THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, February 23, 1996 TAG: 9602230491
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY PAUL CLANCY, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 66 lines
Just as John W. Warner finished his prepared remarks on the waterfront here Thursday, declaring his candidacy for the Republication nomination for the Senate, a ship behind him on the Elizabeth River produced a loud fog horn blast.
Warner, who had staged the event to emphasize his military credentials, couldn't have been more pleased. ``Very appropriate timing,'' he crowed, as if his advance staff had carefully stage-managed the sound effect.
Warner has been at odds with party officials over his refusal to support right-leaning Republican candidates. He used the announcement to underscore his ``conservative, hard-voting'' record. The 69-year-old former Navy secretary is seeking a fourth term in the Senate.
The centrist Republican faces a June 11 primary challenge from the right by former Reagan administration budget director James C. Miller III. Miller and other party conservatives have tried to paint Warner as a liberal, and a disloyal one at that.
Warner's approval ratings may be high among Virginians as a whole, but party leaders have not forgiven him for saying two years ago that Republican U.S. Senate candidate and Iran-Contra figure Oliver North was unfit for office.
Warner also declined to back Christian conservative Michael P. Farris in the 1993 lieutenant governor's race. Both North and Farris lost.
``I've been in this business a long time,'' Warner told the crowd of about 60 supporters standing beside Nauticus, ``It's not popular to put principle ahead of party, to put the interest of your country and your state ahead of politics but, ladies and gentlemen, that's the way I do business, and I make no apology to anyone.''
Asked about party divisions, he borrowed a line from Benjamin Franklin. ``If we don't stick together, we'll undoubtedly hang separately,'' he said. ``We had better learn to stick together.''
It is no surprise that Warner is running again. He made the official announcement Thursday in Richmond, Alexandria, Norfolk and Hampton, with more stops planned around the state today and Saturday.
The primary winner likely will face former Virginia Democratic Party chairman Mark Warner or former U.S. Rep. Leslie Byrne in the November election. The Warners are not related.
He was introduced by retired Rear Admiral Jerry Riendeau, who credited Warner with, among other things, keeping Newport News Shipbuilding in the nuclear submarine business and backing Tidewater interests as a guiding force on the Senate Armed Services Committee.
Warner, who said he is backing Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole for the presidency, was also putting forward his moderate credentials.
He said he has fought for a balanced budged, attacked crime and drug abuse, supported welfare reform and a ``balanced'' approach to cleaning up the environment. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
BILL TIERNAN/The Virginian-Pilot
Sen. John W. Warner began his three-day re-election announcement
swing through Virginia with a stop at Nauticus in Norfolk Thursday.
There he was introduced by Rep. Tom Davis, shown, and retired Adm.
Jerry Riendeau.
KEYWORDS: VIRGINIA STATE SENATE RACE CANDIDATES by CNB