SENATOR Bob Dole all but locked up the Republican Presidential nomination in "Super Tuesday" yesterday, winning the first five of the seven major states holding primary elections, with the remaining two leaning his way. A CNN television projection gave him one of them, Louisiana.
Mr Dole was declared the winner in Texas, Florida, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Tennessee.
The Senate majority leader immediately called on his two surviving opponents, the conservative commentator, Mr Patrick Buchanan, and the publisher, Mr Steve Forbes to "decide whether they want to beat Bill Clinton or continue to be spoilers."
Mr Dole early this morning had 680 committed delegates for the August Republican national convention, more than two thirds needed for nomination. Mr Forbes has 73 and Mr Buchanan 62.
Discussions would now begin on a vice president nominee, Mr Dole said last night. Speculation continues that he will again approach the former Gulf War commander, Gen Colin Powell, in the coming weeks. The Kansas senator said he would begin consultations with colleagues in Congress.
Reuter reports from Washington: Mr Dole said his nomination was now "pretty well ordained" and he would not negotiate with either Mr Buchanan or Mr Forbes.
Mr Dole tried to turn the focus of the campaign on the race with President Clinton in November not on Republican party.
"In my view as long as we are brawling or squabbling among ourselves, Clinton sort of has a free ride," he said. "Our focus should be on Clinton, not on Bob Dole or each other."
Rupert Cornwell reports: To the frustration of the Republican hierarchy, and despite the entreaties of their friends, neither Mr Buchanan nor Mr Forbes has been showing the slightest readiness to abandon the quest for their party's presidential nomination.
Senator Dole, who now even allows the odd smile to illuminate his gnarled features, had travelled states in a royal progress. He was the presumptive monarch attended by the now customary court of governors, senators and local Republican dignitaries, all off whom have endorsed him. Give up the pointless struggle and allow the party to unite, they urge Mrs Forbes and Mr Buchanan.
If wavering is to be detected, it is in the Forbes camp, shaken by an offer from the millionaire publisher's mentor and professed supplyside "guru", Mr Jack Kemp, to act as intermediary between Mr Forbes and Mr Dole. Mr Forbes squashed the initiative, but the incident has cut further into his dwindling credibility.
But if the party hierarchy retains some hope of convincing Mr Forbes to do the decent thing, Republican elders are under lewd illusions they can persuade Mr Buchanan.
Maybe, at San Diego he might endorse a victorious Mr Dole ("Beltway Bob" in Mr Buchanan's mocking parlance and a reference to insider Washington) but until then, no chance.
His words keyed to match the fanaticism of his audience, Mr Buchanan vows to carry the battle all the way, sometimes challenge as an independent if his fiercely Christian pro life vie and "America First" philosophy are not adequately reflected in the party platform.
A new Washington Post/AB TV survey before the results yesterday put President Clinton ahead of Mr Dole by 56 per cent to 39 per cent, masking an eve wider lead, of two to one, among self professed moderates. A third candidate run, by Mr Buchanan or perhaps Mr Ross Perot, the billionaire Texan who won 19 per cent of the vote in 1992, would also seal Mr Dole's fate.