The five Republicans vying to replace retiring Del. William Fralin, R-Roanoke, in the House of Delegates face the challenge of trying to differentiate themselves without burning political bridges they can use in the general election.

All five men espouse similar conservative stances on issues, and all are relative unknowns in the world of state politics.

That could give endorsements an added importance in a race where victory falls to the candidate most successful in turning out supporters at the polls.

The GOP nomination will be decided by a June 9 primary, on a day when there are no other Republican races and turnout is expected to be low.

The candidates are Bill Cleaveland, a Botetourt County lawyer; Chris Head, a Botetourt County resident who owns Home Instead Senior Care; Josh Johnson, a Roanoke lawyer with the firm Gentry Locke Rakes & Moore; Melvin Williams, a Roanoke lawyer with the firm Grimes and Williams; and Mike Wray, who served a term on the Roanoke County Board of Supervisors.

The biggest endorsement, of course, would come from Fralin himself, or maybe House Majority Leader Del. Morgan Griffith, R-Salem -- but both men have remained neutral in the race.

Salem Republican Committee Chairman Greg Habeeb, who has written about the race at the Roanoke Valley Republicans blog, said he believes four of the candidates have gotten key endorsements so far:

n For Williams: Bedford County Sheriff Mike Brown.

n For Cleaveland: Botetourt County Commonwealth's Attorney Joel Branscom and Sheriff Ronnie Sprinkle.

n For Johnson: Roanoke Republican Committee Chairman Adam Boitnott.

n For Wray: Roanoke County Supervisors Richard Flora, Joe McNamara and Mike Altizer.

"There's two ways I think they [endorsements] matter," Habeeb said. "One, it gives a candidate credibility in a name recognition race. No one knows who Melvin Williams is, but if they know Mike Brown, it might get him over the threshold.

"The second is if the person is involved in the campaign. Adam Boitnott didn't just endorse Josh Johnson, he's out knocking doors on his behalf. The county officials didn't just endorse Mike Wray, they're running for re-election with Mike Wray."

The race between the GOP candidates has been friendly so far, and on election night the five plan to coordinate a victory party they'll attend together -- so all will coalesce behind the winner.

The Republican nominee will face Democrat Gwen Mason in the general election. Mason, a Roanoke city councilwoman, faced no formal opposition in receiving her party's nomination.

The Republican candidates themselves expressed mixed views on the importance of endorsements.

Said Cleaveland: "We've tried to work at this thing from the standpoint of personal endorsements even more so than public figure endorsements. If you're confident I can do the job, talk to your friends on a one-on-one level."

In this unusual five-way intraparty primary race, that may work for these candidates as well as anything else.