. William C. Wampler Jr. (R-Bristol) -- is under its greatest strain.

Although Chichester has not presented his plan formally, he has shared it with colleagues, on the Democratic side of the aisle. The other members of the Gang of Five learned of its details not from their longtime friend but through media inquiries, Stolle and Norment said.

There have been other moments when the strain has shown. Norment, speaking on the Senate floor as if to Chichester last week, talked of the "agitation" among those who oppose the Republican plan.

And Chichester, speaking on the birthday of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee, said, as if to his associates: "He led by example, with integrity as his compass. He believed in the righteousness of his cause, and he had a deep spiritual belief in the justice of the Almighty. If we could remember these principles as we go about doing the people's business, I think General Lee would be proud."

Unfortunately for Chichester, perhaps, another principle is at work this year: election-year politics. Mirroring the jitters of Republicans in the House, Chichester's colleagues think there is political peril in failing to strike a transportation deal. It would take just three seats for Republicans to lose their Senate majority.

Chichester is unapologetic.

"There is a plan out there that is fraught with myriad errors," Chichester said. "My responsibility and my duty is to fix that."

Staff writer Tim Craig contributed to this report.