Byrd Leaving Top Senate Post : 3 in Running to Succeed Him as Majority Leader

Senate Majority Leader Robert C. Byrd announced today he will not run for the leadership post next year and will, instead, seek the chairmanship of the Senate Appropriations Committee if he is reelected to a sixth term and the Democrats retain control of the Senate.

Sens. George Mitchell of Maine, Bennett Johnston of Louisiana and Daniel Inouye of Hawaii immediately said they would run to succeed Byrd at a party election usually held in late November.

Byrd (D-W.Va.), who has a laid-back leadership style, announced his intentions at a private meeting of Senate Democrats.

The decision by Byrd, who has been either the Senate’s majority or minority leader for the last 12 years, opens up a race for the Senate’s most powerful and influential post among the Senate’s Democrats, who currently number 54.

No Clear Front-Runner

Mitchell, Johnston and Inouye, long considered the leaders for the Byrd succession, all confirmed that they are actively campaigning for the job, and several members said there was no clear front-runner.

Mitchell said, “I will be running, yes,” but added: “This is Senator Byrd’s day. The emphasis ought to be on his contribution.”

Mitchell was chairman of the campaign committee that helped to elect enough Democrats to regain control of the Senate in 1986.

Johnston said Byrd had announced his retirement from the majority leader post in “a very eloquent statement” which received sustained applause from party members.

Asked whether he believed he had the votes, Johnston said: “I hope to have them. I do not now. No one does. I just became a candidate.”

Popular Among Southerners

Johnston, chairman of the Senate Energy Committee, is popular among Southerners.

Asked whether he was seeking the top job, Inouye said, “Yes, I will.” As to whether he had the votes to win, the senator said: “They look good.”

Inouye said he did not believe any residual criticism of his performance as chairman of the Senate Iran-Contra investigating panel last summer would be a problem to his bid.

Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) said Byrd’s retirement as Democratic leader “portends a new era.”

Lautenberg called Byrd, who has been known for his mastery of Senate rules but somewhat dry leadership style, “a very effective leader” but said he did not necessarily think a successor will follow in the same vein.

“What we’ll be looking for in the leader is perhaps someone with less knowledge of the process, but hopefully able to do it differently . . . the time for change I think is appropriate.”

Lautenberg said he did not believe seniority would be the key factor in the leadership race.

Has Kennedy’s Respect

Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.) said, “I have all the respect for Senator Byrd over the period of time he has served as majority leader and minority leader. He made this judgment for the best interests of the nation and the Senate.”

Byrd will be 71 on Nov. 20. He came to the Senate 30 years ago and cultivated a reputation as a master at the legislative game, a courtly strategist who gained power by attending to his colleagues’ smallest wishes.

In 1971, Byrd called in his favors and orchestrated a major coup by ousting Kennedy for the No. 2 party post of assistant leader, or majority whip. He was a loyal aide to Majority Leader Mike Mansfield and was easily elected to succeed him in 1976.

Although Byrd was a master of parliamentary tactics and Senate rules, some other Democrats said privately they needed a more dynamic leader to match Republican leader Bob Dole of Kansas, known for his quick wit and television appeal.