THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, June 10, 1994 TAG: 9406100664
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY WARREN FISKE, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: 940610 LENGTH: RICHMOND
``I told Ollie I will do everything possible to assist his election to the U.S. Senate, including, of course, campaigning for him in Virginia,'' Dole said in a written statement after an hourlong morning meeting with North in Washington.
{REST} The endorsement assures that North will have the backing of the national Republican establishment. Earlier this week, he was embraced by Hailey Barbour, chairman of the Republican National Committee, and Sen. Phil Gramm of Texas, chairman of the Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee.
Virginia Republicans nominated North at their state convention Saturday.
Dole raised eyebrows on Sunday by declining to immediately endorse North and announcing that he would meet this week with J. Marshall Coleman, a two-time Virginia Republican nominee for governor who is considering running for the Senate as an independent this fall. Dole told Coleman in a meeting Wednesday that he would not support him.
In addition to his endorsement, Dole gave North a $5,000 contribution from his political action committee, Campaign America.
Meanwhile, the man North beat - James C. Miller III, a former federal budget director - wrote Coleman a letter Thursday urging him not to run. ``The time for an intra-party dispute has passed,'' Miller said. ``For your own future in the Republican Party and for the future of Virginia, I hope you will end speculation about an independent candidacy and will agree to support the party's nominee.''
{KEYWORDS} U.S. SENATE RACE VIRGINIA CANDIDATES REPUBLICAN PARTY ENDORSEMENTS
by CNB