Hill Courtesy Calls Planned By O’Connor, Bid Meant to Defuse Opposition on Right

O’Connor Sets Visit to Senate Panelists

In an outing expected to help de• fuse pockets of opposition to her nomination to the Supreme Court, Arizona Court of Appeals Judge San• dra D. O’Connor will pay informal courtesy calls to President Reagan and Senate Judiciary Commitee members next week, administration spokesmen said yesterday. After Reagan nominated O’Connor , 51, on Tuesday to replace Justice Potter Stewart , the nomination has been generally well re ceived but has come under attack from some con- servative groups and abortion opponents. White House spokesman David Gergen said yesterday that O’Connor was asked by the White House office of legislative affairs to visit infor• mally with the senators after seemg Reagan on Monday. Both Gergen and Justid Depart• ment spokesman Thomas DeCair said they . expect O’Connor will be asked some substantive questions by senators about her record as a judge and as former majority leader of the Arizona State Senate. but that they do not expect any full-fledged inter – rogations of her before her confir• mation hearings. Senate Majority Howard Baker said he expects O’Connor to be “easily” confirmed despite the . vocal _opposition from the ant1-abortton groups and a “new right” coalition of 21 groups. Baker said he knows of no senators opposed to her nomma• hon . An Associated Press poll of 98 senators produced 33 already commit ted to supporting O’Connor, 20 ,leading toward sup_porting her and 45 undecided. An mformal poll of the Judiciary