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BUCHANAN WARNS CONSERVATIVES AGAINST FRACTURING by Mike Glover THE ASSOCIATED PRESS - http://www.ap.org June 4, 1999

Commentator Pat Buchanan, preparing to step up his campaign for Iowa's precinct caucuses, warned social conservatives Friday that their influence could wane if they don't coalesce around a single candidate. "There's a potential danger that the social conservatives and right to life movement could divide their forces and thereby bring about the nomination of a moderate who is not as committed to pro-life justices as Pat Buchanan and several other candidates," Buchanan said in an interview. Buchanan, seeking the GOP presidential nomination for the third time, is headed back to Iowa early next week to formally open his campaign office and has an intense, five-day trip planned shortly after that. He finished second in the state's leadoff precinct caucuses in the last election cycle and is trying to build on that performance. The sharply conservative Buchanan scored well in the last cycle by rallying social conservatives attracted to his opposition to abortion and other social issues. There is significant competition for that slice of the vote this time, however. Conservative activists Gary Bauer and Alan Keyes are courting that vote, as is former Vice President Dan Quayle and New Hampshire Sen. Bob Smith. Buchanan said it was a similar inability to settle on a single candidate that doomed his run last time. "If they had in 1996, I would have gotten the final three points I needed to beat Bob Dole," Buchanan said. "United we win, divided we fall." Buchanan lacks the resources of other major contenders and he conceded he needs an early show of strength to begin bringing conservatives to his side. "I've got to show strength early, real strength," he said. "We demonstrated we were the strongest conservative in the race." That task has been made more difficult because some of Buchanan's key backers in the last election cycle have settled with other candidates. An important test will come in August when the State Republican Party holds a high-profile straw poll. "I think the straw poll will be a significant test of strength," said Buchanan. "It will measure not only the strength of organization, but who has done the best in a short period of time. The straw poll, while not decisive, is certainly important." While saying he's organizing for that straw poll, Buchanan noted he's a relatively new entry in the race. "We've been at it only a couple of months, and really at it only four or five weeks," Buchanan said.