Elections University Daily Kansan / Thursday, November 8, 1990 5 Voters oust 4 Midwest governors Turnover high because executives more accountable, prof says The Associated Press CHICAGO — Voters delivered a knockout punch to incumbents in the nation's midseason, ousting four governors and one U.S. senator — the only senator in the nation to lose a re-election bid. Two veteran Democrats and two freshman Republicans were defeated Tuesday in heated gubernatorial contests. And in a stunning upset in the first round, Republican Rudy Boschwitz lost his bid for a third term. In the most tumultuous race, Minnesota Gov. Rudy Periphic was narrowly defeated by Republican Anne Carlson, a 11th-hour replacement after the State Court withdrew amid charges of sexual improprieties. In Michigan, two-term Gov. James Blanchard lost by a razor-thin margin to Republican state Senate Majority Leader John Engler. The governor has been accused of executive to be booted from office in nearly 39 years. In two other contests, Republicans blamed for higher taxes lost bids for second terms. In Kansas, State Treasurer Joan Finney defeated Gov. Mike Hayden. And in Nebraska, businessman Ben Nelson eked out a win over Kay Orr, the state's first woman governor. Some political analysts speculate that the gubernational losses are tied to the office itself. "The governors were a lot more vulnerable than legislators," said Murdiet Loomis, a University of Kansas political science professor. "Governors have to deal with the fiscal problems on the ground. That certainly may raise taxes, cutting budgets — things likely to be unpopular." "Someone like Blanchar over eight years has a lot of an updip things," he said. "Hayden has never been an updip." flaky and ticked off a variety of people. The potential to lose is much greater with the governors. You're much more accountable for your actions." In two of three gubernatorial races in which taxes dominated GOP incumbents lost. In Kansas, Finney, who will become the state's first female governor, blamed Hayden for high property taxes resulting from statewide reap- tition of the application of a classification system completed in 1989. "It was pretty clearly a vote on Hayden, mostly on the property tax issue." Loomis said "one thing Finney really did hit on was this kind of populism that's always in here in the Plain states. "Rural Kansans, rural Nebraskas, are normally Republican. They're not far from the edge of the economy. When they have economic tendency is to move toward populist (ideas)." In Nebraska, Orr was on the defensive for endorsing a 187 income tax increase that hit many people. But in the Illinois gubernatorial race, GOP Secretary of State Jim Edgar won a close contest against Democrat Nell Hartigan even though the governor extended an extension of a temporary income tax increase. "I think people like to have a public official who will level with them before the election and not surprise them after the election," said Edgar, a former FIU law professor. Gov. James Thompson, who retired a decade ago, 14 years. Hartigan also was hurt by a low turnout in Chicago, disaffection among Blacks with the White community. pledges. "I think Hartigan scored some points on the tax issue," but he lost points in other settings among people who simply found his message lacking in credibility, "said Jim Nowlan, professor of public policy at Columbia University. They just couldn't believe Hartigan was going to tax and do all he said he was going to do." In Ohio, the GOP captured one of its biggest prizes as former Cleveland Mayor George Voinovich won the gubernatorial race against state Attorney General Anthony Celebrezze Jr. The Republican turmoil in Minnesota spilled over into its Senate race, a contest Boshwitz lost to college professor Paul Wellstone, a liberal activist outspent by a 7-1 margin but captured voters' attention with clever campaign commercials. In two other Senate races, Capitol Hill veterans originally among the GOP's brightest prospects were elected. In Illinois, Paul Simon trounced Rep. Lynn Martin, who never gained momentum in her campaign. And in Iowa, Tom Harkin scored a solid win over Rep. Tom Tauke, becoming the first Democratic senator in the state to win re-election. in other contexts. - Iowa Gov Terry Branstad swept to a third term over Democrat Don Avenson, state House speaker. Wisconsin Republican Gov. Tommy Thompson scored double-digit victory against Assembly members. South Dakota GOP Gov. Republican George Mickelson handily won re-election over former State Sen. Bob Samuelson. Non-voters cite reasons for sitting out The Associated Press WASHINGTON - Civil engineer Jim Allerton of Seattle didn't vote. "It's just sleazebell A or sleazebell B," he said. College student Jennifer Toledo didn't vote. "I don't believe in Santa Claus. I don't believe in the tooth fairy. I don't believe in politicians," she said. Food service manager Jim Madzinski didn't vote "Honestly, I'm not registered," he said. "The last thing I want to do is get pulled in for jury duty." These Americans were among the estimated 110 million adults who sat on Tuesday's election. They Curtis Gans, director of the Committee for the Study of the American Electorate, who provided the turnout estimates, said voter turnout rose in where there was something important to decide. He said that in places where the public saw only messages framed by political consultants and sensed nothing real was at stake, turnout was down. Bruce Buchanan, a University of Texas political scientist, said it wasn't that non-voters were turned off but that they were untouched by government. People are more likely to tune in when a president is being elected, Buchanan said. Turnout Buchanan said non-voters had different reasons for staying away from the rolls. Some were kept away by barriers such as registration and poll closing hours. Some feel unimportant, frustrated, certain their vote can't make a difference And some, especially young adults, 18-24, feel politics simply have no relevance to their lives. ABC News polled 1,028 likely non-voters. It said the non-voters expressed the same concerns about the course of the country and the prospect of war as those who voted. Six in 10 said it was not true that all politicians were alike; they said that it did matter who was elected. Among the non-voters who were registered, 30 percent said time constraints would keep them from voting; an additional 22 percent cited poor health. Whatever the reasons — some people think the United States simply conducts too many elections for too many offices — turnout is lower in this country than in any democracy in the world. Gams said that this year the percentage voting would be about 36.3 percent, the same as four years ago. "Why bother?" asked Skyp Krantz, 43, of Wayton Ohio, who earns $1,000 a year as an accountant. "I don't know." In Albuquerque, N.M., appliance salesman Robin Smedley, 36, abdicated purposefully. "I can voice my opinion by having no opinion at all," he said. Kim Cruce, 26, a nanny who cares for four children in Indianapolis, isn't registered. Even if she were, she said, "with all these horrible commercials, I wouldn't know who to vote for." In Madison, Wis., college student Kevin Moore, 25, seemed to confirm Buchanan's theory about the unaffected young. "I'm just not interested," he said. "You're anyone running for office can do anything for me." The new political landscape Senate line-up before: 55 Dems, 45 GOP Senate now: 56 Dems, 44 GOP House now: 258 Dems, 175 GOP (2 vacancies) House now: 267 Dems, 164 GOP, 1 Other (3) Calif. rallies too close to call; no winner announced) Governors before: 29 Dems, 21 GOP GOVERNORS BAKRON, 3 YEARS, 9 GUP BOKMARK, 28 MEN, 19 GUP, 2 OTHERS (Arz. will have a run-off) Senate Who won Election Day: Democrat House Winners, state-by-state (Democrats / Republicans / Other) * Three races in Calif., too close to call; no winner announced Ala, 5/2 Ibre, 1/2 Hawaii 2 Dem, Macc, 10/1 N.M. 1/2 S.D. 1 Dem Alaska 1/2 Repo, 2/2 Delam 2 Dem, Mach, 11/7 N.Y. 1/21 Tenn. 6/3 Anz, 1/4 Idi, 1/4 Idi, 15/7 Mann, 6/5 N.D. 1 Dem, 1/4 Anz, 1/4 Ind, 1/4 Ind, 15/7 Mann, 6/5 N.D. 1 Dem, 1/4 California 2/16 印岩, 8/2 Bura, 9/4 6/3 Ohio, 11/10 Vt. 1/1 Colo, 3/3 Kan, 2/3 Mont, 1/1 Okla, 4/2 Va, 6/4 Conn, 3/3 Ky, 4/3 Nep, 1/2 Gre, 4/1 Va, 6/4 Delt, 9/10 Maine, 1/1 N.H, 1/1 Cre, 1/1 W.Va, 5/4 Ga, 1/10 Maine, 1/1 N.H, 1/1 R.I, 1/1 Wis, 4/5 Ga, 1/1 Md, 1/1 N.J, 1/1 S.C, 1/1 Wyo, 1/5 Governors Who won Election Day: Democrat Other Knight-Ridder Tribune News nothing can be subtracted nor anything added that will enhance its beauty or value. 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