Evening star., 1938-08-03
Incumbent Is sCiven
Sweeping Victory
in Virginia.
BY JAMES E. CHINN.

WIN compete returns IN from ALL
PIG voting places. Representative
Howard W. Smith had won a crush
ing victory today in his primary
contest with youthful William E.
Dodd. jr., for the Democratic nomina-
ton in the Eighth Congressional Dis
trict.
Representative Smiths margin was
slightly more than to /, as returns
gave him 1874 votes as against 6,555
for Mr.. Dodd
The primary victory assured Mr..
Smiths return to the House for his
fifth consecutive term. He attributed
his victory to the unwavering support
Of conservative Virginians who backed
him in refusing to be "a rubber
stamp for the New Deal" His
opponent had waged vigorous
campaign with the theme that
vote for him was vote for Presi-
dent Roosevelt.
The only other contest in the Vir-
ginia Democratic primary was in the
second district. where former Repre-
the incumbent, Representative Hamil-
ton. who defeated Mr.. Darden two
years ago.
Mr.. Darden. incidentally, has not
been as friendly toward the New Deal
as-his opponent. further cheering
administration foes in Virginia.
Though defeated in his first venture
in politics. Mr. Dodd threatens to stage
comeback two years hence when Mr.
Smith again comes up for reelection.
And he believes the result then will be
different
An avalanche in every county
thWarted Mr. Dodd He even lost
Loudoun County. the county in which
ne lives. as well as Alexandria, the
largest municipality in the district
where the strong labor vote was ex-
pected to give him victory.
Loses Every County.
In fact Mr. Dodd lost every one OF
the Is counties in the district and the
cities of Alexandria and Charlottesville
The more than 10000 votes cast in
the district constituted an unprece-
dented number for primary contest
Even in defeat Mr.. Dodd looked
upon the 6,555 votes on his side of the
polling tabulations as moral VIC
tory" The Smith forces had predicted
he would not poll more than 1000
votes, and he feels that his showing
should give them something to think
about" in the next campaign when he
will again seek the seat of Representa-
tive Smith.
In statement today, Robert Nell
son Anderson of Arlington. former
president of the Roosevelt-for-P -Presi-
dent Clubs of Virginia, declared he
felt that every vote Bill Dodd re-
ceived over 5000 is nail in Howard
Smiths political coffin.
One of the surprises of the primary
contest was the crushing defeat of
Mr.. Dodd in little Arlington County.
just across the Potomac from Wash
ington. There Mr.. Smith had
majority of 2.131.
Arlington County was reputed to
be Dodd stronghold, largely because
hundreds of New Dealers who work
in New Deal agencies in Washington
have taken up residence there in
recent years. But it is apparent from
the results of the election that many of
these New Dealers did not vote, either
because they failed to register, or pay
the necessary poll tax in time. or
because they have voting residences
elsewhere
Loses Each Ward.
The result in Alexandria. home of
John l.. Lewis. c. l. O. chief. whose
organization put Mr.. Smith on the
blacklist, also was somewhat surprising
in view of the blessing its organized
labor forces had given Mr.. Dodd. But
there Mr.. Dodd failed to carry any one
of the six wards. His nearest approach
to victory was in the sixth ward, where
labor represented his strongest sup
port Altogether. 6.634 votes were cast
(See PRIMARIES, Page A-3.)