SHELBY SWITCHEROO . . . PAYING THE PIPER

Alabama Sen. Richard Shelby's post-election switch from Democrat to winning-team Republican apparently has a price tag. In response to letters from angry Democratic contributors to his 1992 re-election campaign (he received $2.8 million from individuals), the longtime right-leaning senator promised today to refund contributions if the donor requests it. Phone calls won't do, but letters will. "We don't think it will be much," a confident Shelby predicted. "But even if it is, it will be made up by many others." The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, which gave Shelby $101,156, doesn't want a refund, but Montgomery County Democratic Chairman Jimmy Pool announced he'd like his $500 donation back: "It just kind of struck me the wrong way when he switched parties."Post your opinion on theWashingtonbulletin board.