THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, December 1, 1994 TAG: 9412010482
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY DAVID M. POOLE, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium: 86 lines
Conservative Republican Michael P. Farris hopes someone in the party will topple the state's senior GOP officeholder, U.S. Sen. John W. Warner, in 1996.
But he says he won't be the one to do it.
Farris - who was so eager to take on Warner that he had been handing out bumper stickers that read, ``Is it 1996 yet?'' - said Wednesday that he had ruled out a Senate run because of responsibilities to his wife and nine children.
``It was going to be very close to impossible to be a good United States senator and a good father at the same time,'' Farris said in a telephone interview from Hawaii.
But his family duties, he said, wouldn't keep him from pitching in to sack Warner. The senator angered many party loyalists this year when he branded GOP Senate nominee Oliver L. North as unfit for office and backed independent candidate J. Marshall Coleman.
``He will have opposition,'' Farris said, ``and I will support whoever runs against him.''
Several potential candidates may be willing to tangle with Warner, a third-term senator who, despite the ire of GOP leaders, is one of the state's most popular politicians.
Former Reagan administration budget director James C. Miller III, who lost the GOP Senate nomination to North earlier this year, is positioning himself for 1996. North, the former Iran-Contra figure with a Midas touch for fund raising, has not ruled out a second try for the Senate.
State GOP Chairman Patrick McSweeney predicted there would be a lot of interest in teaching Warner a lesson.
``The real test is who can show their leadership without bashing everyone,'' McSweeney said. He added that it would be best to ``put off '96'' until after next year's General Assembly races, in which the GOP has a chance to gain a majority in both chambers for the first time in modern history.
Warner, saying he respected Farris' decision to put family first, reiterated that he welcomed all comers in a 1996 primary election.
``My goal is to keep a Republican majority in the United States Senate,'' he said.
Farris, 43, thrilled conservative Christians with his no-compromise philosophy during his unsuccessful campaign for lieutenant governor last year. A lawyer, Farris is best-known for his legal defense work for parents who withdraw their children from public schools to teach them at home.
His loss - despite wins by his two GOP running mates - seemed only to ignite his supporters. Likewise, Farris said last month's defeat by North, a take-no-prisoners conservative, did nothing to dissuade him that Warner can be defeated.
``All the political punditry made me want to do it more,'' he said. ``I wanted to prove that a principled conservative can win.''
Farris said, however, that his decision came down to his family.
He and his wife, Vickie, flew to Hawaii for a working vacation and a chance to decide their future.
Farris said he was influenced by his discussions with two former U.S. senators, who said the duties of the office would leave precious little time for his family. Six of his children are 10 or younger.
``I really do believe in family values,'' he said. ``It's not a campaign thing for me.''
Farris had planned to hold a news conference after his return next week. But he made the announcement by phone Wednesday after a reporter, chasing rumors that he was having second thoughts, tracked him down at a Honolulu hotel.
Asked what would become of the ``Is it 1996 yet?'' bumper stickers, Farris quipped, ``I could probably sell them at a pretty good price to Jim Miller.''
He left open the possibility of taking another shot at lieutenant governor, a part-time position that would take him away from his Loudoun County home for only two or three months a year.
As news of his decision spread, Farris supporters around the state were saddened that he wouldn't challenge Warner. But they took solace in knowing he might consider 1997.
``Lieutenant governor?'' said Kathy Hayden, a GOP activist from Roanoke County. ``I'd just as soon he run for governor.'' MEMO: Staff writer Margaret Edds contributed to this report.
ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
Michael Farris
by CNB