THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, June 9, 1996 TAG: 9606070021
SECTION: COMMENTARY PAGE: J4 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Editorial
LENGTH: 66 lines
It has taken 18 years and three terms to bring U.S. Sen. John W. Warner to the brink of a lifetime achievement: chairmanship of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
In a region and a state where much depends on national commitment to a well-oiled military, it would be folly to cast aside Warner's seniority and experience without a compelling reason.
No such reason exists in Tuesday's Republican-primary election between Warner and former Reagan budget director James C. Miller III.
Since winning office in 1978 by fewer than 5,000 votes, Warner has brought earnestness and diligence to the job of representing Virginia. He was once dismissed as a glamour-seeker because of his liaisons with rich-and-famous women. But the former Navy secretary has silenced that criticism by doing yeoman's work to protect the state's military interests and improve the lives of its servicemen and servicewomen.
In his most-recent achievement, he helped forge a compromise that should keep Newport News Shipbuilding in the submarine business into the next century. That is good news to the company's 18,000 employees and to the thousands of other Southeastern Virginians who depend on the shipyard payroll.
Under Warner's prodding, the Senate committee version of the 1997 defense budget includes $701 million for an attack submarine, to be built at the Peninsula facility in 1999. That's $200 million more than is in the House budget plan. Either way, Virginia wins. The victory is sweetest if Warner's plan prevails.
There's other evidence that it helps to have a friend in high places. Thus far, Virginia has fared well in the nation's painful journey through military-base closings and personnel downsizing. While forces beyond the control of a single legislator affected the results, Warner kept careful watch over the process, intervening when necessary.
Positioning is not the only reason to retain the senior senator, however.
Philosphically, he is a good match for the state. According to a 15-year study by the nonpartisan National Journal, Warner has voted conservative on economic issues 80 percent of the time; on foreign policy 72 percent of the time; and on social and cultural issues 68 percent of the time.
While that record doesn't satisfy the most conservative of the Republican faithful, Warner's common-sense, business-oriented approach fits well with Virginia's moderate-conservative mainstream. His willingness to break from the party line on occasion is an admirable trait, showing independence of thought and spirit.
Not everyone appreciates the free-spiritedness. Warner's opposition to GOP-nominee Oliver North in the 1994 Senate race and Warner's refusal earlier to endorse Michael Farris, the party's candidate for lieutenant governor in 1993, have invited enmity.
That ill-will is Miller's strength in Tuesday's primary. Miller, an economist who served during Reagan's second administration, is a likable and knowledgeable candidate. However, he remains committed to supply-side economics, despite the soaring budget deficits that supply-side-inspired tax cuts helped create in the 1980s. And several of his positions - including calls for abolishing the minimum wage and opposition to abortion even in cases of rape and incest - are too extreme for most Virginians.
John Warner's seniority is too valuable a commodity to cast aside lightly, and there's no need. His record of service and performance on the job, his philosophy and willingness to put principle ahead of party have earned him the right to appear on the ballot in the November election. Republicans should proudly allow him to bear their standard into political battle once again.
KEYWORDS: U.S. SENATE RACE VIRGINIA PRIMARY ELECTIONS
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