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Subject: POLITICS=Coverdell Says Georgians Had Change on Their Mind<
Date: Thu, 26 Nov 92 10:44:02 EST
Message-ID: <32.1992Nov26.104402@AmeriCast.com>
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POLITICS=Coverdell Says Georgians Had Change on Their Mind<

Sen. Wyche Fowler Jr. (D-Ga.) conceded to Republican Paul Cover-
dell yesterday, saying he wanted to spare taxpayers the cost of a
recount.

"He won," Fowler told WAGA-TV in Atlanta.

According to nearly complete returns yesterday, Coverdell unseat-
ed Fowler by a 1.4 percent margin in Tuesday's runoff election.

Coverdell, former Bush administration Peace Corps director, had
630,023 votes or 50.7 percent to Fowler's 613,846 or 49.3 percent
with all but 10 of the state's 2,801 precincts reporting.

Coverdell, an Atlanta insurance executive, told CNN yesterday
morning that he considered the vote "an extension of the national
election (in which) change was still on the mind of many voters
here in Georgia."

Conservative groups, including the Christian Coalition and the
National Right to Life Committee, claimed major credit for
Coverdell's victory after they mobilized support among Georgia's
fundamentalist Christian churches to defeat Fowler.

E. Spencer Abraham, co-chairman of the National Republican
Congressional Committee, called Fowler's defeat "the first sign
that Bill Clinton will have the shortest honeymoon in presiden-
tial history."

Clinton and Vice president-elect Gore had made campaign appear-
ances for Fowler.

Senate Minority Leader Robert J.  Dole (R-Kan.), who campaigned
for Coverdell, said the election was "more proof that the Repub-
lican Party is alive and well." He said the outcome should be a
message to Clinton: "Don't go too far, and don't go too fast."

But several political observers in Georgia said Fowler probably
would have lost by a larger margin if Clinton and Gore had not
campaigned for him.

Clinton communications director George Stephanopoulos told re-
porters that Clinton "went and stood up for his friends."

"We're disappointed. It was awful close," Stephanopoulos said.
"We feel bad for Senator Fowler and his family and wish him the
best, but now it's time to move on to the future."

Perot Finishes Second in Maine<In what Maine Secretary of State
Bill Diamond described as "a bit of a surprise," independent
presidential candidate Ross Perot outpolled President Bush Nov. 3
to finish second in the state's presidential balloting. Earlier
reports had Perot coming in third.

Diamond this week released final vote returns showing that Perot
edged Bush for second place by a few hundred votes, making Maine
one of only two states where the Texas billioniare placed better
than third.

President-elect Clinton was Maine's winner, claiming 263,420, or
38.7 percent of the state's popular vote and all four of its
electoral votes. Perot placed second with 206,820 votes, or 30.4
percent. Bush was close behind with 206,504, or 30.3 percent. Di-
amond said that 73.5 percent of those eligible cast ballots Elec-
tion Day - a historical best for the state and placing Maine at
the top nationally.

In Utah, Perot drew 26 percent of the vote,  Bush got 41 percent
and Clinton 24 percent. Nationwide, Perot drew about 19 percent,
Clinton 43 percent and Bush 38 percent.< -  Maralee
Schwartz>02:25 11-26C9999-----

Copyright 1992, The Washington Post.  This story is from the
Washington Post's Capitol Edition On-Line and is not to be ar-
chived or redistributed.

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