St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1946-07-19
Minnesota
Political
Roundup
BY Arthur Naftalin

Governor Thye's resounding VIC
tory over Senator Shipstead in the
Republican Senatorial primary re-
established Harold Stassen as a
prime contender for the COP Pres
idential nomination in 1913. There
is still two years to go, and an in
finite number of things can happen
to change the present trend, but as
it appears now Stassen is moving
headlong into the favored position
for the nomination in the '48 con-
vention.
On every hand one hears that
Stassen will never get the nOmina-
ton because of opposition to him
on the part of powerful Republican
leaders and party hackers who are
presumed to control policy and
nominations. They repeatedly re-
gard Stassen as too liberal and as
untrustwOrthy in terms of political
commitments. Gazing into the
crystal ball, one sees these points
Of opposition fading away. 1t is
already clear that Stassen, as a
liberal Republican, is an acceptable
candidate to conservative business
interests, as witness his favorable
nationwide press treatment. As
regards the politicians opposition
they will want to nominate the man
most likely to be elected. BY l94S
Stassen may appear to be their
best bet.
In the event Stassen is nominal
ed, these reports of opposition to
him by so-called party bosses
should constitute a strong psyche
logical factor in his favor for the
election. He will appear to have
triumphed over machine control
and that is a victory which endear:
any office-seeker to the American
public.
Now that the primary is over
the main interest in Minnesoti
elections is shifting from the Sen
atorial race to several Compression
al contests. In at least four dis
tricts-the Third, Fourth, Fifth ant
Eighth-the campaigns will be par
ticularly vigorous and there i
strong likelihood that one or NOR,
of the incumbent Congressman ma!
be defeated. In the Third District
William J. Gallagher, whose victor!
as a DFL in 1914 surprised tn
state and who has since faithful!
supported the Truman administra
ton, will be opposed by Georg,
MacKinnOn, a war veteran ant
formerly a leading member of tn
State House of Representatives
Gallagher will have united supper
from organized labor, and Mac
Kinnon will have the full supper
of the Stassen forces who will b
out to demonstrate their strength
in this strongly DFL district.
Frank T. Starkey may face
tough fight for reelection in tn
Fourth. His Republican opponent !
Edward Dewitt, St. Paul attOrne,
and also n war veteran, who wO
easily in a field of five primar
candidates. In the Fifth, Waite
Judd's reelection will be cOnteste
by Douglas Hall, state counsel TO
the CLIO, who put on an especial
vigorous campaign during the pri
mary. DFL prospects for a neN
seat are best in the Eighth, wheT
State Senator John A. Blatnil
another war veteran, will fight
out with Congressman WilliaT
Pittinger.
Sponsors of the Minnesota Pc
are breathing easier now that tn
primary is over. They were on tn
receiving end of many a brickba
for predicting that Thye would wi
over Shipstead with 60 per cent G
the vote. The Poll came within
percentage point or two of tn
actual result. Had it been wide c
: the mark, it would have seriousl
r damaged the reputation of TIL
r Minneapolis Star-Journal, its spor
SOr.