North Wins Some GOP Backers but Not Former President Ford

Oliver L. North won muted endorsements Monday from a handful of potential Republican Senate colleagues, but former President Gerald R. Ford joined other prominent Republicans who have refused to back the former White House aide in his bid for U.S. Senate.

The support for North’s Virginia nomination included a pledge from the National Republican Senatorial Committee, which said it was confident the controversial Iran-Contra figure would “wage a strong campaign to reclaim this seat” from Democrat Charles S. Robb.

Sen. Phil Gramm of Texas, the committee chairman, said: “The Republican Party of Virginia has spoken and I intend to support their nominee.”

Privately, however, a source close to Gramm said the senator was “no Ollie North fan,” a sentiment echoed by many other Republicans.

Ford did not say whom he would support in the Nov. 8 election. But he indicated he might support the likely independent candidacy of a former state attorney general, J. Marshall Coleman.

North won the nomination at the state GOP convention Saturday.

It was clear, however, that there is deep unease in the party at the prospect of North serving in the Congress he lied to about his arms-for-hostages dealings.

“I support the nominee of the party as chosen by the members of the party in Virginia,” Sen. Paul Coverdell of Georgia said.

“The people of Virginia have chosen Oliver North as their candidate and I support their right to make that decision,” said Sen. Dan Coats of Indiana.

“The Republicans of Virginia have spoken,” said Sen. Strom Thurmond of South Carolina.

Sen. John W. Warner (R-Va.) already has said he would oppose North and support Coleman.

Senate Republican leader Bob Dole of Kansas raised eyebrows throughout the party Sunday by saying that he planned to meet with Coleman this week.

On Monday, Dole issued a statement saying his “main priority in Virginia, as in every other state, is winning the Senate seat for the Republican Party.”

But Dole’s statement did not endorse North.