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

DATE: SATURDAY, March 25, 1995                   TAG: 9503270061
SECTION: NATL/ITNL                    PAGE: A-5   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: WASHINGTON                                LENGTH: Short

CLINTON MAY FACE CHALLENGE

Robert Casey, the former Pennsylvania governor and abortion foe, announced a presidential exploratory effort Friday that could throw a wild card into fellow Democrat Bill Clinton's re-election bid.

Casey's filing with the Federal Election Commission enables him to raise money and seek support for a campaign that would be the first re-election challenge to Clinton from within his own party.

His formation of the Casey for President Exploratory Committee raises the possibility that Clinton, already expected to face a strong Republican challenge in 1996, will have a primary challenge first.

However, Democrats were quick to portray Casey as a one-issue candidate merely seeking a platform for his anti-abortion views, which have increasingly affected his political actions. He refused to endorse Clinton as the party's nominee in 1992 and was furious when the party denied his wish to address the convention.

Also Friday:

Republican Lynn Martin, 55, a former Illinois congresswoman and labor secretary in the Bush administration, said she will not seek the nomination for president in 1996.

Alan Keyes, 44, an assistant secretary of state in the Reagan administration who has a talk show in Maryland, said he will announce his candidacy for the GOP nomination Sunday in San Diego.

Keywords:
POLITICS

by CNB