Evening star., 1950-07-09
Thurmond-Johnston
Racein South Carolina
Expected 4 J 10 Be Close
By Gould Lincoln
Stor Stoff Correspondent

COLUMBIA, S. c., July g.
Gov. j. Strom Thurmond, who
has relied on the race issue and
dislike for President Truman in
South Carolina as chief issues in
his campaign for the Democratic
senatorial nomination against
Senator Olin D. Johnston, today
expressed complete confidence he
will win in Tuesdays primary.
Persons close to him estimated
he would win by not less than
$4,000 votes and perhaps $4,000,
and that he will carry all except
q few of the 46 counties.
Senator Johnston and his sup
porterS pooh-pooh such claims
insisting Gov. Thurmond reached
the peak of his strength long ago
and that he has been going down
hill ever since. They see victory
for the Senator.
Race Expected to Be Close.
More impartial observers-and
even the supporters of both can
didateS when they are talking off
the record-say that "it's horse
race" and should be very close.
Senator Johnston, who has
sought in every way to show he
is as strong against the civil rights
program as Gov. Thurmond, and
to avoid the issue of Trumanism,
is expected to have strong labor
support and also a large per-
centage of the Negro vote.
At least one Negro leader in
sists the Negro voters will PUNK
for Senator Johnston - as the
lesser of two evils-in a big way.
1t is estimated that $4,000 Me-
groes are registered to vote in the
primary. This is new and un-
certain factor in a Democratic
primary in this State.
Big Vote in Prospect.
With an estimated 100000 plus
total registration for the primary
a big turn out is expected. Large
crowds have attended many OF the
rallies, and the Senate race has
aroused intense interest. 1t has
been enhanced by the fact that
Gov. Thurmond has twice been
snubbed by President Truman,
and by the recent Supreme Court
decisions regarding racial segrega-
ton. Both may have added to
Thurmond strength. A vote OF
350,000 to 100000 is expected.
In the gubernatorial race. much
stronger opposition to former Sec
retary of State James F. Byrnes
has developed than had been ex-
pected several months ago. In
deed, there are some shrewd poll
ticians who say that the outcome
of the gubernatorial primary may
be the surprise, and that Mr..
Byrnes may be forced into a run
off. In order to win nomination
a candidate must have a majority
of the total vote cast.
Mr.. Byrnes has two principal
opponents, one the youthful
Speaker of the State House,
Thomas H. Pope, and the other
millionaire insurance company
president, Lester L. Bates. His
third rival is a perennial candi-
date for office, Marcus A. Stone,
a Florence lumberman.
Runoff Would be July Is.
If there is to be a run-of pri-
mary it will come on July 25 and
MIR. Bates is given the better
chance to meet Mr.. Byrnes in such
a contest.
Mr.. Byrnes has tremendous
prestige and a host of friends in
all parts of the State. The last
time he ran-for Senator in 1886
he had more than 86 per cent
of the vote cast. He has been
acclaimed wherever he has gone
during the campaign. The opinion
is expressed widely that he will
win nomination on Tuesday. Ger
tainly within the last week a great
deal of work has been done for
him by his friends, among them
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