University Daily Kansan / Wednesday, November 5, 1986
7
In 43rd Bob loses to David
Bv RIC ANDERSON
$staff writer
Douglas County voters yesterday had no problem deciding which Miller to vote for in the 43rd District race for state representative as they handed David Miller a 66 percent to 33 percent victory over Bob Miller.
Republican incumbent David Miller came out strong in the race and never relinquished his lead.
The first results, which were tallied at 8:10 p.m., showed David Miller with 162 votes to Bob Miller's 81. Although the numbers changed through the night, the percentages stayed basically the same.
Although David Miller kept his margin all night, he did not acknowledge his victory until 87 percent of all precincts had reported. The only precinct in the 43rd District that had not been counted was south Eudora, where he lives.
David Miller carried all eight of the Douglas County 43rd District precincts with 2,039 votes, including Baldwin, Bob Miller's hometown. Bob Miller received 1,010 votes.
"I don't think you could say we concentrated on one area in our campaign," David Miller said.
He said that although he won the race because of his record as a state representative, integrity was the reason for his wide margin of victory.
"I think the people in my district who know I am and they were not swayed by the negative campaign of my opponent," he said, referring to a pamphlet Bob Miller distributed that David Miller was absent from several Kansas House of Representative quorum votes.
John Simmons, spokesman for the Committee to Elect a True Amphibian, serves as a translator for Agnes T. Frog, write-in candidate for county commissioner. Arden Booth of KLWN radio interviewed Agnes after the polls closed last night.
Agnes boosters give an amphibian party 'Nee-deep' says candidate at Rock Chalk celebration
By PATRICIA FEENY
Supporters crowded into the Rock Chalk Bar last night to drink green beer, exchange "nee-deeps" and welcome their favorite amphibian.
"Most of our clientele is basically reptilian," Harr said jokingly. "Most supporters of Agnes are longtime patrons. We're very pleased with the turn-out."
Agnes hopped into the party late because her webbed feet had been in places a long way from the marshes of Lawrence.
Agnes T. Frog was running against Democratic incumbent Nancy Hiebert in the 1st District county commissioner's race. Hiebert received 4,886 votes, or 72.91percent of the votes to Agnes' 1,850 votes in her write-in campaign.
Staff writer
The Rock Chalk sponsored a victory party for Agnes because a large number of the frog's supporters are longtime Rock Chalk patrons.
Before hopping into her victory party, she appeared in Topeka and was interviewed at the Douglas
Agnes announced her decision to run Oct. 27. She was seeking office because the proposed bypass route on the southern edge of Lawrence would endanger the survival of her species.
Agnes, a Northern crawfish frog, appeared excited about her write-in success.
The bypass was proposed to relieve concession on 23rd and Iowa streets.
Statewide, Hayden defeated Docking by 52 percent to 48 percent.
Meanwhile, the little frog jumped up and down on the front porch of the bar in the rain.
John Simmons, collection manager at the KU Museum of Natural History and treasurer for the Committee to Elect a True Amphibian, interpreted the nee-deep answers for the press.
Jean Rosenthal, Lawrence resident and Agnes supporter, said that voters were not being given a chance to vote on the bypass. She also said the environmental issue was being ignored.
At the Rock Chalk the victory nee-deeps forced Simmons to take a phone call in the men's room.
Democrat Tom Docking would have been the next governor of Kansas if the decision had rested solely with Douglas County voters.
Docking received 13,150 Douglas County votes, or 57.06 percent, and Republican Mike Hayden received only 9,894 votes, or 42.93 percent.
rosenthal punctuated her comments with three nee-deeps and tried to explain the difference between the male "ribbet" and the female nee-deep.
Simmons said that Agnes thought voters should be able to express their opinions about the building of the bypass. He said that Agnes drew necessary attention to the issue and that she represented a choice.
Staff writer
By ATLE BJORGE
At the courthouse, the little frog answered nee-deep to all questions from the press.
"Douglas County, in spite of the fact that it has more registered Republicans than registered Democrats, has in the last few years voted more solidly Democratic than Republican."
The local vote casting reflects a county history of close ties to the Democratic party, said Dean Douglas of Dallas County Democrat party.
County mostly Democratic
"I took a 94-year old lady to the polls today," Lebesthyk said. "Not only did she remember George, Tom's grandfather, she also remembered his great-grandfather.
"We're in the fact that we have no say in it," she said. "This is my first political experience, and I am having a great time."
Gabby Holcomb, Lawrence graduate student, thought the support for Agnes was great.
County Courtouse
Voter turnout this year was 61.56 percent. A total of 23,394 people, out of 38,001 who were registered to vote, dropped their ballots in one of the 49 polling places.
In Douglas County, Democratic candidates received a total of 97,784 votes, and Republican candidates received 92,578 votes.
Schoenrade attributed the Democratic near-sweep in the county to the large number of student voters, who tended to be liberal.
Karl Schoenrade, a Lawrence resident who was at Republican headquarters, 23rd and Louisiana streets, said local party members expected their candidates to fare better.
Lebestky said he thought it was important to Douglas County voters that Docking was stronger than Hayden in his support of higher education.
"Lawrence, being a college town,
has people who are clearly more
committed to higher education than
other counties in Kansas has," he
Democrat John Solbach defeated Republican Martha Parker by 3,980 to 3,140 votes in the 45th District.
Democrat Jessie Branson defeated Republican Chris Miller by 5,114 to 2,717 votes in the 44th District.
Democrat Betty Jo Charlton defeated Republican Benjamin Casad by 3,375 to 1,368 votes.
Republican David Miller defeated Democrat Bob Miller by 2,039 to 1,010 votes in the 43rd District.
Dennis Moore, the Democratic candidate for attorney general, defeated incumbent Robert Stephan in Douglas County by a margin of 47 votes.
Moore received 11,335 votes, and Stephan received 11,288 votes in Douglas county.
Kline, a KU law student, received 7,776 votes in Douglas county, while Slattery received 15,020 votes.
Republican candidate Phill Kline, who challenged incumbent Democrat Jim Slattery for the 2nd District seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, lost 70 to 29 percent statewide.
Solbach keeps his House seat
Staff writer
Bv PAM MILLER
The fourth time, much like the hird time, was the charm for John solbach. Democratic incumbent for he Kansas State 45th district.
Sobach won his fourth consecutive election as representative in the 45th district. Sobach won 3,980 or 55.77 percent of the vote. Republican challenger Martha Parker won 3,140 votes, or 44 percent of the vote, according to the county clerk's election figures.
At the Douglas County courthouse, Bloch, a Lawrence lawyer, accepted congratulations from superspecialist while holding his baby. John Mathias.
The first thing on Solbach's mind
Sulbach said he was glad the election was over and congratulated Parker on a good, hard-fought campaign
last night after declaring his victory was going home and getting some sleep, he said.
Solbach said he thought the race was much closer this time than it was when Parker opposed him two years ago. Voter turnout was much lower this year, he said, due to the rain and the non-presidential election year.
Solbach said that in 1984, more than 9,000 voters in his district turned out for the election. He thought fewer than 400 voters turned out yesterday.
Sulbach said he was ready to return to Topeka and begin working with state representatives from neighboring districts to get excess student fees returned to state universities.
Sobach said Parker's campaign was more credible this year than in her 1984 challenge. She managed to garner more name recognition this
time, he said.
She said, "There are a number of issues I still feel strongly about. I hope he'll pay more attention to them when he returns to the Legislature."
Parker agreed that the race was closer this year than in 1894.
Yesterday afternoon, while Solbach watched the polls at Precinct 4. Ward 1, he said the main difference in Parker's campaign this year was that she "attacked" his voting record on two issues — the tax and the death penalty. Solbach voted against both. Parker favors both.
Lovely Ulmer, KU Coordinator of Orientation, has been Solbach's campaign manager for all of his elections. She said she was pleased with the results because the race was good and clean.
Parker said she probably would not oppose Solbach again.
Casad loses House bid to Charlton
By PAMELA SPINGLER Staff writer
Betty Jo Charlton, the Democratic incumbent, was not surprised by her victory over Republican candidate Ben Casad in the race for a seat in the 46th District of the Kansas House of Representatives.
"I felt confident that I would win, but I didn't predict by how much." Charlton said after Casad conceded the race about 10 p.m. last night at the Douglas County Courthouse.
Charlton and Casad both spent the evening at the County Clerk's office watching the election results come in.
Charlton received 3,375 votes to Casad's 1,368 votes, or 70.9 percent to Casad's 28.76 percent.
Casad, who conceded with 75 percent of the votes counted, said he was disappointed by the sound defeat.
"I wanted a higher percentage of vote," he said. "I wanted to get 40 percent of the vote and now I'm running at around 30 percent."
Casad said that he wasn't surprised by Charlton's victory because it was his first race.
"A lot of candidates lose their first race, but you've got to keep trying," he said. "I'm not terribly disappointed at this point."
Charlton said voters considered her record and knowledge of the issues when voting.
"People know I don't talk one way and vote another," she said.
She also attributed the victory to her door-to-door campaign.
"I think that it always helps," she said. "It helps me keep in touch with my constituents."
Charlton or one of her staff went to every door in her district. She said she encouraged voters to remember that they could ask for her help if they had problems with the state government.
Chris Modrow/KANSAN
Ben Casad, Republican candidate for the 46th District seat in the Kansas House of Representatives, watches the voting returns at the Douglas County Republican Headquarters in the Malls Shopping Center, 23rd and Louisiana streets. Casad was defeated by incumbent Betty Jo Charlton, D-Lawrence.
Branson to get 4th term in 44th
Rv COLLEEN SIEBES
With only five precincts left to go and a 65 percent lead in the race for the 44th District seat, Democratic incumbent State Rep. Jessie Branson said she still was not confident.
Staff writer
"But her husband, Vernon Branson, thought differently. He gave her a big hug and said, "Piece of cake," as he left the Douglas County Courthouse at 10:30 p.m. last night.
"I never feel confident until it's all wrapped up," she said.
Branson won her fourth term last night with 5,114 votes, or 65.22 percent, to Republican challenger Chris Miller's 2,717 votes, 34.65 percent.
Branson said she had developed a warm relationship with most of her constituents through door-to-door campaigning.
This campaign differed from her past three campaigns because her opponent took a negative approach, she said.
"It was difficult not to counter his false accusations," she said.
many Lawrence residents told her they were "sick and tired" of politics turning into mud-slinging contests.
Pranson said she was designed to meet that the classification and education
Branson said Miller's negative approach might have worked to his disadvantage. When she was campaigning door-to-door
She said she was disappointed to find that the lottery and part-mutuel wagering amendments were winning but she would cooperate in Congress if Kansans wanted the amendments.
Branson said lottery and pari-mutuel wagering would exploit the poor and would increase the need for state welfare payments in the long run.
Although the 4th District has a plurality of Republican voters, Branson said Lawrence was voting independent of party lines.
"The people feel desperate for some kind of revenue," she said, "but I don't think they are considering the social consequences."
Branson said she wanted to have dinner with her husband and see her grand-daughter before she decided what legislation she would tackle in her next term.
disearthed. He said he knew running against a third-term incumbent would be tough but he did expect the race to be closer.
Miller said he was disappointed but not
He said the campaign was well-run and honest.
Obligations to his legal practice, he said, kept him from knocking on as many doors as he would have liked.
"The fact that Jessie opposed the lottery and pari-mutuel wagering obviously didn't concern them (the constituents) as much as we thought," he said.
Miller also said that incumbents typically received more financial support from political action committees and special interest groups.
Money is an important factor, he said. He maintained his position that state representatives should not accept money from special interest groups.
Miller said he did not regret his decision not to accept money from interest groups. He said he would not have done so even if he knew it meant losing the election.
State Rep. Jessie Branson, Democratic incumbent for the 44th District seat in the Kansas House of Representatives, speaks with well-wishers at the Douglas County Courthouse. Branson defeated Republican challenger Chris Miller yesterday.