Election '82 Page 6 University Daily Kansan, November 3, 1982 Democrats may stymie Reagan By United Press International WASHINGTON -From the vantage point of 1980, the 1982 election was a disaster for the Republicans. Closer up, it doesn't look nearly as bad as it might have been. Two years ago, fresh from a presidential landscape victory and heavy gains that gave them control of the Senate for the first time in a quarter-century, the Republicans were talking about a "sea change" in American politics of the 21st century. Their dominance for nearly 50 years after 1932. Republicans spoke confidently of increasing their lock on the Senate and taking control of the House in 1882. And many Democrats believed them. But by the spring of this year, the picture was looking dark for the GOP. PRESIDENT REAGAN had succeeded in cutting federal budget outlays and reducing income taxes, but inflation and interest rates were rising. The public was unemployed and unemployment was rising to meet them. When the leaves budded this year, the Democrats started talking about big gains in Congress, even perhaps regaining the Senate. Unemployment kept rising, hitting a 40-year price and interest rates did go down and the stock market suddenly did a giddy surge upward. Except for a seemingly low estimate of Democratic crime in the House, the pundits seem to agree. By last weekend, the political experts were saying the Democrats would gain in the mid-term elections, but not nearly enough to take effective control of Congress. AS THE VOTES came in, the Republican margin in the Senate appeared to be safe and the Democrats, as predicted, were picking up a handful of governors. But if looked as if the Democrats were going to win more than the 20 or more seats that most of them want, it would be true. And that by itself could be trouble, not so much for the already outnumbered House Republicans as for the president, who has built his successes through a series of defections of 28 or so conservative Democrats. If the Democrats come out of the 1982 elections with gains of 30 or more seats in the House, and if those new members are willing to follow the lead they desire (Neil Neill, Beagan may be stymoned on Capitol Hill). And that could mean a stalemate, a condition that could last until November 1984. THERE SEEMS to be no chance that the results of this election will enable the Democrats to undo what Reagan was able to accomplish in 1980. But because the real well able be will stop him from doing more. The voters' was job finished, and the oracles of the airways last night set out to advise the electorate what it had done and why. They rolled up the door in front of their graphics that included a 140-square-foot boardroom. There would be the possibility of compromise between the Republican White House and Senate and the Democratic House, but nothing that happened in 1981-82 indicated that the president has any taste for trimming his programs to suit the people he calls "the big spenders." But never in 200 years of American politics have Americans known more about Americans than Mr. Trump did. HOUSE Hiebert wins over Booth By BRET WALLACE Staff Reporter Five months of leg work paid off for Democrat Nancy Hiebert last night when she defeated Republican Hank Booth in the 1st District Douglas County Commission race. SENATE "We started going door to door in July," Hiebert said last night after Booth conceded the race. "Very few people gave us a chance at first." Nancy Zimmerman, Hiebert's neighbor, said, "Nancy walked all over town. There wasn't a thing to do." 4.186 for Hiebert and 3.929 for Booth. After all precisions reported, the totals were Booth, who conceded the election with four of 14 precincts unreported, said, "I wish Nancy the best of luck. She is going to make an excellent county commissioner." HEEBERT SAID she did not think she had won the election until the third-to-last precinct reported. The final four precincts were large ones that traditionally vote Republican, she said. Hiebert ended up faring well in the larger precincts and won some that Booth had said strongly supported him. She said the door-to-door violence was very bad, but the large precincts as well as in the small ones. Nancy Hiebert credited the victory to her large force of volunteers. John Hiebert, her husband, said, "It was no accident that she won. She worked hard to make it happen." HER GROUP of volunteers was composed of Democrats, independents and some Republican groups. "So many people worked so hard for this election," she said. "We had a lot of really good candidates." "I did feel it very necessary to put together a campaign organization with independent and Republican workers," she said. Hiebert's Democratic affiliation played an important role in the campaign because the other two commissioners are Republicans, she said. Throughout the campaign, Hiebert stressed the need to retain a bipartisan commission. She said many people shared her support of bipartisanship. Booth said he thought bipartisanship was one of the biggest factors in the election. HE SAID the other issue that swung the vote Hiebert's way was a literature distribution in Nancy Hiebert Hank Booth some neighborhoods last weekend. The literature attacked five votes by Booth in his six years on the Lawrence-Douglas County Planning Commission. Hiebert will be filling the commission seat of Democrat Walt Craigan, who did not run for re-election. Craigan's endorsement of Hiebert was another important part of the victory, she said. THE PRESERVATION of county farmland was one of the important issues of the campaign. Hiebert said she would follow the plan of the committee, which included farmers, realtors, builders and developers. Hiebert said she decided to run for the county commission because it was going to be facing a tax increase. Booth said the loss would not discourage him from continuing to work hard to help the city and the county in any way he could. Solbach to begin third term Rv TOM GRESS Staff Reporter While most political candidates spent yesterday in varying degrees of apprehension, State Rep. John Solbach made a few court appearances on behalf of clients and coordinated the local Democratic "Get Out the Vote" drive. Solbach, a Lawrence lawyer, was unopposed in his re-election bid, which he will hold for third term in the Kansas House in January. He has served since 1978. "The Republicans tried very hard, from the state level on down, to find someone to run "I would like to assume that they could not because I have done a good job, because I am a hard worker and because I have gained a reputation as a good state legislator. I don't know if that is true or not, but that is what I would like to believe." ALTHOUGH HE had no opponent, Solbach watched the election returns closely. A strong supporter of the severance tax, he said last night that the tax was an important reason, if not the reason, for Gov. John Carlin's re-election. Reworking the state's tax base now will be the top priority for the Legislature, he said. But Solbach said it would take some time after the election to determine what the severance tax's fate would be in the next legislative session. Democrats gained seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, where each man represents 25 members. Republicans maintained control of the Senate, however, where each man represents five members. "In the next few weeks, people will be looking at the results and the interpretations will be made as to what the deciding factors were," she said. "If the Senate had not issued a if message has been sent to the Senate." "I'm concerned that the Legislature will get too cowboyish," Solbach said, referring to the lawmakers who have been opposed to the legislation. "They are against justice; man does not live by 'Gunsmoke alone.'" DURING LAST spring's legislative session, he House passed a severance tax bill, but it did not pass. Douglas County totals 100% complete Candidate Total % Robert Stephan (B) 12,676 59 Lance Burr (D) 9,059 41 **Dennis Governor** John Carlin (D) 14,634 69 Sum Hardware (R) 6,926 33 Joan Finney (D) 12,566 61 Douglas Hirt (R) 8,149 39 Jim Slattery 12,397 56 Morris Kay 9,525 44 Kansas Attorney General **Consultant or Insurance** Fletcher Bell (R) (L) 18,767 91 Alan Weldon (L) 1,348 07 Shields Glides (L) 523 02 U.S. House 9th District Kansas House 44th District Jesse Branson (D) 5,056 68 Bob Schulte (R) 2,402 39 Jack Brier (R) 11,911 60 Bill McCray (D) 8,056 40 Danforth beats Woods in race for Senate seat 45th District John Solbach (D) 5,007 46th District Betty Jo Charlton (D) 3,038 55 Doug Lamborn (R) 2,333 42 Pat Goodwin (L) 117 03 Douglas County Commission 1st District Nancy Hiebert (D) 4,186 54 Hank Booth (R) 3,592 46 Lawrence Nuclear Freeze Yes 6,541 74 No 2,298 State Supreme Court Justice Robert Miller To retain, yes 15,803 84 No 3,005 16 Court of Appeals Judge Bob Abbott To retain, yes 15,052 83 No 3,026 17 Judge Corwin C. Spencer To retain, yes 14,855 83 No 2,956 17 Judge Joe Haley Swinehart To retain, yes 14,656 82 No 3,189 16 Democrats By United Press International He spent $2 million to defeat his challenger, Docrel Woods, who has never before run a presidential race. ST. LOUIS—Republican Sen. John Danforth of Missouri managed to hd.together what began earlier this year as a campaign with no apparent obstacles to his election, but with challenges. Woods had hoped to raise $1 million in her campaign to unseat Danforth. By mid-October, she had raised $657,000. Woods' campaign plan has been simple: criticize Danforth for supporting President Reagan's economic policies and blame the Republican Party and Republicans in general for unemployment, problems with Social Security and poor financial conditions. Woods' rapid climb in public recognition as a candidate went higher as the result of two one-hour television debates on stations in the state and her appearance on Dandorah on a visit. He seemed unsure of what kind of help he wanted from the administration. He acknowledged that he had not invited President Reagan to campaign for him in Missouri "because it probably would have cut both ways," but on Oct. 25, Interior Secretary James Watt appeared in St. Louis for Danforth. Danforth held a substantial lead in early public opinion polls. But a few days before the election, a poll by the St. Louis Globe showed that voters who showed Woods with a slight lead over Danforth. After Woods' gain in strength, Danforth began a series of strong personal attacks against his opponent, describing her as a "bullshitter" and describing his misrepresentation her views as well as his. Before beginning his accusatory campaign depicting Woods as a political demagogue, Danforth had based his campaign mostly on only one issue. Betty Jo Charlton Republicans Charlton beats Lamborn in race for 46th District she received more campaign contributions this year than she did in 1896. She spent about $8,500. By DEBORAH BAEP Staff Reporter Democrat Betty Jo Charlton retained her seat in the 46th District of the Kansas House of Representatives last night, defeating Republican challenger Doug Lamborn by about 700 She attributed some of her success to her advertising, saving With all precincts reporting, the totals were 3,038 for Charlton and 2,353 for Lamborn. Liberitarian candidate Patrick Goodwin received 117 votes, earning a handful in almost “She has a big edge at this point,” he said. “I was expecting to win (my precinct), but I was just going to let it go.” Charlton was hesitant to cite causes for her victory, not sure if her incumbency helped in her case. Charlton, who won all but two precincts, admitted about 9 p.m. that she expected to win but handled her victory quietly, answering questions from the crowd with congratulations with handshakes and thank-you's. "I feel good about it," a smiling Charlton told well-wishers. LAMBORN SEEMED almost sure of his own defeat by 8:45 p.m., when he learned he had won only 185 votes in his own precinct to Charlton's 274 "There are certain advantages with the incumbency because you have a record to run on, but on the other hand, your record to be attacked on, or to be misinterrupted," she said. SHE ALSO credited helpful campaign workers for the victory. Charlton, seemingly confident that Gov. John Carlin would win his bid for re-election, said she hoped the Legislature would pass the severance tax. "This was an election day for Democrats." he said. Staff Reporter And, she said, there is the possibility that her victory was part of a general trend for Democrats to win this year. "I'm keeping my options open," he said. "What we've got to do is get it past the Senate," she said, noting that the Senate membership will not have changed since last year, when the severance tax was defeated. SHE SAID the fact that Lamborn did not give unqualified support to the tax may have contributed to his loss. By BONAR MENNINGER Does she have plans for politics beyond serving another term in the House? She began her career as a representative when she was appointed to Mike Glover's seat in January 1980. The next year she defeated Republican Willie Amison. Schulte, a Republican, conceded defeat about 9:35 p.m. in the Douglas County clerk's crowded office. The tally at that point, with nine of the 13 precincts in the district reporting, was 4,061 for Branson, 1,840 for Schulte. The final vote was Branson, 5,056; Schulte, 2,402. Charlton, a member of the House Energy and Natural Resources Committee, wants to establish "lifetime" utility rates that would distinguish between different users and use and make discretionary use more expensive. "But the re-election of the governor and the rest of us who have supported the severance tax will send a message to the Senate that that's what the people want," she said. She also is a member of the House Committee on Transportation and the Joint Committee on Transportation. LAMBORN ALSO is not sure of his future in politics. Incumbent Democrat Jessie Branson soundly defeated challenger Bob Schulte in the race for the 44th District state representative seat last night. "Lord, no," she laughed. "You don't start a political career at 59." A 28-year-old painting contractor with a journalism degree from the University of Kansas, he probably will stick to contracting for now, said his wife, Jeanie. Branson beats Schulte for 44th District seat "I feel very honored" Branson said in her victory statement. "I have had enormous support from many, many friends, and I am supported me. It takes a lot of teamwork." BRANSON SAID her hard work in the "We have an extremely important institution here in Lawrence. We have much at stake, much to lose and much to gain, so this will be, of course, a priority for me," Branson said. Branson said there would be many difficulties in the coming legislative term because of the tight revenue situation in the state but recommitted herself to the University of Kansas. Legislature and her incumbency provided the key to victory. She said that during her first term she kept in close contact with her constituents and responded to their requests. In her campaign, Branson supported the severance tax, which carried John Carlin into office. DURING THE race, Schulte had stressed that as a working man he could represent a new perspective in government. Schulte is a construction worker and radio announcer. Citing his emphasis on being a working man, Schulte said, "I think it's a terrific line of work," and he continued, "there are different kinds of people get involved in politics, and this was my way of trying to do that." "I've learned a lot in this campaign, and I don't know if I can say I'm a better person, but I do." THIS WAS the first political venture for the 30-year-old Lawrence resident. "By a better than two to one margin, I was turned down by the voters in the 44th District. There were a lot of factors that contributed to that." Schulte said that his working allowed him less time than his opponent to campaign and that he had the biggest advantage. "It was an opportunity for me to get in there and see what I could do," he said. "It is very difficult to beat an incumbent, but again, it was worth the try," he said. Area, state voter turnout less than predicted By STEVE CUSICK Staff Reporter Voter turnout in Douglas County for yesterday's election fell slightly short of county officials' predictions, according to unofficial vote results from the Douglas County Courthouse. Patty Jaimes, Douglas County clerk, had predicted that 38 percent to 60 percent would vote in this election. She said she based her prediction on absentee ballots submitted before the election. According to the figures, 56.7 percent or 22.04 of the 89,799 registered voters in the county went The turnout this election also was lower than the turnout in the mid-term election four years ago. Jaimes said 38 percent of the registered voters in the county went to the polls in 1978. In the 1980 presidential election, 76 percent of the registered voters cast ballots. STATEWIDE, it appeared yesterday morning that the turnout was slightly higher than expected because of reports of heavy tussles in urban areas. However, Brier said, the turnout may have been affected by the campaign. "THE NEGATIVE campaigns had an adverse effect. People would see the ads on TV and other media and people decided they wanted to take no part in the election." But with 96 percent of the vote in at 12:26 a.m. today, only 58.7 percent or 722.31 of the state's 1.23 million registered voters had voted in the governor's race. In 1978, 62 percent to 63 percent of the registered voters in Kansas cast ballots in the Secretary of State Jack Brier had predicted last week that 60 percent of the state's 1.23 million registered voters would vote, but he said he expected 80 percent to 63 percent because of the metropolitan vote. Jaimes said she was not disappointed by yesterday's turnout in Douglas County. "I think it was a good turnout with this type of an election," she said, referring to the fact that it was mid-term and not a presidential election. "Considering there's supposed to be a decline in interest, I think that's pretty good." Jaimes said the official vote totals would not be available until Friday. Voters in Douglas County lined up solidly behind the Democratic candidates for governor and U.S. Representative from the 2nd District. DEMOCRATIC GOV. John Carlin carried all but one of the county's precincts. Clinton went to his Republican challenger, Sam Hardage. Carlin received 14,843 votes in Douglas County, compared with 6,996 for Harday, according to the poll. Democrat Jim Slatter received 12,37 votes in Douglas County in his successful bid for the 2nd District seat. His opponent, Morris Kay, received 9,25 votes and carried only 10 recounts. The totals for precincts came in earlier this election than in previous elections, workers at the courthouse said. The totals for the last precinct came in shortly after 10 p.m. V