Evening star., 1953-09-22
The Political Mill
Four Governors Fuce
Big Political Decisions
Will They Run Again,
Or Seek Senote Scots?
BY Gould Lincoln

by SouIo Lincoln tS
Two Democratic Governors and two
Republican Governors of key political
States must decide whether they will
seek re-election-or in the case Of one,
stay on as Governor-next year in the
furtherance of their ambitions. The
Democrats are Gov. Frank Lausche Of
Ohio and Gov. q. Mennen williams Of
Michigan; the Republicans are Gov.
Thomas e. Dewey of New York and
Gov. William G. Stratton Of Illinois.
Ohio's Gov. Lausche apparently has
a choice Of running for reelection in
1854, or seeking to win Senate seat
made vacant by the death Of the late
Senator Taft. Gov. williams has a
similar problem. He can run for his
present office or grab O Democratic
nomination to try to win the Senate
seat held by Republican Senator Fer
guSon. It's a nice question for both
of them, and may be determined by
their desires for q presidential nomina-
ton In 1855.
The office Of Governor is q better
stepping stone for q presidential nomi-
nation than Senate seat. That has
been demonstrated again and again
in the last so or so years, in both
the Democratic and Republican Par
ties, though particularly In the Demo-
cratic Party. OF the four Democratic
Presidents elected since the Civil War.
three were Governors at the time Of
their first election: Cleveland, Wilson
and Franklin D. Roosevelt. The fourth.
former President Truman, was a SEN
ator from Missouri. His first en-
trance to the White House, however,
was via the vice presidency. In ad-
d1tion, the Democrats nominated Gov
ernorS for President who were defeated
Al Smith Of New York and James
Cox OF Ohio. Their last presidential
candidate was Adlai Stevenson, Gov
ernor OF Illinois at the time Of his
nomination. The two leading candi-
dates against Stevenson at the time
were Senator's Kefauver Of Tennessee
and Russell Of Georgia.
On G. o. p. Side.
On the Republican side Of the fence.
Gov. Dewey Of New York has twice
been the @. o. p. candidate for PreSi-
dent, and II he has ambition for q
third nomination he has not disclosed
1t. An old saying among politicians Is:
Once a candidate for President, always
a candidate. Gov Deweys only path
to remaining leading figure in poll
tics is to seek fourth term as Gov
ernor-unless he should be picked BY
President Eisenhower for high execu-
tive office. No Senate race comes up
in New York next year, and any way.
Gov. Dewey has never shown an incli-
nation to run for the Senate.
Gov. Stratton Of Illinois is both young
and ambitious. His present term as
Governor does not expire until Janu-
ary, 1857. He is regarded as, and
probably is, the strongest Republican
votegetter in his State-with the excep-
ton Of Senator Dirksen. His choice
will be whether to seek the senatorial
nomination next year to run against
Democratic Senator Paul Douglas, or
to sit tight and seek reelection as
Governor in 1856. Republicans may
sorely need the Illinois Senate seat in
the 84th Congress. and pressure may
be put upon him to run for it.
Republican candidates for President
over the years have not been as uni
formly chosen from the ranks Of the
Governors as have the Democratic can
didates. However. Theodore Roosevelt
was Governor of New York before he
was Vice President and then President
through McKinley's death. Charles
Evans Hughes, when he was taken
from the bench in 1915 to become the
nominee of the G. o. p, had been
Governor of New York. Calvin Coolidge
had been Governor Of Massachusetts,
before he reached the White House
through the death of Harding, and
Dewey was Governor at the time Of
both his presidential nominations.
Republican Record.
The Republican record does not
greatly encourage the idea that the
Senate is a better jumping-o place for
presidential candidates. In recent years.
many Republican Senators have sought
to head their party's national ticket
but only one, the late Warren G. Hard
ing of Ohio, was successful. Only last
year. Ohio's Bob Taft, great Senator.
ran for third time for presidential
nomination and failed.
Lausche in Ohio and Williams in
Michigan have amazing records Of VIC
tory in States that are usually Republi-
can. Both have acquired support among
Republican voters. Whether they can
retain such support in races for the
Senate is another question. National
issues crop up always in senatorial
electionS-isSueS which are frequently
absent in the gubernatorial races. Such
issues might operate to defeat Lausche
or Williams. or both, next year If they
try for the Senate. That goes. too, for
Gov. Stratton in the Illinois senatorial
race, If he makes try against Senator
Douglas.
One powerful Republican Governor
has recently eliminated himself from
either the gubernatorial or senatorial
contests which come up in his State
next year-Earl Warren of California.
On the other hand. youthful Dem
ocratic member of the House. Franklin
D. Roosevelt, jr., Of New York is fast
getting himself in line for o Democratic
nomination for Governor next year. He
backed the right horse in the recent
Democratic primary for q candidate for
Mayor of New York, and II his wing Of
the party continues its hold, he may
very well have the gubernatorial nom
ination. II he does. and should he be
elected, he will have to be reckoned
with, either IN 1855 or 1860, in con-
tests for q presidential nomination.