THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Sunday, May 5, 1996                    TAG: 9605050100
SECTION: LOCAL                    PAGE: B2   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS 
DATELINE: FALLS CHURCH                       LENGTH: Medium:   54 lines

DOLE GIVES HIS SUPPORT TO WARNER GOP CHALLENGER MILLER, A FORMER REAGAN OFFICIAL, SAID HE WASN'T SURPRISED.

There was news for political pundits and for the little guy Saturday at an Exxon gas station here: Presidential hopeful Bob Dole endorsed fellow Republican Sen. John Warner for re-election. And, for a little while, gas was four cents cheaper.

``He's doing a great job and I offer him my very warm support for his re-election,'' Dole said at a stop at an Exxon station here to highlight efforts to repeal the gas tax.

Warner has been challenged in the Republican primary by James C. Miller III, a former Reagan administration budget official.

In a statement issued by his campaign, Miller said he was not surprised at the endorsement.

``This is the Old Bull Network in the Senate cloakroom in operation,'' Miller said Saturday. ``It would be odd if the Senate Majority Leader declined to endorse an incumbent senator.''

In honor of the visit, owners of the gas station reduced the price of regular self-serve gas 4.3 cents to $1.30 6/10 a gallon for a few hours. As gas prices climb higher, Dole is leading a campaign to repeal a 4.3-cent-per-gallon tax increase imposed as part of an effort to reduce the national budget deficit.

A bill proposing a gas-tax repeal will be introduced in the Senate on Tuesday, Dole said.

Dole said the gas tax was an important issue. ``We want to underscore that the biggest tax increase in the history of the world was foisted on the American people by the Clinton administration in 1993.''

Rain began falling steadily at the Exxon station Saturday morning, but stopped just minutes before Dole arrived.

``I just want to get out of here before the circus starts,'' Falls Church resident Bill Morton said as Dole arrived. ``I'm just here trying to get my truck fixed.''

Dole's early endorsement of Warner is in stark contrast to 1994, when he stayed out of the primary contest between Miller and Iran-Contra figure Oliver North, then refused to immediately endorse North when he won the nomination.

Dole eventually endorsed North.

In a few joint campaign appearances late in the contest, Dole told audiences North's election was important to ensure a GOP majority in the Senate, but said little about North's qualifications for the job.

KEYWORDS: ENDORSEMENTS VIRGINIA STATE SENATOR'S RACE

CANDIDATES REPUBLICAN PARTY by CNB