Why not me, state Sen. Russ Potts told a group of Roanoke Rotarians on Wednesday afternoon.

If the Boston Red Sox can win the World Series, the Virginia Tech football team can win the ACC in its first year in the conference, and then have its basketball team beat Duke in the same year, "then Russ Potts can be your next governor," he said.

Potts, a sports promoter from Winchester and the long-shot independent candidate in this year's gubernatorial race, is smiling broadly these days - his campaign bolstered by a recent statewide poll that showed him with 9 percent of the vote. The two major party candidates, Democrat Tim Kaine and Republican Jerry Kilgore, are in a statistical dead heat, according to the poll: Kaine with 38 percent and Kilgore with 37 percent - with 16 percent undecided.

The telephone survey, conducted by Mason-Dixon Polling & Research, also showed that 58 percent of those polled support Potts' inclusion in debates involving Kaine and Kilgore. So far, Kilgore has spurned any debate involving Potts, saying the Republican state senator isn't a viable candidate.

Potts said Wednesday that his debate predicament is actually a big benefit because it's brought him free publicity in newspapers across the state. Potts said he's ecstatic with 9 percent of the vote at this point in the race, especially when he's running against more recognized, better funded candidates.

Potts said he's taking some inspiration from former pro wrestler turned politician Jesse Ventura. In 1998, when Ventura shocked the nation by winning the Minnesota governor's race, he was polling about 10 percent of the vote at a later point in that race, Potts said.

"For us, it's a day at a time, a vote at a time," he said. "We're after four of every 10 people."

With more than three months until the Nov. 8 election, Potts said he will keep barnstorming the state in the hopes that he can stir up enough political dust to cause an Election Day storm. Wednesday marked the sixth time Potts has been in Roanoke during the campaign.

"All we need is 35 percent of the vote - not 51," he said.

The Mason-Dixon poll, though, showed that Potts isn't as well known as the other two men in the race: 92 percent of respondents recognized Kilgore's name; 81 percent recognized Kaine's; and 43 percent recognized Potts.

Some could opine that's not a good sign for the 14-year state Senate veteran.

"He's a long way away from 35," said Tom Morris, president of Emory & Henry College and a state political analyst. "Potts is obviously the wild card in this race. He's a political maverick who's bringing another level of uncertainty. Nine percent is encouraging, but let's see if he gets to double digits in two polls. It still remains to be seen after Labor Day how much of a factor he'll be."

Potts says he sees his low name-recognition as a plus. Kaine and Kilgore are very well known, but also have unfavorable ratings that Potts doesn't have to deal with, the independent said. So, Potts thinks he can barnstorm the state, meet people who don't know him and leave them with a favorable impression that could linger into the ballot booth.

Potts' speech at Wednesday's Rotary meeting was well-received by the crowd of about 40.

Clint Morse, a Roanoke lawyer, said he's a Republican, but has decided that he'll vote for Potts. "Kaine is too liberal and Kilgore is an absolute lightweight with no leadership qualities," Morse said. "This guy [Potts] is talking about exactly what we need to do."

Potts told the Rotarians that he was there to do some "plain speakin'." He said the state has to find a way to solve its sizable transportation problems, including improvements to Interstate 81. Then Potts went where few politicians go: He said an increase in the gas tax will likely be needed to generate revenue to actually pay for a plan for the entire state.

"The only way we can address this is to put everything on the table," he said.

On the Net:

russpotts.com

jerrykilgore.com

kaine2005.org