Lugar to Make ’96 Candidacy Official in April

Sen. Richard G. Lugar of Indiana said Friday that he will join the race for the GOP presidential nomination with an “official announcement” at the end of April.

The former mayor of Indianapolis, who was first elected to the Senate in 1976, declared his serious demeanor will appeal to an American electorate that rejects the notion that “charisma substitutes for substance. . . . My feeling is that perhaps people have had enough of that and are really prepared for a serious President.”

Affirming his commitment to reduce the federal budget deficit, Lugar said the defeat of the balanced-budget constitutional amendment this week “will make that (deficit reduction) tougher” and “to cut taxes in the face of that situation is simply to increase the pain down the road.”

The 62-year-old senator argued that the probability that he will not be able to compete with the campaign fund-raising abilities of Sens. Phil Gramm (R-Tex.) and Bob Dole (R-Kan.) will not preclude him from the race. “I’ve rejected the idea that there should be an entry fee of ($20 million to $25 million) to even be considered for President of the United States. I think the public will find that obnoxious and will reject what amounts to really a competition for raising money.”

Lugar said the official announcement of his candidacy will take place April 29 in Indianapolis, but Friday he was unequivocal about his intentions: “Let there be no doubt: I am running.”

Lugar voiced his strongest criticism of President Clinton in the area of foreign relations. He argued that the United States in the aftermath of the Cold War has the opportunity to “lead the world,” but has not exercised the option.