Evening star., 1960-11-06
By ROBERT z. CLARK
etar star Writer


In final State-b State pre-
dictions to The Star. Republi-
cans are bullish about their :
chances of winning the presi-
dency while Democrats, wary Of
over confidence. hedge q fore
cast Of victory with concessions
of G. o. p. gains in several
States.
Republican strategists travel
ing with the Vice President
see MIR. Nixon as leading Sem
ator Kennedy In 50 States with
$50 electoral yotes-81 more
than the 269 needed to put
him in the White House.
Kennedy aides, on the other
hand. seem determined not to
be dazzled by the polls which
put their man in the lead.
They claim an edge over Mr..
Nixon in only 81 States with
a total of 228 electoral votes,
Al short Of the charmed num-
ber.
Democratic Claims Modest
The Democratic experts list
II States with 174 electoral
votes as still in doubt, including
Illinois, California, PennSyl-
vania and Texas. Republicans
claim Mr.. Nixon is leading
in all four of these potentially
pivotal States and put only
five States with SO electoral
votes in the undecided cate
CORY. t
With the reckoning only two
days OF. MIR. Nixon's strateglsts
claim outright "a States hav-
ing q total of 208 electoral
votes. They pass the victory
mark by adding IL other States
with l42 electoral votes which
they regard as leaning Repub-
lican.
Democrats make outright
claim to only 8 States with a
total Of 60 electoral votes. They
list II other States as Demo-
cratic "leaners," but their elec-
toral strength totals only 1853.
For the record at least, Dem
ocrats profess to be less opti-
mistic than they were two
weeks ago in 10 States. Min
nesota, Oregon and Idaho were
shifted from the undecided
column to leaning Republican;
Pennsylvania. Texas and Ten
nessee were moved from lean
ing Democrat to undecided;
Nebraska and North Dakota,
formerly leaners toward the
G. o. p, are now regarded as
clearly Republican and South
Carolina and Vermont were
transferred from leaning Dem
ocrat to leaning Republican.
Jittery on Religion
Democrats are jittery over
the still undetermined depth
Of the religious issue in the
Midwest and blame it for a.
shift in sentiment in some
States. They agree with Re-
publicanS that Minnesota,
which both parties rated as un-
certain two weeks ago, is now
leaning toward the G. o. P.
The experts Of both parties
also agree that South Carolina
is now more likely to go Re-
publican. The Democrats say
they simply miscalculated their
strength in South Carolina and
Vermont in early lists.
The biggest turnabout in the
eyes Of the Nixon camp is New
Jersey. where they acknowl-
edged q Democratic lead two
weeks ago. They now rate it
as leaning Republican, though
Kennedy aides still believe their
candidate has an edge there.
Republicans, who concede six
States to the Democrats, say
they have q fair chance to
carry every Southern State ex-
cept Alabama, Arkansas, Geor-
gia and Mississippi. The only
two other States they are will
ing to give the Democrats are
Alaska and Senator Kennedy's
home ground Of Massachusetts,.
Democrats Cite Polls
Nebraska, North Dakota and
Utah are the only three States
which are solidly in the
G. o. P. column, in Democratic
eyes.
Democrats accept the evi-