THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, March 4, 1995 TAG: 9503040406
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Column
SOURCE: Guy Friddell
LENGTH: Medium: 65 lines
With more than a year to go, the 1996 campaign for the U.S. Senate kicked into high gear Thursday as James C. Miller III entered the race against U.S. Sen. John W. Warner.
Miller plans to focus on Warner's opposition to GOP nominee Oliver L. North in last year's Senate race.
A fringe of GOP right-wingers is so incensed at Warner that he was excluded from the head table at a party gathering last month.
But instead of sulking at having been shut out, Warner drew a circle that brought in his foes - as poet Edwin Markham once wrote under similar circumstances:
He drew a circle that shut me out -
Heretic, rebel, a thing to flout.
But Love and I had the wit to win:
We drew a circle that took him in.
Warner pulled a Markham by inviting George Bush to a fund-raising dinner on April 10 and then extended an invitation to Republican candidates in this year's race for the General Assembly to join in the fun and, 50-50, in the funds.
The bid went to the finance committee of the Republican caucus of all GOP legislators. The committee of 18 approved it unanimously and put it to the full caucus.
A few soreheads, some almost cross-eyed with paranoia, wanted to reject the invitation; but ``a healthy majority,'' as one member said, had the sense not to affront a former president of the United States nor to reject largess from Warner.
Miller termed term Warner ``arrogant'' in going his own way, but it is not so much arrogance as airy nonchalance in doing what he deems best for an even larger majority - the people - rather then the party hierarchy.
Miller showed commendable fortitude in slogging along from ground zero to make a creditable finish in last year's race against North; but because Miller dared confront their idol, some North zealots are suspicious of him.
They may field a third candidate, perhaps GOP Chairman Patrick M. McSweeney, who has shown an interest in running.
In a letter to 300 GOP leaders, Miller wrote: ``Senator Warner's disloyalty to the Republican Party and to our nominees must not go unchallenged.''
And Warner replied: ``He doesn't attack my voting record. He doesn't attack the job I am doing for Virginia; he attacks me for putting principle ahead of politics.''
A month or so ago, Miller, as chairman of ``Citizens for a Sound Economy,'' presented to Warner, among others, its Jefferson Award for putting the American consumer first in having earned a perfect score on 17 selected votes in the 103rd Congress.
Meanwhile, among Democrats, party chairman Mark Warner may seek the nomination. Can you imagine the joyous confusion in the electorate if John Warner and Mark Warner clash? ILLUSTRATION: [Color Photo]
Sen. John Warner
James C. Miller III
by CNB