Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-01-12
Democrats Are Eyeine
Six Old Guard Seats

vides q clear field for the Demo-
Gratis. This seat. In fact. presents
the Democrats with less hope than
any Of the six. National Chairman
Paul Butler has at times seemed
to be the most likely candidate.
But Mr.. Butler doesn't get along,
to put Il mildly, with Frank
Mckinney. former national
chairman who has his own Dem
ocratic Party faction In Indiana,
Gov. Harold Handley Is expected
10 resign to become the q. o. p.
candidate. and most Republicans
are confident he cant be defeated,
although Senator Capehart, the
other Indianan in the Senate, Is
known TO feel differently about a
Handley candidacy.
6. o. ?. Switch Is on Issue
The Republican switch In Call
ifornia which forced q reluctant
Gov. Goodwin knight to abandon
plans 70 oppose Senator Knowland
for the gubernatorial nomination
and seek. instead. Senator Know
lands job. did not sit well with
Californians. say the Democrats.
This maneuver, they declare hope
fully. clinched the seat for q
Democrat.
Another factor working for the
Democrats Is the persistence Of
the Republican Mayor of San
Francisco. George Christopher,
who announced his intention to
run long before the Knowland.
Knight trade" and who has re-
fused to bow out In Difference
to Gov. knight. II he stays In
the race. it may hurt u.s." said
one Republican.
The Democratic candidate viii
be Representative Claire Engle. q
competent campaigner who in.
tends to use his record as chair
man Of the Interior Committee to
convince water-conscious Cali
fornians that he's their man. Early
newspaper polls showed Mr.. Engle
ahead Of Gov. knight in popular
ity.
The Nevada seat held by Sena-
tor Malone Is pretty safe" say
the Republicans. but the Demo-
Gratis insist they have "a good
chance" Their candidate viii be
State Democratic Chairman C. d.
Baker.
In this sparsely populated State.
elections are decided In the two
cities. Reno and Las Vegas. II
Democratic Senator Bible. who Is
strong in Reno. turns q heavy
hand for Mr.. Baker. who Is strong
in Las Vegas, the Democrats be-
heve they can topple Senator
Malone.
However. the amiable Senator
Malone-the Republicans point
out. and quite correctly-is strong
In both Reno and Las Vegas.
Democrats in Trouble
Internal troubles within the
Democratic Party In West Vir-
ginia work in favor Of the Old
Guard incumbent, Senator Chap
man Revercomb. The @. o. p. is
enjoying peace in its house. Gov
Cecil Underwood is still popular,
and he and Senator Revercomh
are on good terms. The Demo-
cratic candidate win be either
Representative Robert Byrd OF
former Gov. william Marland.
Both parties are aware Of the
possibility that there could be
contests for both West Virginia
Senate seats this year. The aged
and infirm Democratic Senator
Matthew Nicely. Q veteran Of the
Spanish American War. answered
the second sessions first roll call
last week from q wheelchair.
Thus. Of the six Old Guard
seats up this year. the liberals Of
whatever party can be certain Of
only one. that In California. where
none Of the announced candidates
can be identified with the radical
right" But the right wing. which
has been losing feathers rather
profusely since 1852 - Senators
Taft. Mccarthy. Welker. Gordon.
Ferguson and Wherry. among
others-is clearly losing ground
in the Senate TO Modern Repub-
licanism" and an apparent rising
tide Of Democratic strength.