Tower Burnout

Widening the eyes of Texas

When John Tower was asked last week what prompted his surprise decision not to seek a fifth term in the Senate, his reply was as sharp as the British-tailored suits he wears. "The idea of serving for another six years," he said. As the Texas Republican explained it to friends, he was simply "burned out."

There were, no doubt, other factors prompting Tower's retirement. With voter sentiment in Texas becoming ever more Democratic, he may not have relished the looming hard campaign. He greatly resented Senators, many of them independently wealthy, who voted to limit the outside income of members. Tower has no personal wealth.

Tower, 57, rose from obscurity as a political science professor to win the Sen ate seat vacated in 1961 when Lyndon Johnson became Vice President. He is known in the Senate for his acerbic wit, keen mind and temper-- and his ardent advocacy of military spending.

His departure promises a freewheeling and free-spending race for his seat. Former Ambassador to Britain Anne Arm strong, White House Chief of Staff James Baker and former Governor William Clements, three obvious potential candidates, have said they will not run. The leading contender for the G.O.P. nomination is Congressman Phil Gramm, a boll weevil Democrat turned Republican who has all but made the formal announcement.

For the Democrats, former Congressman Robert Krueger, who lost in 1978 to Tow er by a mere 12,227 votes out of 2.3 million cast, Congressman Kent Hance and State Senator Lloyd Doggett are running. Former Governor Dolph Briscoe and Lieutenant Governor William Hobby are likely candidates.

Tower's declaration, coupled with Majority Leader Howard Baker's decision last January not to seek reelection, reflects a rumbling discontent among top Senate Republicans. "A lot of people are frustrated," says William Cohen of Maine, who is up for re-election next year."Some think that the Senate, which is supposed to be a place for great debate, turns into a house of farce from time to time." Part of the problem: Republicans find that having a majority in the Senate, which they gained in 1980 for the first time in 28 years, is hardly more rewarding than fighting from the opposition sidelines. Tower's stand-down probably increases the chances that before long they may be doing just that. Next year the Democrats need only five seats to win back the leadership of that unruly chamber. sb This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so viewer discretion is required.