Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1961-09-10
Democrats Grooming
Strotton in New York
BY JAMES w. CANAAN
Contributing Writer

Representative Samuel S. Strait
ton, Democrat of New York, is
building up political momentum
in the likely event he decides to
go after the New York governor
ship next year.
The energetic, 44-year old for
mer Mayor of Schenectady told
President Kennedy he will make
the decision by the end of this
year. 1t is believed the President
wants his friend and contempo-
rary to challenge Gov. Rookie
Teller.
Mr.. Stratton, father of five, a
Naval Reserve commander and
Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the
University of Rochester, comedies
that very few in his party think
he-or anyone elSe-would have
much of a chance against the
Governor.
But there is a dearth of Demo-
cratic hopefuls in New York, and
Mr.. Stratton seems confident he
could at least cut the Governor
down to size if his party nomi-
mates him to give it try.
Rockefeller" he says, can be
taken. He's not as popular as a
lot of people think he is. 1t would
be interesting to see what would
happen if someone really put on
a campaign against him"
Feors on Liberal Line
Mr.. STATIONS viewpoint. one
not widely shared by political OBJ
servers, is that many Republic
cans in conservatively Republican
Upstate New York think their
Governor is too liberal and have
turned sour.
He believes they could bring
themselves to vote for Democrat
who is, as he describes himself,
mot too liberal" and who has
demonstrated due concern for
New York's destiny.
He acknowledges that the Gov
ernor may have gained popular
ity in New York City, but not
enough, he contends, to hold off
a hard-driving Democrat in the
heavily Democratic metropolis.
Mr.. Stratton is we'll on the way
to finding out whether his think
ing is wishful.
He has been deluging news
paper offices and the press gal
leries with releases needing Gov.
Rockefeller for this and that, all
written in the news-story style
that Mr.. Stratton learned as
former radio-televiSion newsman.
A recent example:
Congressman Samuel S. STRAIT
ton, Democrat of New York, to-
day accused Governor Nelson A.
Rockefeller of New York of
shameful dilly- dallying and drag
ging his feet in the handling of
a case involving New York Port
Authority contract award to an
out-of -state-firm, in preference to
New York State firm :"
Just in case reporters might
have forgotten, Mr.. Stratton also
inserted a background" para
graph, starting: "Stratton has
clashed frequently with Rookie
Teller in recent weeks :"
Makes Many Speeches
When away from Congress and
his mimeograph machine, Mr.,
Stratton has been making speeches
up and down New York State,
never once saying he wants to run
for governor but all the while
watching for signs of support.
He claims many friends" in the
states Democratic circles, includ-
ing "aS many as a half dozen
county chairmen" who favor his
nomination. He expects there will
be more.
Also working for Mr.. Stratton,
in his opinion, is the dissension
among party leaders over which
faction should have power in New
York City. He believes he could
be the man to pick up the pieces.
Mr.. Stratton was jubilant after
Mayor Robert F. Wagner defeated
State Controller Arthur Levitt in
the bitter New York City primary
last week.
The Wagner victory stripped
power from long -entrenched city
and State Democratic leaders,
who had figured darkly in Mr..