Evening star., 1947-02-09
Party Power
Faces Trials
Kentucky and Illinois
Hold Political
Spotlight
By D. Harold Oliver

NU14tCct COAkAAAS NY &A1 &SovSAAASS4 ASA
Towing August primaries. Tn
Democrats are hoping to swing thi
''border State" back into their col
umn. Republicans won in the gov
ernorship race in 1943 and the sena
torial scrap last November.
Chicago ranks high in politica
interest with her April / mayoralt,
election. The Republicans are wag
ing determined effort to complet
the rout of Mayor Edward
Kelly's Democratic organization
they started In the November, 1916
voting.
These, and other State, count!
and municipal elections this yea
will furnish the first tests o
strength among the major partie'
since the COP congressional
sweep last November. They may
provide some signs for 1948.
A survey by the Government
division of the Census Bureau show,
seven States will fill State Office!
of one kind or another this year
But only Kentucky and Mississippi
elect Governors.
Twenty-nine States will hole
county and township elections. Or
the local level, 73 cities of a popu.
lation Of 100000 or more will cleo
mayors or other city officers. These
are spread over "a States.
Upset in Kentucky in 1943.
Kentucky's incumbent Governor
Simeon S. Willis, a Republican, pro.
vided an upset four years ago when
he won the governorship. He de.
feated J. Lyter Donaldson, former
Democratic highway commissioner
by a few thousand votes. Under
State laws, Mr.. Willis is not eligible
to succeed himself.
The question to be answered in
the Republican primary in Ken
lucky is whether the nominee this
time will be a Willis-supported man
or one backed by the organization
Of Representative John M. Rob-
sion. Lieutenant Governor Ken
meth Tuggle, Robsion man, is a
prospective candidate. The Willis
forces have yet to put man in
the field.
In the Democratic primary a race
is looming up between Representa-
tive Earle G. Clements and Harry
Lee Waterfield, Speaker of the State
House of Representatives. The
primaries are August 2, the election
November 4.
In Mississippi, where the Demo-
cratic primaries in August will
settle the election to be held No
vember 4, only Gov Fielding l.,
Wright has announced as a candi-
date so far. Gov. Wright succeeded
to the governorship last year upon
the death Of Gov. Thomas L. Bailey.
The first primary is August S, a
runof August 26 If needed.
Mayor Kelly Bows Out.
The Chicago mayoralty contest
will bring together the Cook County
Democratic organization of Mayor
Kelly and the State organization
of Republican Gov. Dwight H.
Green. Gov. Green has been men
toned as possible vice presidential
candidate on the COP ticket in 1913.
The organizations have already
named their candidates. Mayor
Kelly has bowed out in favor of
Martin H. Kennedy, 5s-year-old
business and civic leader. Mr.. Kelly
has been Mayor since 1888 and was
power in the various groups that
helped pile UP majorities for Frank
lin D. Roosevelt. He took licking
in the elections last November when
the Republicans captured several
important county patronage offices.
Gov. Green's organization is back
ing Russell w. Root, former Cook
County Republican chairman. Re-
publican National Chairman Car
roll Reece recently urged Root
: victory as a second major step to
winning the presidency next year.
The first, he said, was achieved last
November.
Here are the cities of 00,000 pop
ulation and over which will elect
one or more city officers (not all
elect Mayors from April to No
vember:
California-Los Angeles, Oakland,
Sacramento, San Diego and San
Francisco.
Colorado-Denver.
Connecticut - Bridgeport, Hart
ford and New Haven.
Delaware-Wilmington.
Notwithstanding, Miami and
Tampa.
Illinois-Chicago and Peoria.
Indiana-Fort Wayne, Gary, In
dianapolis and South Bend.
Kansas-Kansas City and Wichita.
Kentucky-Louisville.
Observation-Disclosures
Massachusetts, - Boston, Cam
bridge, Fall River, Lowell, New Bed
ford, Somerville, Springfield and
Worcester.
Michigan - Detroit, Flint and
Grand Rapids.
Minnesota-Duluth and Minneap-
oils.
Missouri-St. Louis.
New Jersey-Camden, Elizabeth,
Jersey City, Patterson, Trenton.
New York-Albany, Buffalo, New
York City (no Mayor election until
1949, Rochester, Syracuse, Utica
and Yonkers.
North Carolina-Charlotte.
Ohio-Akron, Canton, Cincinnati
Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, To-
ledo and Youngstown.