Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-12-27

was inconclusive. OF 19 who
answered. is said they were for
Gov. Rockefeller. The State
has 90 delegate votes at the
nominating convention.
In California, which has
SO delegate votes, the tally
in the new poll was, Gold
water. IS; Nixon. Z; Rookie
Teller, 2; Lodge, l.
The G. o. P. convention is
scheduled to open in San Fran
cisco July Is with a tentative
apportionment Of 1908 dele
gate votes. Needed to win will
be SIS votes.
Mr.. Lodge shot into the run
ming after reports circulated
that Gen. Eisenhower had
urged him to consider trying
for the nomination. The former
President and Mr.. Lodge have
not confirmed the report.
See GoIdwater Erosion
Replies to the QUESTIONABLE
indicate Senator Goldwater'S
strength has been eroded, pri-
marily, by two factors-Presi-
dent Johnson's reputation as q
middle -the-roader, and the
belief that the South will stay
in the Democratic column for a
fellow Southerner, whereas, in
L Goldwater-Kennedy race, the
Republicans might have car
ried some Southern States.
II was q Goldwater man."
said Eugene Bookhammer Of
Delaware, but I think he's
done now, assuming President
johnson gets the CDemocratic)
nomination. Things are now
changed with respect to civil
rights, conservatism and other
issues"
A North Dakota chairman,
who did not sign his question:
naire, wrote:
Until the Presidents death,
I was willing to test the
strength Of the ultra conserva-
tive wing Of the party with
Goldwater in 1864. But now
that the 1864 election does not
shape up as a lost cause, we
can't afford to experiment"
Differ on Changes
In Georgia, Walter Nitcher
Of Columbus said of the situa-
ton there:
HE (Goldwater) was the OPP
posite Of the civil rights move
ment, the opposite Of the man
the South opposed, and the OPP
posite of the Eastern liberal.
With all those factors removed,
he loses a good part of his
strength"
However, a number Of re.
spondents in all sections Of the
country disagreed. Said Mrs. v.
H. Moffat, Of Colorado, a Gold
water supporter:
II do not believe the basic is
sues have changed, as Presi-
dent johnson has vowed he
will carry on the Kennedy pro-
gram and keep the Kennedy
cabinet. 1t is still liberalism VS..
conservatism"
In Mississippi. as in other
Southern States, much opposi-
ton to liberal Democrats CEN
tered on Mr.. Kennedy person.
ally, because Of racial issues.
But G. o. P. Chairman Writ |
Yerger, jr., Of Jackson, said he
still believed the Republicans
can carry the State against Mr..
johnson, If Senator Goldwater
is the candidate.
II don't think President
johnson will be harder to beat
than Kennedy would have
BEEN" Mr.. Yerger said. 81
think johnson will be regarded
in the same light as Kennedy
by the time he has been in Of
flee a few months"
Cite NixOn'S 80 Race
A number of respondents,
noting that Mr.. Nixon nearly
won the presidency in 1860,
said he has an even better
chance next year. An Indiana
chairman wrote:
II do not believe johnson
has the following Kennedy
had. If Nixon can run as good
a race as before, he should
win"
Gov. Rockefeller'S divorce
and remarriage again were
cited as reasons why respon.
dents said he is not the strong
est g. o. P. candidate.
A number of those replying
said the nomination is up for
grabs" and predicted a dark
horse would win it. In this ca
tegory, Gov. Scranton's name
was frequently mentioned.