Evening star., 1954-10-17
The Political Picture /
Wyoming O'Nohoney TiKely
To Win Back Place in Senate
By Gould Lincoln
sior ssaff Correspondent

Sior ssaff Correspondent
CHEYENNE, Wyo.. Oct. 10
Joe" O'Mahoney Is probably go
ing back to his old place In the
Senate. This is because:
l. He was a big figure In the
upper house-in the Wyoming
tradition-for nearly 20 years.
Q. He is widely popular and
has a host of friends, Republican
as well as Democratic.
The Republicans are lighting
desperately now to defeat Mr..
O'Mahoney and to elect Repre-
sentative William Henry Harri-
son to the Senate. They are
charging that Mr.. O'Mahoney
deserted Wyoming after his de-
feat for reelection in 1852 to
become a Washington lawyer.
They say he has been attorney
for Owen baltimore, reindicted
last week on the charge of lying
about Communist connections.
Finally, they assert he has been
a representative Of Cuban sugar
companies-always in competi-
ton with beet sugar growers in
this area.
Others in Party Bitter.
So far, the attacks on Mr..
O'Mahoney do not appear to
have halted his drive for the
Senate. At the same time, Mr..
Harrison is plagued by resent
ments in his own party growing
out of a bitter primary campaign
for the Republican senatorial
nomination. He won over two
other candidates, Ewing Kerr.
who resigned the Republican
State craftsmanship to enter the
race, and Sam Hyatt. an impor-
tant cattleman.
Mr.. Harrison had filed for his
present seat in the House, but
after announcement by the late
Senator Hunt, Democrat, that
he would not run, Mr.. Harrison
Withdrew that filing and filed for
Senator. This enraged the 9TH
er Republican candidates. Mr..
Harrison's critics say now that
he hesitated to tangle with Sen
ator Hunt and that with Senator
Hunt out of the way. he deter
mined to make the Senate race
but he has Unexpectedly run
into another very strong Demo-
cratic candidate, Mr.. O'Ma-
honey.
The election in Wyoming this
year appears to be turning large
ly on personalities. Milward l..
Simpson, the Republican candi-
date for Governor, is regarded as
a stronger candidate than his
Democratic opponent, William
(Scotty) Jack. Also, Keith
Thomson. Republican candidate
for the House seat which Mr..
Harrison is vacating-the only
House seat wyoming has is
given a better chance than Sam
Tully, Democrat. Unless Mr..
OMahoney wins by wide mar
gin, taking the other Democratic
candidates along to victory. the
belief is that Mr.. Thomson will be
elected to Congress and Mr..
Simpson has a good chance for.
Governor. ia
Some In G. o. p. Concede.
Privately, some Republican
leaders are saying they think
that Mr.. OMahoney is "in."
Senator Barrett, the Republican
who defeated Mr.. O'Mahoney In
1852. insists, however. that the
Republicans can still win this
election, although he comedies
they must fight hard to do so.
Mr.. Harrison has been criticized
in some quarters for making an
uninspired campaign. His chief
argument has been he is needed
in the Senate to uphold Presi-
dent Eisenhower.
Democrats point in glee to a
poll taken by the Republicans
themselves in Platte County, long
considered a Wyoming political
barometer. In some way, the
Democrats learned the poll re-
suits and made them public. The
poll showed OMahoney leading
Harrison 81 per cent to 48 per
cent; Jack leading Simpson, So
per cent to At per cent, and
Thompson leading Tully. 81 per
cent to 48 per cent. The poll
covered only registered voters
900 Democrats and 1900 Repub-
licans. the Democrats say.
/ One Of the more hopeful Re-
publican leaders, speaking of
the Senate race, declared that
it could go either way by $500
votes-that in his opinion it
would not be decided until elec-
ton day.
Republicans have been doing
well in Wyoming for a number
of years. They counted on pick
ing up another Senate seat here
after the death of Senator Hunt,
who announced before he COM
mitted suicide that he would not