Washington

Corcoran may challenge Percy

Tom Corcoran

SENATOR Charles Percy's early kickoff of his 1984 reelection drive is a clear indication that he is concerned about a possible repeat of his last race and about his chances of winning a fourth term to the Senate. He has good reason to be worried.

Percy faces the possibility of a strong challenge from a fellow Republican for the nomination, a challenge that even if it fails could hurt Percy and the state GOP so much as to make the Senate seat easy pickings for Democrats in the general election.

Democrat Alan Dixon already holds the other Senate seat. He won election in 1980 to replace retiring Sen. Adlai Stevenson, and he will not be up for reelection until 1986.

Veteran Republican Congressman Tom Corcoran of Ottawa is "seriously exploring" the possibility of challenging Percy for the GOP nomination for the Senate in 1984. He has set up an official exploratory committee, a preliminary move routinely taken by potential candidates. And shortly after the November elections, in which Corcoran won his fourth term to the House of Representatives, he sent a letter to the 102 Republican county chairmen in Illinois telling them: "I want you to know the likelihood of my candidacy" for the Senate nomination in 1984.

Percy is not pleased. Aides consider it merely an opportunistic move by the 43-year-old Corcoran, who, they believe, is being encouraged by party conservatives to run against the moderate veteran senator. Some say Corcoran is going after Percy only because he believes his chances of knocking off Percy would be better than his chances against Dixon in 1986.

"Dixon would be even more difficult than Percy," said a top Republican aide within the Illinois congressional delegation who asked not to be identified. "Dixon is one of the most formidable pols to come out of this state in a long time."

Corcoran's possible challenge to Percy, 63, is not very popular among Republican members of the congressional delegation, if only because it makes everyone uncomfortable in their day-to-day dealings with Corcoran and Percy. And Corcoran is not making it easy for them. The Ottawa native decided to hold a thinly disguised campaign dinner in Chicago in January on the same day and in the same hotel as Percy's kickoff fundraiser. Percy had already lined up most of the Washington Republican heavyweights, including President Reagan, for his dinner. But the Corcoran affair forced Republicans to realize they may have to choose sides and to weigh the pros and cons of a Corcoran candidacy.

Corcoran "could mount a formidable campaign" against Percy, the GOP aide said. "He's respected. He's a sharp guy. He's got a good staff. And Percy's always had a certain amount of problems. But I don't think his decision to take on Percy is considered the wisest of his political career. It's not considered a very wise move among members of the delegation. I guess he just figures Percy's vulnerable because of that tight race he had the last time he ran."

In 1978, Percy trailed Democrat Alex Seith in the polls during much of the campaign, but came from behind in the final days to win reelection. Later, he said Illinois voters had sent him a warning that they didn't feel he was giving enough attention to his home state. He vowed to do better.

Republican conservatives have been gunning for Percy for a long time. His presidential ambitions in 1968 and 1976 went unfilled, doomed by his status as a liberal in a party that has been moving right since he first arrived on the national scene in 1966.

"Congressman Corcoran certainly is more conservative than Senator Percy," Corcoran's spokesman said. He added, however, that Corcoran is being encouraged to run by various elements within the party, not just conservatives. But conservatives appear to be Percy's main obstacle. Strangely, the names of potential conservative challengers to Percy began appearing in newspaper gossip items shortly after the November elections. One week it was Congressman Henry Hyde; the next week, former White House aide Donald Rumsfeld. Hyde told Percy's office he "has no intentions of challenging," and Percy also received assurances from Rumsfeld he would not run against him. But no wonder Percy, as one of his aides put it, "figures 1984 will be a challenge and it is appropriate to get started early."

Unlike Hyde and Rumsfeld, Corcoran is moving in the other direction. Why? "He is concerned about holding the Senate seat for the Republicans in 1984," Corcoran's spokesman said, "and who is the most electable candidate in November. If it's Senator Percy, I think you won't see Congressman Corcoran running. He will be looking at the electability quotient."

Uh-huh. That must take a load off Percy's mind.

March 1983 | Illinois Issues | 37