
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, March 5, 1994                   TAG: 9403050069
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A-3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: WASHINGTON                                LENGTH: Medium

SENATE LEADER WON'T RUN AGAIN

Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell announced Friday he would not seek re-election, stunning his colleagues and creating even more turmoil for President Clinton's agenda and this fall's elections.

"This is the right time for me to consider other challenges and to give someone else the chance to serve," the 60-year-old Maine Democrat said in a televised announcement, saying he was in fine health, had no job lined up and was sure he would win a third full term if he ran.

Word of Mitchell's decision sent ripples from Washington to Maine. President Clinton wished his partisan ally well, but lamented that Mitchell, who flew home to Maine on Friday afternoon, will be "very difficult to replace."

There were two immediate scrambles: one by Maine politicians who have three weeks to file for a race that was lopsided in Mitchell's favor but is now considered highly competitive; the other by Senate Democrats who are likely to have a spirited, generational leadership battle if the party keeps its Senate majority.

In a straightforward announcement in which he paid tribute to his parents and his mentor, Edmund Muskie, Mitchell vowed to spend his final months as majority leader fighting for health care, welfare and campaign finance reform, anti-crime legislation and to protect jobs in Maine's struggling shipbuilding and fishing industries.

With a 56-44 majority that in reality often was slimmer because of declining party loyalty, Mitchell was a solid Clinton ally in the administration's turbulent first year. He is pivotal to Clinton's hope of getting health care reform that includes universal coverage through the Senate.

If they hold their Senate majority, which appears likely but not certain, Democrats would pick a new majority leader who would succeed Mitchell in January.

There is no clear front-runner now, but names mentioned Friday as possible contenders included South Dakota's Tom Daschle, a Mitchell protege who expressed interest in conversations with colleagues Friday; Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia; and John Breaux and Bennett Johnston of Louisiana; Kentucky's Wendell Ford, the second-ranking Democrat now; Nevada Sen. Harry Reid; and Arkansas Sen. David Pryor.

Keywords:
POLITICS

by CNB