echelon advisors to Jim Miller, former director of the

echelon advisors to Jim Miller, former director of the Office of Mahagement and Budget under Ronald Reagan, are telling him his quest for the Republican senatorial nomination is already a dog that won’t hunt,, and he might strongly consider throwing dow n his nfle and coming out of the woods. -

Former District of Columbia prosecutor Jay Stephens, the man who busted former Mayor Marion Berry, is young and articulate and touted by some as an alternative to North.

Here again, sources say Stephens is just about convinced getting in now would be like climbing aboard the Titanic after it hit the iceberg, and he may want to run for Congress against 8th District Rep. Jim Moran, an exercise in which he would have North’s full support.

North will have a lot going for him if, as is probable, he gets the nomination. If there is a tough RobbWilder confrontation for the Democratic nomination, it will be costly and draining on both of those candidates in terms of party unity.

While they are fighting, North will be out campaigning and raising money for himself. And he is a charismatic figure with the ability to draw large crowds w'herever he goes.

It is true, as detractors say, that he has baggage, but so do both his prospective opponents, incumbent Sen. Charles S. Robb and Gov. L. Douglas Wilder, who will either challenge Robb for the Democratic nomination or run as a third-party independent.

And in the absence of an independent candidate who was well known and respected by many thousands of Democrats, Republicans and independents alike, and without any baggage. North would start the race, it says here, as at least even with and possibly a slight favorite over his general election opponent.

(Editor’s note: John Goolrick, a former political reporter, is now an aide to Republican 1st District Rep. Herbert Bateman. Opinions expressed are his own, and not necessarily those of this newspaper.)