Stumps for Embattled Andrews : Reagan Helps Spur Drive of North Dakota Senator

With polls showing that the Democrats are within range of regaining control of the Senate in next month’s election, President Reagan went to this economically depressed farm state Friday to campaign for an embattled GOP senator and to deliver personally a report on what he called “a breakthrough” in his summit meeting with Soviet leader Mikhail S. Gorbachev.

“We’re no longer talking arms control--we’re talking huge arms reductions, possibly even the complete elimination of ballistic missiles from the face of the Earth,” Reagan told an enthusiastic rally at the University of North Dakota’s sports center.

Holds Slim Lead

Reagan shared the stage in the packed arena with Sen. Mark Andrews (R-N.D.), a veteran congressman who served 17 years in the House before winning election to the Senate in 1980. Most recent polls show Andrews only narrowly ahead of his Democratic opponent, Kent Conrad, North Dakota state tax commissioner.

“The last thing we need is another tax collector in the U.S. Senate,” Reagan declared, calling Conrad “a lifetime bureaucrat who doesn’t know the difference between a cow and a combine.”

The President concentrated his attack on Conrad’s personal characteristics and his ties to the Democratic Party leadership, charging that his campaign is funded by “the ultra-liberal, anti-military crowd who would give us a weaker America.”

But Reagan stopped short of making support for his “Star Wars” missile defense system a litmus test, as he did during a campaign stop earlier this week in Baltimore. In that appearance Wednesday, Reagan accused “liberals” of playing into Soviet hands by favoring budget cuts in his Strategic Defense Initiative, as “Star Wars” is formally known.

Voted for Defense Cuts

Reagan’s reticence Friday undoubtedly was attributable to the fact that Andrews has voted for defense spending cuts directly affecting SDI. Andrews told reporters aboard Reagan’s plane on the flight from Washington that he does not oppose the weapons system but that he favors an overall budget freeze.

“Let’s face it, I’ve got one of the highest anti-Reagan voting records of any Republican up for reelection,” Andrews told reporters as he accompanied Reagan. “But you can disagree without being disagreeable.”

Reagan’s more muted attack here also reflects concern by some top aides that such strongly partisan rhetoric could risk the fragile bipartisan consensus that now exists on Capitol Hill for the controversial space-based defense system.

The President is also aware that pressing economic problems for farmers are of more immediate interest to voters here. Before addressing the public rally with Andrews, Reagan met privately with 15 farm leaders, an event that the White House did not allow reporters to cover.

Gambles on Reagan Popularity

By inviting Reagan into his state in the closing weeks of the campaign, Andrews is gambling that Reagan’s overall popularity will rub off on him and help ensure his victory despite their differences on farm policy and defense spending.

In his speech, Reagan addressed the GOP’s problems with farmers head-on, acknowledging that there are provisions in his Administration’s farm bill that hurt small, family farmers.

“Right now, some subsidies operate to make rich farmers richer, and we’re opposed to that,” he said. “Mark and I have fought together against that aspect of the system and, in future years, we’ll renew that fight.”