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Will Elizabeth Dole Run for Helms' Vacant Senate Seat?

Aired August 23, 2001 - 08:49   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Now to the end of an era: Jesse Helms says five terms in the Senate will be it for him. The North Carolina Republican has decided he won't seek reelection next year. Helms is 79 years old. And he does have serious health problems.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JESSE HELMS (R), NORTH CAROLINA: I would be 88 if I ran again in 2002 and was elected and lived to finish a sixth term. And this, my family and I have decided unanimously, that I should not do.

And, ladies and gentlemen, I shall not.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LIN: He was a Southern Democrat who switched to the Republican Party in 1970. And he's been a conservative thorn in the side of Democrats ever since.

Jennifer Duffy, political analyst for the "Cook Political Report," joins us from Washington now. And she is going to talk about the impact of the retirement and who's up at bat.

Jennifer, we keep hearing about Elizabeth Dole. Is this a done deal, do you think, that she's going to run for his seat?

JENNIFER DUFFY, "COOK POLITICAL REPORT": It's not a done deal, by any means.

This is what Republicans would very badly like to happen. She has said that she would consider it, but I think that she is far from a decision.

LIN: And it's not really a done deal that Jesse Helms is going to back Dole either?

DUFFY: No, not at all. He hasn't really indicated who he might back. But on some positions, he and Dole differ. And I wouldn't be surprised to see him perhaps get behind somebody else. On the other hand, he might stay out of it altogether. You never know with Helms.

LIN: All right, well, we'll have to talk about Lauch Faircloth and what might happen in his career and whether he would run against Elizabeth Dole. But in the meantime, if you were Elizabeth Dole and you were picking up the telephone to call Jesse Helms, how would that conversation go?

DUFFY: I think it would start with: "Senator, you know how often I've campaigned for you, and now I hope that you will campaign for me," and sort of address some of his concerns perhaps about the fact that she has not lived in the state in many, many years -- and about some issues, perhaps like abortion and guns, where they differ, try and see if they can come to some agreement and move on.

LIN: Well, we'll wait for any sort of formal announcement from all parties.

Thanks so much, Jennifer, for checking in.

DUFFY: Thank you.

LIN: Jennifer Duffy of the "Cook Political Report."

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