Tsongas, Rudman May Join to Stump for Fiscal Reform : Economy: Democrat, Republican say they share similar views on nation’s financial issues.

Former Democratic presidential candidate Paul E. Tsongas and retiring Republican Sen. Warren B. Rudman of New Hampshire said Sunday they may team up to campaign for what they described as responsible economic policies.

“Warren and I have talked about maybe doing something together,” Tsongas said on CBS’ “Face the Nation.”

“I represent a certain philosophy the Democratic Party must embrace,” said Tsongas, who dropped out of the presidential race for lack of money after losing two pivotal primaries in Illinois and Michigan.

“I intend to speak out,” he said. “I am not going to fade away.”

Rudman, appearing on the same program, said he and Tsongas “share the view that the fiscal integrity of this country, unless things change very rapidly, is going to dissipate, and we will face a major crisis within a very few years.

“If Paul Tsongas and I together have credibility on that issue . . . we might well do something together to generate support across this country among working people who care about their children and grandchildren that we are going to have to get responsible in both political parties. We’ll talk about that as the year goes on.”

Rudman has announced that he will retire from Congress at the end of the year. He blamed Congress’ inability to rein in the federal deficit.