Rumsfeld Drops GOP Presidential Bid

Former Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, who had planned to seek the 1988 Republican presidential nomination, announced Thursday that he will not run after all, blaming the difficulties of raising funds for his dark-horse candidacy.

Former Sen. Paul Laxalt, meanwhile, was reportedly planning to form a campaign exploratory committee this month, saying: “As far as my head is concerned and God is concerned, I’m a candidate.”

Rumsfeld, 53, was well known in Washington for his service as an Illinois congressman and as an official of the Richard M. Nixon and Gerald R. Ford administrations. But he had been regarded as one of the longest shots in the GOP field, mainly because he has been out of elective politics since 1969, when he resigned his congressional seat to join Nixon’s Cabinet.

“For a dark horse, the probable imbalance of revenues and expenses early in the campaign raises the specter of a deficit of several millions of dollars,” Rumsfeld said in a statement released here. Contending that deficit spending already “plagues this country,” Rumsfeld added: “I am unwilling to proceed on a deficit basis.”

Resigned Chairmanship

Rumsfeld, who had resigned as chairman of G. D. Searle Co. in August, 1985, to explore the possibility of running for President, said he will continue to be active in politics through Citizens for American Values, a political action committee he has formed.

His withdrawal leaves former Delaware Gov. Pierre S. (Pete) du Pont IV and former Secretary of State Alexander M. Haig Jr. as the only declared GOP presidential candidates. New York Rep. Jack Kemp is scheduled to announce his candidacy Monday, and Vice President George Bush, Kansas Sen. Bob Dole and television evangelist Pat Robertson are expected to follow suit later this year.

Laxalt, 64, has not disclosed a date for formal announcement of his candidacy. However, according to the Associated Press, he believes that the only question remaining is his financial backing.

“There is no doubt in my own mind as to whether I’m going to run,” the former Nevada senator was quoted as saying.