ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1995, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, December 6, 1995 TAG: 9512060071
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: RICHMOND
SOURCE: WARREN FISKE STAFF WRITER
Former federal budget director Jim Miller launched his 1996 campaign for the U.S. Senate on Tuesday by committing himself to conservative principles and denouncing incumbent John Warner as a "Clinton Republican."
Miller, who lost the 1994 GOP Senate nomination to Oliver North, pledged to support "optimum use" of school vouchers, term limits and a flat tax. He vowed to opposed "all tax increases of every description."
Miller, 53, said he will not try to influence a decision slated to be made by state GOP leaders this weekend on whether to nominate a candidate by a primary election or a state convention.
"I'm going to meet him on any playing field and whop him," Miller said, adding that he expects the party to opt for a primary.
A native of Georgia, Miller has lived in Northern Virginia about 10 years. He served as federal budget director under Reagan from 1985 to 1988. Since then, he has lectured, written several economic books and been chairman of Citizens for a Sound Economy, an advocacy group promoting conservative fiscal principles.
Miller ran an aggressive campaign for the GOP nomination last year but was unable to overcome North's popularity. He angered many conservatives by challenging North's character and tacitly questioning North's mental health history.
After losing the nomination, Miller sought to make amends with conservatives by actively campaigning for North.
Miller's hopes for the nomination next year hinge on his ability to capitalize on conservatives' deep dislike of Warner. The senator enraged many right-wing leaders by opposing North's candidacy and, in 1993, refusing to support Mike Farris, the GOP nominee for lieutenant governor.
Warner has also angered conservatives by favoring abortion rights and opposing Robert Bork's nomination for the U.S. Supreme Court in 1987. Miller opposes all abortions except when a mother's life is endangered by a pregnancy.
"Warner and I differ over philosophy," said Miller, during a luncheon speech to about 80 Richmond-area supporters. "I am a true Reagan conservative who will fight Bill Clinton and stand up for the taxpayers and families of Virginia. Last year, John Warner voted with Bill Clinton 60 percent of the time."
Miller challenged Warner to debate in each of the state's 11 congressional districts next year.
Warner dismissed Miller's charges that he is liberal, pointing out that Miller's advocacy group last year gave him an award for a 100 percent voting record on fiscal conservatism.
On the stump at Roanoke Regional Airport as part of his statewide fly-around, Miller was welcomed by a handful of boisterous College Republicans from James Madison University and Hollins College and two local Republican heavy hitters.
One was Don Huffman, a Roanoke lawyer and former state GOP chairman. The other was Ralph Smith, owner of a Roanoke manufacturing company and one of Western Virginia's biggest GOP fund-raisers. Both are close associates of North's and both said they were there because Warner cost the party a win in 1994 by backing independent Marshall Coleman over North.
"Jim Miller ran a fair campaign against Oliver North last year," Smith said. "Even though he was defeated, he threw his support behind Oliver North to the greatest extent you could expect. John Warner went the other way. ... Had Warner stayed in the party last year, I don't think there'd be any question about it - he'd be unchallenged."
Staff writer Dan Casey contributed to this story.
Jim Miller
Candidate for Republican nomination for U.S. Senate
Background: Former federal budget chief in Reagan administration; lost 1004 nomination to Oliver North.
Age: 53
Residence: McLean
Family: Married, three grown children.
LENGTH: Medium: 81 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: MIKE HEFFNER/Staff. Jim Miller is applauded by a groupby CNBof College Republicans from James Madison University Tuesday in
Roanoke. color. KEYWORDS: POLITICS