Four States Hold Primaries
By BRIAN BERGSTEIN
Associated Press Writer
A retired dairy farmer who said he would spend only $16 on his
tongue-in-cheek campaign faced a millionaire corporate consultant
Tuesday for the Republican nomination to challenge Vermont Sen.
Patrick Leahy.
It was the highlight of primary voting in four states, including
New Hampshire, Wisconsin and Arizona, that decided nominations for
four U.S. Senate seats and four governorships.
Jack McMullen, 56, who recently moved to Vermont from
Massachusetts, ran against Fred Tuttle, 79, who became a celebrity
when a neighbor picked him to star in a low-budget regional movie.
In "Man With a Plan," Tuttle, playing himself in his familiar
blue-bib overalls, appeared as a down-on-his-luck retired dairy
farmer who runs for Congress because he needs the money.
In the movie, Tuttle's folksy, grass-roots campaign gains steam,
and he beats the entrenched incumbent. In real life, the film's
director asked Tuttle to run for Senate to promote the movie and
protest both McMullen's recent arrival in the state and his
big-budget campaign. McMullen lent his campaign $227,000 of his own
money.
Partly because of Tuttle's popularity and partly because many
Vermonters distrust outsiders, McMullen found himself on the
defensive at times.
Even Leahy, unopposed for the Democratic nomination for a fifth
term, said he wouldn't want to face Tuttle in November.
Other senators running unopposed in their primaries were
Democrat Russell Feingold, seeking a second term in Wisconsin, and
Republican John McCain, a possible presidential contender in 2000
who is seeking a third term in Arizona. In November, Feingold will
face Republican Rep. Mark Neumann and McCain will be opposed by
Democratic environmental lawyer Ed Ranger.
Only Republican Judd Gregg in New Hampshire had a primary
challenge in his bid for a second term, from state Rep. Phil Weber.
The lone Democratic candidate is George Condodemetraky.
In Arizona, Republican Gov. Jane Hull faced voters for the first
time since replacing Fife Symington, who was forced to resign a
year ago after his conviction for savings and loan fraud.
Mrs. Hull, whose low-key public presence led one pollster to dub
her "Governor Mom," was heavily favored over her two GOP
challengers: Jim Howl, a former TV weatherman who was fired after
being accused of sexual harassment, and Charles Brown, a political
neophyte. Paul Johnson, a former mayor of Phoenix, was unopposed in
the Democratic primary.
Another Republican governor, Tommy Thompson of Wisconsin, had
only token opposition as he sought the nomination for a
state-record fourth term a milestone that could boost a possible
presidential bid in 2000. Attorney Ed Garvey, a former leader of
the pro football players union, competed with state Sen. Gary
George for the Democratic nomination.
Two popular Democratic governors, Jeanne Shaheen in New
Hampshire and Howard Dean in Vermont, were unopposed in the primary
and heavily favored to win new terms in November.
In Wisconsin's 2nd District in the Madison area, the retirement
of Republican Rep. Scott Klug invited large fields of candidates in
both parties. State Rep. Tammy Baldwin, a lesbian, and Ron Greer, a
Christian fundamentalist who crusades against homosexuality, were
among the contenders.
(08 Sep 1998 13:45 EDT)
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