Evening star., 1948-10-06
dewey Seems Certain
Wyoming Victor With
Senate Seat Doubtful
By Gould Lincoln

OVu1S1GS OV0e ~vOb1BuOu
BY Gould Lincoln
Star staff Correspondent
CHEYENNE, Wyo., Oct. g.
Except for the most optimistic
Democratic leaders, practically
every politician and observer in
either of the major parties
agrees that as of today Gov
Dewey will capture Wyoming's
presidential electoral votes.
They agree also that Wyoming.
sole member of the House, Repre-.
sentative Barrett, Republican, is al
good as elected.
The Democrats, however, are su-
premely confident that they viii
elect their candidate for the Senate
Gov. Lester C. Hunt, who is run.
ming against the incumbent, Sen.
ator Robertson. Republican.
Gov. Hunt has been touted as the
States greatest vote setter-which
the official figures for past elec-
tions do not indicate-indeed, they
show the contrary. But the Gov
ernor has consistent record Of
victory at the polls. He has beer
elected to the Legislature, twice
Secretary Of State and twice Gov
ernor. He is now in the middle OF
his second term as Wyoming S
chief executive.
Works to Keep Friends.
Gov. Hunt Is a friendly man, q
good mixer. He works at the job
of making friends and keeping
them 365 days in the year In con-
sequence he has many in the Re-
publican Party-and the Democrats
are counting on their votes.
Four years ago, Gov. Dewey car
ried wyoming against President
Roosevelt-with a majority Of about
$500 in a total vote of 100000. The
Republicans, figuring that President
Truman cannot be, and will not be
as strong q candidate as was Roose-
welt, predict . 5000 or 5000 major
ity for Gov. Dewey in the coming
election. What they hope is that
enough Republicans will vote the
ticket straight to carry Senator
Robertson along to victory.
The word has gone out that Sen
ator Robertson is 4 weak candi-
date: that he is as much of a
stuffed shirt" as Gov. Hunt is q
good mixer. The result at the
polls do not indicate such weak
ness For example, in 1912, Sena-
tor Robertson defeated Senator
Schwartz, Democrat. by 1900 votes
In the same election. Gov. Hunt
won election by only l,S46 votes.
COP Edge In Primary.
Four years later, Gov. Hunt was
reelected Governor with a lead of
about 1900 over his Republican
opponent. Gov. Hunt was not the
big vote getter in that election
either. A Republican. DR.. A. J.
Crane. former president of the Uni
versity of Wyoming, was elected
secretary of State by $4,000 votes,
and Senator O'Mahoney, Democrat
seeking reelection, won with almost
as great a majority as that OF
DR.. Crane.
In the primary elections this year
the Republicans cast more votes
than the ,6l4 Republi-
can votes to 24,l98 Democratic. This
does not necessarily mean Republi-
can victory in the general election
But before the ofncial count was in
the Democratic leaders announced
their party had polled the larger
vote, and were taking consolation
therefrom.
In that particular primary. Sem
ator Robertson's vote was 3,l29. and
Gov. Hunts. 2l,263, which also might
mean anything or nothing. Senator
Robertson's primary vote even topped
that of popular Representative Bar
rett, who had 23,074
Senator Robertson's campaign
managers insist that their man has
q good chance. There was no indi-
cation. certainly from the primary
results. that. Republicans were de-
serting him for Gov. Hunt.
They comment. too. that some OF
the Democrats do not like the idea
of having Gov. Hunt quit his present
job as Governor in the middle of
the term for which he was elected
Particularly do they dislike it be-
cause, If Gov. Hunt is elected Sem
ator, a Republican Secretary OF
State. DR.. Crane will become acting
Governor-and the Democrats will
have no top oficial in the State
Capitol. The Republicans imply
that, for this reason. some Demo-
Gratis may go so far as to vote for
Senator Robertson-or at least not
vote in the senatorial race.
The Republicans are making a
particular drive to elect Senator
Robertson because the party con-
siders it of vital Importance to hold
the Robertson seat, in view of the
close contest for Senate control.
Gov. Dewey has just been here
and he he'd an enthusiastic recep-
ton plus q large meeting. Harold
E. Stassen. former Governor of Min
nesota, Senator Wherry of Nebraska,
Senator Millikin of Colorado and a
number of other speakers are due in
the State before election day. The
Republicans have been making q
number of polls Of their own in
significant counties. Accarding to
their reports, these polls have been
favorable to a Robertson victory.
In Wyoming the margin of vic
tory in elections is usually small. A
5000 lead is considered q very re-
spectacle ma ajority. In the presi-
dental race, therefore, the Henry A.
Ia IL