ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, March 13, 1996 TAG: 9603130065
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
NOTE: Lede
Sen. Bob Dole easily swept primaries in Texas, Florida and five other states Tuesday to gain a virtual lock on the Republican presidential nomination. Dole reached out to his rivals in triumph and set his sights on the November battle with President Clinton.
``Today, the American people in seven states chose the conservative they want to lead America, chose the conservative they want in the White House,'' Dole told a Super Tuesday victory rally in Washington, D.C.
Even as he walloped them for the fifth straight primary day, Dole made a conciliatory gesture to Steve Forbes and Pat Buchanan. Dole said it was time to ``put our ideas together'' to beat Clinton. Forbes spoke of quitting if he didn't win next Tuesday, but Buchanan said he was in for the long haul.
For Clinton, the luxury of being unopposed was about to pay off; he was on a path to clinch the Democratic nomination today in foregone results from Hawaii caucuses, according to The Associated Press delegate tally.
Dole was defeating Buchanan and Forbes by more than 2-to-1 margins in Florida, Texas, Tennessee, Oklahoma and Mississippi. The Senate majority leader also was handily beating Buchanan in Louisiana, where Buchanan's February caucus victory triggered a surge of support for the conservative commentator.
Oregon's mail-in primary delivered another lopsided win and a seven-state Super Tuesday sweep. Dole had 51 percent of the vote, to 22 for Buchanan and 13 for Forbes.
Dole clearly hoped Buchanan and Forbes would take a lesson from the landslides. Dole won at least 330 of the 362 delegates at stake in the seven states. That left him with at least 722 of the 996 delegates needed to clinch nomination, and he talked of going over the top next Tuesday after primary elections in Illinois, Ohio, Michigan and Wisconsin.
Forbes won a few delegates in Oregon to reach 76 delegates; Buchanan picked up eight Tuesday, giving him 70.
``This is now a race between Bob Dole and Bill Clinton,'' Dole told The Associated Press in a telephone interview from the Capitol, where upcoming battles over the budget, welfare reform and other issues will be the first skirmishes of the general election campaign.
Looking ahead, Dole said he had thought only ``in a loose way'' about picking a running mate. But in an intriguing comment, Dole brushed aside Colin Powell's statements that he would not be interested, predicting the retired general ``would suit up again'' if asked to serve.
House Speaker Newt Gingrich was at Dole's side under a victory rally banner that said ``Changing America Together.''
``Get Bill Clinton out of the way, and we will get the job done,'' Dole said.
On past primary nights, Dole has said little about rivals except to urge them to quit. He said anew he hoped Forbes and Buchanan wouldn't help Clinton by being spoilers.
But in an AP interview he also offered an olive branch: ``We've listened and we've heard strong messages,'' echoing Forbes' theme of economic growth and Buchanan's emphasis on middle-class economic anxiety. ``It is time to come together now and put our ideas together and build a strong agenda for November.''
Indeed, his dismal night - third-place or worse everywhere but Florida - had Forbes talking of quitting.
The millionaire publisher said he needed ``a win or something akin to a win'' in next week's Midwest primaries to stay in for California's March 26 contests.
Reporters caught up with Buchanan as he tried to enter his Ohio hotel through a kitchen entrance. Taking note of Forbes' comments, Buchanan said: ``It is a two-man race after next week. Buchanan and Dole all the way to San Diego.''
There was no encouragement for Buchanan or Forbes from GOP voters on Tuesday.
In Florida, for example, Dole was getting 56 percent to 21 for Forbes and 19 for Buchanan. In Texas, it was 56 percent for Dole, 21 for Buchanan and 12 for Forbes. Dole had 61 percent in Mississippi, Buchanan 26 and Forbes just 8.
Likewise, Oklahoma showered Dole with 59 percent support, to 22 percent for Buchanan and 14 for Forbes. Dole had 51 percent in Tennessee, to 25 for Buchanan. Forbes was fourth behind former Gov. Lamar Alexander, who quit the race last week. In Louisiana, Dole had 48 percent to 33 percent for Buchanan.
There was some sobering news for Dole. Three new national surveys showed Clinton with double-digit leads in head-to-head matchups. They also showed Dole would suffer if Ross Perot mounted another independent candidacy.
In these new surveys - and exit polling of Tuesday's GOP voters - half the respondents also said Dole did not have new ideas.
``Once we get a nominee and he is out there focusing on Bill Clinton instead of getting beat up in primaries every day, then we will turn this around,'' Dole said.
Leading GOP activists tried to help clear the field for Dole.
``Now is the time to unite behind our candidate, because we are going to have a tough election in November,'' said Jeb Bush, son of the former president and a prominent Florida Republican.
``Bob Dole is going to be the nominee,'' said Christian Coalition executive director Ralph Reed.
In the week ahead, Dole said he would focus squarely on the Democratic incumbent - ``Veto Bill'' - and his rejection of GOP plans to balance the budget, cut taxes for families and investors, and reform welfare. In contrast, Dole pledged to quickly deliver those items and more, promising to eliminate several Cabinet agencies and shift power wholesale from Washington to the states.
LENGTH: Long : 109 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: AP. A smiling Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole meetsby CNBreporters outside his Capitol Hill office Tuesday after attending a
GOP luncheon. color. Graphic: Chart by staff: The race so far.
color. KEYWORDS: POLITICS PRESIDENT