Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, April 11, 1995 TAG: 9504110143
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: STATE
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium
``I would support the winner of the Republican primary,'' he said. ``Hopefully, that will be me.''
But Warner, speaking to reporters before a $500-a-plate dinner, would not rule out a run as an independent if the party chose to select the nominee at a convention instead.
Because Warner has angered many conservatives by his refusal to endorse two conservative statewide candidates in the past two years, it is expected that he would fare better in a primary.
Bush, flanked by Warner and Republican Gov. George Allen, said he was delighted to be in Virginia to support Warner and Republican legislators, who this fall have their best chance in history of taking control of the General Assembly.
Bush said he and Warner go back a long way.
``When the really tough issues came along, I could always count on him, and the state could count on him,'' Bush said.
Speaking to about 450 Republicans at the dinner, Bush said Warner has always stood firm in doing the right thing for the country.
``He is a sound and sensible, conscientious conservative,'' Bush said. ``He must be re-elected in my view.''
The event is the first major fund-raiser in Warner's bid for a fourth term.
Outside the downtown hotel where the dinner was held, about 15 Warner critics staged a protest. Several sang ``John Warner, go away,'' to the tune of ``Anchors Aweigh.'' Warner is a former secretary of the Navy. Others carried signs reading, ``Anybody but Warner Senate '96,'' and ``Welcome President Bush/Dump Warner.''
Warner angered many conservatives in last year's Senate race when he actively campaigned for Republican-turned-independent Marshall Coleman, saying party nominee Oliver North's Iran-Contra past made him unfit for office.
Warner also refused to support Christian conservative Mike Farris, the GOP's candidate for lieutenant governor in 1993. Farris, who also lost, has vowed to work for Warner's defeat.
Peter Flaherty, a Vienna Republican who heads an effort called ``Dump Warner,'' called the state's senior senator a disgrace to the party. He said Warner put Bush in an awkward position and shouldn't have invited him.
``He's an opportunist,'' Flaherty said of Warner. ``He's slippery and he's a man who's happy to accept the support of the Republican Party but he's very stingy when it comes to supporting the party and its candidates.''
Flaherty said protesters plan to demonstrate whenever Warner appears in public from now on.
Warner already faces at least one party challenger, former Reagan administration budget director Jim Miller. State Republican Chairman Patrick McSweeney also is considering a challenge to Warner.
McSweeney earlier this year asked Bush not to come to the Warner fund-raiser. He said Bush's appearance would put Republican state legislators in a perplexing position because many do not like Warner.
But Scott Leake, executive director of the Joint Republican Caucus of the General Assembly, said that while some Republicans didn't want Bush to appear, the majority thought his presence was a plus and would override any party squabbles.
Leake said Warner offered to share half the event's profits with Republican legislators.
Keywords:
POLITICS
by CNB