Lansing State Journal du lieu suivant : Lansing, Michigan • Page 4

-Lansing State Journal Wednesday, Aug. 8, 1 990 STATE RACES 0PBB0B1 be cutis Winners Parties' future at stake Associated Press Control of the Michigan Senate will be decided by a fierce struggle this fall, and Tuesday's primary was expected to decide who'll carry the main parties' banners into battle. By KATHY BARKS HOFFMAN Lansing State Journal Democrat Debbie Stabenow and Republican Herbert Rudman were headed for clear victories and the chance to face each other in the District 24 state Senate race after beating one rival apiece in the primary. Stabenow, 40, gave up the 58th District House seat she's held for 12 years to run for the Senate seat being vacated by William Seder- burg of HasletL Zolton Ferency, a Michigan State University criminal justice professor, ran a spirited but low-budget campaign to upset her, but trailed Tuesday. He earned 19 per- cent of the vote to Stabenow's 81 percent, with 103 of 171 precincts reporting.

Rudman, 67, an MSU education this fall as Republicans fight to hold on to their 20-18 Senate majority. With reapportionment of state and U.S. legislative districts due in 1992 and the House expected to remain in Democratic hands, Republicans must keep control of the Senate to have any say in how district lines are drawn. Stabenow, of Lansing, had the endorsement of leading Democrats but was criticized by Ferency for accepting money from a large number of political action groups and for going along with politics-as-usual. "Obviously, I'm thrilled at the overwhelming response," Stabenow said Tuesday night while celebrating with supporters at her.

East Lansing campaign puts us in a very positive position for November." Ferency, 68, brought "Roger Me" filmmaker Michael Moore to Lansing for a fund-raiser and tried everything from issues forums to old-fashioned, soapbox debates on downtown corners to draw attention to his views and candidacy. On the Republican side, Yeutter "aid Rudman was "an independent running as a Republican." That didn't seem to hurt Rudman, who calls himself a moderate Republican in the Sederburg mold. He celebrated Tuesday at his campaign headquarters near the MSU campus. "We worked hard to do this and I'm just delighted that we're doing as weir as we are," he said. As for the general election, he said: "This is going to be a very hard, tough but absolutely non-dirty race.

No one has a lock on this seat" The next Legislature will be charged with John Engler, R-Mount Pleasant," running for governor; and Sens. Rudy Nichols, R-Waterford, running for a judgeship; Harmon Cropsey, R-Decatur, retiring to help his son run for Con- gress; Ed Fredricks, running for Congress; Richard Fessler, R-Union Lake, return-' ing to full-time law William Sederburg, Irwin, D-Sault Ste. Marie; and Joseph Mack, D-Ironwood, forced to resign for taking travel money for trips he didn't make. i Four senators face only a pri-' mary fight. Two more have no opposition Tuesday or Nov.

Stabenow Rudman redrawing congressional and legislative districts. If Republicans lose their narrow majority in the Senate, they could be reapportioned into long-term minority status. Eight senators are not seeking re-election: Majority Leader professor, was ahead of Ingham County Deputy Sheriff Thomas Yeutter, 75 percent to 25 percent. The 24th District includes all ol Ingham County except Delhi Township. The race is considered crucial Leaders House loses just one incumbent Mills Byrum Strother McCloskey fJ Associated Press A five-term House member was upset in Tuesday's primary to the dismay of fellow Republicans, the only incumbent knocked off in the 110-member chamber, according to early returns.

Rep. Ed Giese, R-Manistee, who was embroiled in a court case in which he accused lobbyist Judy Augenstein of offering him a bribe, was defeated by Bill Bobier. Bobier, of Asperia, is a farmer and the Ferry Township supervisor in Oceana County. With 46 percent of the vote in, he had 43 percent to Giese's 35. House Republicans had helped Giese financially, but weren't expecting him to lose, they said.

Other incumbents were coasting Byrum, Mills leading in 58th District Lansing State JournalCHRIS HOLMES State representative candidate Jerry Mills plays with his 1 -year-old gran-daughter, Alissa Mills, while waiting for election results Tuesday night. By KATHY BARKS HOFFMAN Lansing State Journal Democrat Dianne Byrum held a nearly three-to-one lead over challenger Tony Benavides Tuesday, apparently clearing the way for her to take on Republican Jerry Mills in the Nov. 6 contest for the 58th District House seat. Byrum, an Ingham County commissioner, had 1,720 votes and Benavides had 626 with 33 of 57 precincts counted. The district stretches from south Lansing to encompass much of mid- and southern Ingham County.

Ingham County Commissioner Dorothy Frederickson and former Sheriff Allan Davis were a distant third and fourth to Byrum and Benavides. Mills, with 68 percent of the vote, trounced fellow Republicans Billie O'Berry (21 percent) and William Rogers (12 percent). In the 87th District, Democrats Barbara Clatterbaugh and Clark Harder were virtually tied with 6 of 65 precincts reporting. Both were easily outdistancing Chris Root Michael McCloskey was winning the five-way Republican primary in the district, which includes Shiawassee County and three northern townships in Livingston County. Both the 58th and the 87th races are considered crucial this fall as Democrats fight to hold onto their 60-50 House majority and Republicans try to wrest it away.

With reapportionment of state and U.S. legislative districts due in 1992, the party with the most seats in the House and Senate will largely control how district lines are drawn. Both slots are held by Democrats leaving the House: 58th District Rep. Debbie Stabenow of Lansing is running for the Michi gan Senate, while 87th District Rep. Francis "Bus" Spaniola of Corunna is retiring.

In the 59th District, Frank Strother led fellow Republican Lucinda Clark, 53 percent to 47 percent, with nine of 54 precincts reporting. The winner takes on Democratic incumbent Lynn Jondahl of Okemos this fall. Jondahl had no primary opponent. The 59th District includes East Lansing, Williamston and Meridian, Williamstown, Wheatfield and Locke townships. The Nov.

6 victors will win two-year terms. Mills, 53, celebrated Tuesday night with supporters. Byrum, 36, an Ingham County commissioner from Onondaga who owns a Leslie hardware store, partied at UAW Region 1-C headquarters in Lansing. Byrum, Mills and Lansing City Councilman Benavides were the best-financed of the seven running for the 58th District seat. Each expected to spend about $30,000 on the primary race and actively courted endorsements from community groups.

McCloskey, 58, the Owosso-Corunna Chamber of Commerce executive secretary, won even though Owosso insurance agent James Civille had been endorsed by the House Republican Campaign Group, which paid for $4,000 in radio air-time for Civille's campaign. McCloskey also beat Shiawasseee County Treasurer Judith Kingsbury, former Dur-and city Treasurer Robert Huska and Darren Foltz. In the 59th District, Strother and Clark spent little money and time bashing each other. Strother, 47, of East Lansing is an administrative law judge with the Michigan Public Service Commission. Clark is a nurse.

with early results reported. Although victors in 10 highly partisan seats will win handily in November, the five other seats are up for grabs in the Nov. 6 general election. Leadership more than likely will stay with the Democrats, who have a 60-50 majority, but a couple of wins for the Republicans could position them nicely to take over in 1992 after reapportionment. The swing district seats are being vacated by Rep.

Debbie Stabenow, D-Lansing; Rep. John May-nard, D-St. Clair Shores; Rep. Francis "Bus" Spaniola, D-Corun-na; Rep. Bart Stupak, D-Menomi-nee; and Rep.

William Runco, R-Dearborn. In the 58th District, Republicans said Lansing police Capt. Jerry Mills beat his competitors easily, and will face Ingham County Commissioner Dianne Byrum in the general election. With 58 percent of precincts in. Mills had 68 percent in the GOP primary, while Byrum had 62 percent.

Owosso insurance agent Jim Civille pulled ahead of the other four Republicans with 38 percent, while Clark Harder, Spaniola's aide, and Shiawasee County Board Chairwoman Barbara Clatterbaugh battled for the Democratic nomination in the 87th District. They had 42 percent and 43 percent respectively. LOCAL RACES Lansing State JournalROD SANFORO Democrat Dianne Byrum led the primary race Tuesday for the 58th District House seat. Engler gears up for November race Parks From 1A 6 6 It's a real feather in the hat of the city of Lansing that they chose to maintain the quality of life. 9 Eric Reickel, parks director Winner Engler By CHRIS ANDREWS Lansing State Journal Republican gubernatorial hopeful John Engler cast aside token opposition Tuesday and prepared for the main event: his Nov.

6 showdown against Democratic incumbent James Blanchard. Recent polls show the race between Engler and Blanchard is tightening. Engler was trouncing his only Republican rival, tax rebel John Lauve, 87 percent to 13 percent With 1,122 of 6,573 precincts reporting, Engler led 77,165 to 11,552. With his own primary victory never in doubt, Engler spent Tuesday night hopping between parties of other Republican candidates. Engler stopped at gatherings for rival U.S.

Senate candidates Bill Schuette and Clark Durant and state Senate hopefuls Dave Honig-man and Judith Miller. He is scheduled to attend a Republican unity luncheon at the Michigan State Chamber of Corn- The tax will attract $1.5 million in state grants in 1991. It will cost the owner of a home worth $40,000 about $20 a year, or 38 cents a week. The money will be used only for improvements and not operating costs. Potter Park Zoo will get about $4.5 million from the millage.

The zoo will get new restrooms for the more than 380,000 people who visit every year. Flower gardens, new exhibits and education programs also will be added to the zoo. A 1984 bond issue fed $1.5 million into zoo improvements. The money was used to build a Feline and Primate building. Among the projects getting money from the millage: Potter Park Zoo large pavilion renovation, new restrooms, farm yard exhibits, education building, erosion control.

Handicapper access at all parks. Expanding the RiverTrail, a walkway that runs along the Grand River. The walkway will be extended eastward. A Detroit Free Press poll published Friday has Blanchard leading 48 percent to 34 percent. A poll conducted by Wayne State University's Center for Urban Studies and WJBK-TV had Engler trailing by just five points.

Pero said he is pleased with his candidate's strength three months before the election. "We had hoped to be within 20, and we've well exceeded those expectations," he said. Gary Bachula, Blanchard's campaign manager, dismissed the Wayne State poll, which he said was skewed toward Republican voters. Still, he said Blanchard is preparing for a tough race. "We've said from the very beginning we expect this campaign to be very close," Bachula said.

Tom Shields, a Republican political consultant, said he expects Blanchard to re-evaluate the television ads he has aired attacking Engler's record. Blanchard has run several 10-second ads attacking Engler's record on crime, pollution and other issues. "They appear to be backfiring," said Shields, president of Marketing Resource Group. "The public doesn't seem to be buying them." Blanchard defended the TV spots Tuesday as he picked up the endorsement of the Michigan Retailers Association. "Those commercials are accurate.

The truth can hurt," he said. Blanchard, who turned 48 today, is seeking a third four-year term. He was elected in the depths of the recession in 1982 with a "jobs, jobs, jobs" campaign. He has taken credit for returning fiscal stability to the state. He initiated the state's massive prison expansion program and has created a number of programs, includ--ing the Michigan Education Trust.

Engler, 41, is Senate Majority Leader and has served in the state House or Senate since 1971. He has criticized Blanchard's leadership and has argued that he can reduce property taxes and state spending and provide more money for education if he's elected. Restoring ornamental fences and waterline system at Mt. Hope Cemetery. Repairing tennis courts, ball diamonds and play equipment in all parks.

Putting air-conditioning in the community centers. In a city where 50 percent of the residents are between 20 and 54 years old, recreational activity should be a top priority, Reickel said. The city has 1 13 parks and playgrounds, four golf courses and a full-time staff of 134. Eighty-five buildings stand on the 1,700 acres of city park land. merce building today, then meet with auto workers at the Buick-Oldsmobile-Cadillac downtown assembly plant.

Pero said Engler is planning to tour all 18 congressional districts to solidify his base and map strategy for the fall election. "We're hitting the ground running," Engler campaign director Pero said. "We can sleep after election day." What's Every Thursday -7T- rr.