Evening star., 1947-06-07
The Political Mill
Republicans in Wisconsin
To Vote on 1o48 Candidate
Ballot at State Convention Will Show
Party Workers Presidential Preference
By Gould Lincoln

IdIty workers PRESIDENTIAL Preference
By Gould Lincoln
Wisconsin Republicans are bent on putting
on real preyiew Of sentiment in support of
the leading possibilities for the 1s48 Republi-
can presidential nomination On June 81 a
Republican State convention takes place in
Madison With the blessing of Thomas E. Cole
man, chairman of the Republican State organi-
cation, arrangements have been made to have
ballot by the delegates, some 1000 in number.
for first. second and third choice for the presi-
Dental nomination.
Practically all the delegates will be party
workers, so results of the balloting should ind,
cate the attitude of men and women in the
wisconsin Republican organization 1t will be
the first major sample balloting on Republi-
can presidential candidates.
Since Wisconsin will stage the first important
presidential preference primary in April next
year. this sample balloting win be followed with
interest. Wisconsin has been strong Dewey
State IN the past, when delegates to Republi-
can National Conventions have been selected
at the preference primaries. However Harold
Z. Stassen, former Governor of Minnesota, is
expected to make strong bid for majority
OF the Wisconsin delegation in next April,s
primary.
Senator Mccarthy will be the Stassen CAM
paign manager and may head the Stassen dele
gate slate. 1t has been understood, too, that
Mr.. Coleman, who sponsored the nomination
and election of Senator Mccarthy last year.
would be in the. Stassen corner. Mr. Coleman,
it is learned. will retire as State chairman, but
he will retain very definite interest in poll
tics. This Is powerful organizational support
for Mr. Stassen, and Senator Mccarthy has
shown himself both hard and resourceful
campaigner.
Committee to Supervise.
The baloting for presidential pr ference will
be supervised by committee of nine news
papermen and two newspaper women, whos ac-
cepted Mr.. Coleman's invitation to undertake
the job. The question on the ballot will be:
AS Republican worker, which Of the follow
ing men do you prefer today as a Republican
nominee for PreSident?" Names of men most
prominently mentioned as presidential candi-
dates will be selected by the newspapermen's
committee for places or the ballot
In addition to Gov. Dewey and Mr.. Stassen,
1t Is expected that Senators Taft and Bricker
OF Ohio, Vandenberg of Michigan and Gov.
Warren of California Will be on the ballot, along
with several others Any name not listed may
be written in by the delegates, if they desire,
who will be asked to register their first. Sec
ond and third choices. The percentage of ball
puted by a public accountant, and the results
will be announced on June 23
This is a novel experiment. Already 1t has
started campaign for such candidates as Gov
Dewey, Mr.. Stassen, Gen. Macarthur, Senator
TAFT and Senator Vandenberg. 1t was the Wis
eonsin primary early in 1914 that broke the
back in the campaign which the late Wendell
L. Wllkie was waging for second Republican
presidential nomination
Stassens Showing Important.
Undoubtedly if the Stassen forces can make
good showing in the Wisconsin State con-
vention, it may throw the Dewey supporters
and those of other candidates back on their
heels at least temporarily, and boost the cam
dldacy of Mr.. StaSsen. And should Mr. Stas-
sen win majority of the delegation in the pri-
mary next year, the effect would be material
On the other hand should he make a poor
showing in this balloting of delegates-Republi-
can workers-it would be setback for him.
The State convention soon to convene will
have the job of electirg the Republican ma
tional committeeman and committee woman,
over which real contest is shaping up The
Republican State Voluntary Committee, of
which Mr.. Coleman Is chairman will hold a
meeting at the same time as the convention
Strenuous efforts will be made to prevail upon
Mr., Coleman to continue as chairman. He has
said, however, that he has accomplished what
he set out to do-to put the State in the Re-
publican column and to eliminate the La
Follettes as leading political figures in Wiscon-
SIM The State now has Republican Cover
nor, two Republican Senator's an entire Re-
publican delegation in the House, and a Re-
publican State Legislature
AS of today, it appears there will be three
full states of delegates pledged to the presi
dental candidates. of Mr.. Stassen, Gov. Dewey
and Gen. Macarthur when the primary CAM
paign gets underway next spring
Questions and Answers
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