Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!americast-post Newsgroups: americast.wpost From: americast-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: americast-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: POLITICS=By Eric Pianin and John E. Yang> Date: Fri, 30 Oct 92 04:28:31 EST Message-ID: <17.1992Oct30.042831@AmeriCast.com> POLITICS=By Eric Pianin and John E. Yang> Speaker Foley Defends Record Against Challenger Stressing Hill Problems< A feisty 68-year-old surgeon and former Common Cause director is tapping into anti-incumbent sentiment in Washington state to wage a tough challenge to House Speaker Thomas S. Foley (D). Republican challenger John Sonneland has used his own money to pepper the 5th Congressional District with $400,000 worth of televison, radio and newspaper ads that blame Foley, a 22-year incumbent, for the scandals in the House Post Office and Bank and for losing touch with his district. The television ads, adorned with Revolutionary War paintings and that use "Yankee Doodle Dandy" as background music, say: "This year's revolution begins in eastern Washington. Tom Foley has been there too long." Sonneland showed up uninvited at an AFL-CIO rally for Democratic candidates in Spokane Wednesday evening and convinced Foley to let him speak, despite booing from the 3,000 people who had gath- ered. Foley hasn't had a tough race since 1980, when Sonneland also was the challenger, but he's taking nothing for granted. Foley's campaign has spent nearly $585,000. Also, Foley has attended numerous forums to defend his record and service to his district and to highlight recent congressional reforms. Foley's wife, Heather, told Washington state reporters that Foley is 20 points ahead in tracking polls, and other Democratic party activists insist the speaker is comfortably ahead. But Foley won his September primary with only 53 percent of the vote, well below previous showings, and aides to Sonneland say Sonneland is only 10 points behind, based on their polling this week.< Perot Groups Selective on Cleanup< Ross Perot may say it's time to clean out the stable, but in Colorado his United We Stand organization declined to endorse former state senator Terry Considine (R), the driving force behind the enactment of term limits there, in his Senate race. Instead, the group gave its "very limited endorsement" to Rep. Ben Nighthorse Campbell (D), a three-term incumbent, because of his support for abortion rights; Considine is antiabortion. Colorado is among several Perot state organizations that have en- dorsed other candidates on the ballot. "We felt that we owed it to our membership to put out how many of the candidates are in agreement with Perot, especially his economic plan," said Janet Hubbard, Perot coordinator in Denver. State Perot officials interviewed each of the House and Senate candidates, including those representing minor parties. In House races, they declined to endorse any incumbent, backed two Demo- cratic challengers and one Republican running for an open seat, endorsed one candidate running on the American Grassroots ticket and gave no recommendation in two races. The support is not expected to have much impact, even though Perot's support in Colorado has been as high as 20 percent in re- cent polls, among the strongest in the nation. "I have no sense that this is the type of campaign structure where an endorsement means something for other candidates on the ballot," said Floyd Ciruli, a Colorado pollster. Some Perot organizations are not bothering with endorsements, although the Perot group in Nevada endorsed Republican Demar Dahl, challenging Sen. Harry M. Reid (D). "We haven't gotten word from Dallas to do that," said Marion Teisan, in charge of Arizona volunteers at Perot headquarters in Phoenix. "We're just telling people to vote out the incumbents."< Study Finds Small Registration Rise< Despite predictions of record voter registration increases, a study released yesterday indicates that registration has in- creased just one percentage point over four years ago. The earlier forecasts were no more than "premature euphoria," said the Committee for the Study of the American Electorate. The group's report estimates registration at 136,300,700 Ameri- cans, or 72.1 percent of those eligible. That would be 1 percen- tage point over the level four years ago and 1 below the 1984 mark. The estimates were based on reports from 29 states and the District of Columbia, the only information available thus far. "The modest level of registration increases poses some limits on how great that turnout is likely to be," the report said. Committee Director Curtis Gans said 85 percent of those re- gistered would have to vote for a turnout of 55 percent of eligi- ble voters. "We haven't had a turnout significantly over 85 per- cent of registered citizens since the 1960s and shouldn't expect one this year," he said.< Gipper Tries to Help Bush Win One< The gipper is back, at least briefly to try and boost support for his successor in states essential to President Bush's reelection. Former President Ronald Reagan will campaign for Bush today in Arizona and New Mexico and in Georgia and North Carolina on Sa- turday. Bush's bid has been suffering in all these states, which have been part of the GOP base.< 02:15 10-30C9999----- 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. For more information, send-email to American Cybercasting Cor- poration (usa@AmeriCast.COM)