Clinton Ally Pryor Expected to Retire From Senate

In another blow to Democrats’ chances of regaining control of the Senate in 1996, Sen. David Pryor (D-Ark.) is expected to announce today that he will not seek reelection.

Pryor, one of President Clinton’s closest allies in Congress, would be the fifth Senate Democrat this year to announce his retirement.

A moderate Democrat who has been popular among his colleagues, Pryor was first elected to the Senate in 1978. He suffered a heart attack in April, 1991, and underwent bypass surgery in 1992.

He returned to Capitol Hill under doctors’ orders to curb his pace and in 1994 decided to drop out of the Senate leadership. He had served in the Democrats’ third-ranking position, secretary of the Democratic conference, for six years.

Although officials in Pryor’s office declined to confirm wire reports of Pryor’s plans, they acknowledged that he had scheduled a speech in Little Rock, Ark., this morning before a group of political supporters.

Other Senate Democrats who have announced plans to leave the Senate are J. James Exon of Nebraska, Howell Heflin of Alabama, J. Bennett Johnston of Louisiana and Paul Simon of Illinois.

Among Republicans, who now control the Senate by a 54-46 margin, only Hank Brown of Colorado so far has announced plans to retire.

The stampede of retirements makes it harder for Democrats to recapture the Senate, especially since many of the departing Democrats are from politically competitive Southern states where Republicans have been making significant gains in recent years.

Pryor has been active on issues affecting the elderly, having served as chairman of the Senate Aging Committee from 1989 until Democrats lost control of the Senate last fall.

As a member of the Finance Committee, Pryor has been a critic of the Internal Revenue Service and pushed measures to protect taxpayers against alleged harassment by the tax agency.

Among the Democrats who have been mentioned as possible contenders to succeed Pryor are former White House Chief of Staff Thomas (Mack) McLarty, state Sen. Mike Beebe, state Sen. Jay Bradford and state Atty. Gen. Winston Bryant.