Primaries-1994 Elections

Primaries Prem 94 clectrosts VP THE WHITE HOUSE HAROLD WASHINGTON MEMORANDUM FOR THE PRESIDENT September 21, 1994 you 21 All : 51 INFORMATION FROM: JOAN N. BAGGETT SUBJECT: PRIMARIES I. SUMMARY Primaries were held in Massachusetts and Washington yesterday, along with a run-off in Oklahoma. II. DISCUSSION MASSACHUSETTS Gubernatorial: State Representative Mark Roosevelt (the grandson of Teddy Roosevelt) won the Democratic nomination in the gubernatorial race with 48 percent of the vote (81 percent of precincts reporting). State Senator Michael Barrett and former state Senator George Bachrach received 24 percent and 27 percent of the vote, respectively. Roosevelt will face incumbent Republican Governor William Weld in the general election. This seat is expected to remain Republican in 1994. Senate: Mitt Romney, a Boston businessman and the son of former Michigan Governor George Romney, trounced opponent John Lakian in the GOP gubernatorial primary. With 95 percent of precincts reporting, Romney received 82 percent of the vote to Lakian's 18 percent. Lakian conceded the race early into the evening on 9/20, with less than 20 percent of precincts reporting. Democratic incumbent Ted Kennedy did not face primary opposition. Kennedy is expected to face one of the most difficult election battles of his career in the 1994 general election. A poll conducted by the Boston Herald September 6th-8th showed Kennedy with a slim lead over Romney, 44 percent to 38 percent, with 18 percent of voters undecided. The poll indicated several warning signs for the Kennedy Campaign, including slippage among Catholics and women. Democratic consultants have stated that Romney's surge in the polls may be attributed to heavy television advertising during the previous week, in which Romney attacked Kennedy on crime. Of significance to the Romney Campaign is their candidate's lead among independents, which represents almost half of all Massachusetts voters. Romney also captured 21 percent of the Democratic vote. A poll conducted within the same time period by the Boston Globe showed Romney leading Kennedy 43 percent to 42 percent.