Evening star., 1952-10-18
The Political Mill:
Eisenhower Should Take
Most of Mountain Stutes
Reports Indicate He Con Win
n of 28 Electoral Votes
By Gould Lincoln

n Of 28 Electoral Votes
By Gould Lincoln
DENVER, Colo, Oct. 18.-Gen. Eisen-
hover, in his quest for the Presidency.
should more than break even in six
Mountain States. These are Colorado.
Idaho. Montana, Nevada, Utah and
Wyoming.
Huge in area and running from the
Canadian border to the great Southwest.
these States have a combined % votes
in the electoral college. The Republican
presidential candidate, according to re-
ports, should win at least 81 of these
electoral votes, and has chance for %.
These votes may be Of the utmost i'm
portance, If the race between Gen. Els
enhower and Gov. Stevenson, the Demo-
cratic candidate, is close.
Five of these Mountain States have
Republican Governors. Montana has
the sole Democratic chief executive in
the lot. And Montana is that State
which appears more likely than any OF
the rest to go Democratic in this presi-
Dental race. Nevada is the second
State which appears to be leaning to
Gov. Stevenson. Colorado, the biggest
prize Of the group, with 10 electoral
votes. seems reasonably sure for Gen.
Eisenhower. who is greatly popular here.
Truman Won all Six.
e All six of these States were carried
by President Truman in the 1948 elec-
ton, though by narrow margins. The
political pendulum swung toward the
Republicans and away from the Demo-
Gratis in the Congressional and gub-4
ernatorial elections, however. In Idaho,
for example, two Republican Senators
were elected-one to fill an uneXpired
term-and Republican Governor. not
to mention two Republican members Of
the House Of Representatives. Utah re-
tired its veteran Democratic Senator
Thomas and elected in his place Re-
publican Senator Wallace F. Bennett.
Nevada chose a Republican Governor.
Colorado reelected Senator Millikin,
Republican, and elected Republican Gov.
Dan Thornton, and Wyoming elected
Republican Gov. Barrett, although it
elected Democratic Senator, Hunt.
AS of today, it appears that in addition
to Colorado, Eisenhower's chances of VIC
tory are good in Idaho, Utah and Wyom-
ing-and Nevada might go for him. In
are Senate races. Their outcome could
we'll determine whether the Democrats
or Republicans are to have majority
in the Upper House of Congress. Three
Of these Senate seats now in jeopardy
are held by Republicans and one by a
Democrat. -f
Hard Fight for Senator.
The Utah Senate race pits Senator
Watkins. Republican. against Repre-
sentative Granger Democrat. The race
is hard fought and Mr.. Granger ex-'
presses confidence he will win. However,
if Gen. Eisenhower carries the State,
and Republican Gov. Bracke Lee is re-
elected, Senator Watkins is likely to be
q winner, too.
A second Republican Senator, who has
a fight on his hands to be returned. is
George Malone of Nevada. The stu
alton in Nevada is confused by the fact
that the Democrats, after bitter fac
tional row, nominated Thomas B. Mech
ling, young newSpaperman and new
conner to the State. Mr.. Mechling op-
posed the candidate put forward by
veteran Democratic Senator McCarran
and, surprisingly. won. Senator McCar-
ran has been denounced by President
Truman on several occasions because Of
his attempts to ferret out Communists
and fellow travellers in the Federal Gov
ernment. Much may depend in this
Senate contest on the part that Senator
McCarran and his Democratic organi-
cation plays.
Ecton in Jeopardy.
The third Republican Senator in jeop-
ardy is zales N. Ecton of Montana.
Montana has been predominantly a
Democratic State in recent years. Sena-
tor Ecton. like Malone and Watkins, was
elected In 1916. while Democratic
sentiment was running high. He Is op-
posed now by Representative Mike
Mansfield, Democrat. He will have
hard fight to win this election.
Senator Joe O'Mahoney of Wyoming is.
the incumbent Democrat at whom the :
Republicans are shooting. Senator O'Ma-
honey is well intrenched. He has been
elected and re-elected-and has large
number of friends among the Repub-
licans Of the State. =.
Against him is running Republican
Gov. Frank A. Barrett. former mem
ber of the House of Representatives
and also popular The odds seem to
favor Senator O'Mahoney although it is
the view Of some Democrats, as well
as Republicans, that Gen. Eisenhower
will take Wyoming over Gov Stevenson.