ASHCROFT LENDS SUPPORT TO GEORGE BUSH FOR PRESIDENT

U.S. Sen. John Ashcroft of Missouri endorsed Texas Gov. George W. Bush on Wednesday, saying he has the "moral character" to lead the nation.

Ashcroft voiced his support for Bush in a campaign appearance with the Republican front-runner in South Carolina.

"I look forward to working in the United States Senate with a president not just with the legal capacity to govern but with the moral character to lead," he said.

Ashcroft was a favorite of key conservative leaders as he laid the groundwork for his own White House bid. But Ashcroft decided to focus on getting re-elected to the Senate rather than run for president.

Ashcroft is popular with Republicans in South Carolina. In May 1988 he won a straw poll among members of the South Carolina state Republican convention. He garnered 32 percent of the 788 delegates to the convention. Bush picked up 15 percent of the votes.

Ashcroft predicted Bush would handily win the Republican presidential primary in Missouri on March 7. The Texas governor has made a number of campaign trips to Missouri, including a stop in Cape Girardeau last year.

"He is well understood and respected in the state," Ashcroft said in a telephone interview following his public endorsement of Bush.

Bush is one of seven Republicans on the presidential primary ballot in Missouri.

Ashcroft welcomed Missouri's decision to hold a presidential primary rather than continue with the caucus system. "I think it is great for Missouri to participate in the process," said Ashcroft. But he said it remains to be seen whether Missourians will turn out in big numbers for the primary.

In all, there are 18 presidential candidates from various parties on the Missouri primary ballot.

The Missouri secretary of state's office isn't sure how many people will vote in Missouri's primary.

"We certainly don't know what the primary turnout will be, but we do know that we will have much higher turnout than the approximately 2 percent of voters who attended party caucuses in the past," said Jim Grebing, spokesman for Secretary of State Bekki Cook.

Missouri has about 3.6 million registered voters.

Missouri held a presidential primary in 1988 but then returned to the caucus system. But beginning with the March 7 primary, the state will hold a presidential primary every four years.

Missouri is one of several states that will hold presidential primaries on that date, which should generate interest among candidates and voters.

"We think there will be a lot of interest in the primary in Missouri," said Grebing.

Ashcroft said Bush recognizes Missouri as a key state, both in terms of the primary and general election.

Ashcroft joins 29 other Republican senators who have endorsed Bush. The list includes Ashcroft's colleague from Missouri, U.S. Sen. Christopher "Kit" Bond.

Ashcroft said he has been prepared to endorse Bush for some time and did so in South Carolina as requested by the Bush campaign.

The Missouri senator dismisses criticism that Bush isn't a true conservative. "I think if you look at his record in Texas, the agenda of conservatives has been advanced," said Ashcroft.

Bush has succeeded in lowering taxes and reducing the welfare rolls in Texas, Ashcroft said. The Texas governor also has a "pro-life" record, the senator said.

"Some people have to go by promises and campaign literature," said Ashcroft. "Gov. Bush is a person with a very clear record, not just a record of talk, a record of achievement."

Some information for this report was provided by The Associated Press.