Evening star., 1960-05-22
Oregon Boosts
KennedySfock
As Nominee

PORTLAND, Greg, May 81
(AP). - Senator Kennedy of
Massachusetts, stood today on
the top rung of the Democratic
presidential primary ladders
He swept aside favorite son
Senator Morse 8 to S In Ore
CONS primary election yester-
day.
1t was his seventh straight
primary victory. He promptly
looked to the Democratic NOM
mating convention and beyond
to the fall campaign. confident
he was the peoples choice.
There is no chance now
to stop him." exulted Repre-
sentative Edith Green, his Ore
gon chairman. Senator Kennedy
said he too thought he'd win
"and when nominated will beat
Mr.. Nixon"
Oregon gave him " conven-
ton votes. He still must add
4431a to the 317la he now holds
before the presidential nomina-
ton is surely his.
Senator Kennedy went in
front of Senator Morse, his No.
l opponent here, in the very
first counting of ballots and
quickly had a decisive, growing
margin.
Far, far back-they did not
campaign - were Senators
johnson of Texas and Syming-
ton of Missouri. They stand as
chief rivals to Senator Kennedy
at the Democratic convention
in July.
Senator Humphrey of Min
nesota, who quit after Senator
Kennedy beat him in West
Virginia, remained on the
Oregon ballot and outdrew both
Senators johnson and Syming-
ton. Adlai Stevenson drew some
write-ins. With 2,447 of 1888
precincts reporting, it was Ken
nedy ll4,217, Morse 1881,
Humphrey 14,742, Symington
1888, johnson 9,49l and Stey-
enson (write-inS) 2,776.
1t was the first time all lead
ing contenderS for the Demo-
cratic presidential nomination
were on the same ballot, put
there by Oregon's unique law
that enters all serious contend
ers.
Senator Morse, who entered
by petition. wired congratula-
tons to Senator Kennedy and
said in a statement II shall of
course discontinue any further
effort in other States"
1t was the first time Senator
Morse ever lost an Oregon
election. He was getting 80 per
cent of the vote to Senator
Kennedy's 81 per cent. Sem
ator Kennedy was convincing
with the theme that Senator
Morse was not a serious con-
tender and a vote for him was
wasted. in however high regard
Oregon voters held him as a
Senator.
The religious isSue-Senator
Kennedy is a Roman Catholic
seemed laid to rest in Protes-
tant West Virginia, and Protes-
tant Oregon confirmed the
judgment. Catholics number
about IL per cent of the popu-
lation.
Vice President Nixon rolled
up a strong vote in the uncon-
tested Republican primary. He
outdrew Senator Kennedy but
not the combined Democratic
field in this State where Demo-
Gratis outnumber Republicans.
Gov. Nelson Rockefeller of New
York got a Sprinkling of Re-
publican write ins.
With 2,628 of 1888 precincts
in, Mr.. Nixon's vote stood at
l68,126. There were 2,21O write
ins for Gov. Rockefeller.
Mr. Nixon thus added 10 con-
vention votes for a total of 535.
Nomination requires 666.
In the contest for United
States Senator, the widow of
Democratic Senator
Neuberger won nomination to
succeed him. running up a mas
sive total. Former Gov. Elmo
Smith similarly dominated the
Republican R race, only a little
behind Mrs. Neuberger in COM
parative totals.
All congressman had an easy
time of it. Only Mrs. Green
was opposed and she walloped
her opponent. 7 to /. .