THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, June 3, 1996 TAG: 9606030041
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY DWAYNE YANCEY, LANDMARK NEWS SERVICE
DATELINE: ROANOKE LENGTH: 83 lines
Sen. Bob Dole was dragged into Virginia's quarrelsome GOP Senate campaign on Sunday.
First, Gov. George Allen publicly fretted that the nomination fight between Sen. John Warner and challenger Jim Miller might hurt Dole's chances of carrying Virginia in the presidential race this fall. At a GOP breakfast Sunday, he urged Republicans not to create ``some errant flap'' that would involve Dole's campaign.
But moments later, Miller did just that. He warned that Dole will hurt his standing with Republican activists if he makes a scheduled appearance in Northern Virginia this Saturday on Warner's behalf.
``I think it hurts Bob Dole to show any particular affection for John Warner,'' Miller said, especially after the state GOP convention in Salem expressed a preference for Miller by a 3-1 vote in a straw poll Saturday.
Miller also contended that Dole will have a tougher time winning Virginia if Warner is the Senate nominee because Republican activists will have little enthusiasm for the entire ticket. ``I'll have the whole party behind me, and Warner won't have a party with him,'' Miller said. ``I don't think they'll work for John Warner.''
Warner's campaign dismissed Miller's remarks as ``political hyperbole.'' Dole's campaign in Washington declined comment.
The invocation of Dole's name by the governor, the Senate contenders, and other prominent Republicans throughout the state convention this weekend seemed certain to rachet up the national attention focused on the race. Each contender argued that Dole's campaign would suffer in Virginia if the other won the June 11 Senate primary.
Already, the Miller-Warner campaign is viewed as a barometer of the struggle between the GOP's conservative and moderate wings - between party activists who say they alone should control the nomination process and those who advocate broader participation through a primary open to all voters.
The divisions were apparent Sunday at the traditional post-convention ``unity'' breakfast at the Hotel Roanoke. Warner was absent, as he was throughout the convention, although his top aide, Susan Magill, appeared at the head table in his place. She said the senator was attending his grandson's birthday party.
Allen, who is staying neutral in the Senate contest, used the breakfast to talk up Dole's presidential campaign. But he said he is concerned that the primary campaign could hurt Dole's effort to make up the lead President Clinton has held over him in some recent state polls.
``Let's not drag Bob Dole's campaign into an intra-squad scrimmage here in Virginia,'' Allen said. ``We don't need anything in Virginia to knock it off stride.''
Afterward, Allen said he made his remarks because he was worried by things he'd heard were said at Saturday's convention at the Salem Civic Center. Allen wouldn't elaborate, although the main reference to Dole on Saturday came in Oliver North's stem-winding speech, in which he warned that Clinton might carry Virginia if Republicans re-nominated Warner.
``It would worry me if that comment did make print,'' Allen said.
Miller was unrepentant, however. About 30 minutes later, in an impromptu appearance on the hotel's front steps, Miller repeated North's contention - and then suggested Dole should back out of Saturday's appearance with Warner and retired Gen. Colin Powell in McLean.
``The reason is, by a 3-1 margin, the Republican Party - the average Republican Party, the delegates selected by the party - say John Warner should be rejected,'' Miller said.
``I don't think Bob Dole being there in McLean is going to have any substantive effect (on the Senate campaign), but in Bob Dole's interest, it would be better for him not to.''
Miller said Virginia Republicans understand why, as a fellow senator, Dole has endorsed Warner. ``It's part of the club. He'd done the obligatory thing,'' Miller said. But now that the convention has gone on record so strongly against Warner, Dole should honor their wishes, Miller said.
Warner spokesman Eric Peterson countered that ``it's unfortunate Dr. Miller isn't responsive to the governor's urgings'' and again repeated Warner's contention that ``a handful of activists'' at the state convention don't speak for all of Virginia's Republican-leaning voters. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
Bob Dole is scheduled to make an appearance this week on behalf of
fellow senator John Warner.
KEYWORDS: CANDIDATE U.S. SENATE RACE\ by CNB