Argus-Leader from Sioux Falls, South Dakota • Page 3

Argus Leader, Sioux Falls, S.D. Wednesday, Feb. 26, 1992 3A ELECTION Primary notes Delegate numbers set for parties m. a. s--- i -i x.

Number of South Dakota delegates that will represent each at the party conventions this CcA 4 "tT i-dv ww summer, based on pnmary results. Republicans President Bush: 14 Uncommitted: 5 Democrats Bob Kerrey: 7 Tom Harkin: 5 Bill Clinton: 3 Disappointed voter Jody Kusek of Sioux Falls went to the voting booth Tuesday but came away disappointed. The registered Republican had hoped to vote on the Democratic i i uauui, wmui sue saiu was lar more interesting. Co-chairman shunned Nebraska Sen. Bob Kerrey was live on television Tuesday night irom the Holiday Inn City Centre when his South Dakota co-chairman, Ted Muenster, tried to sneak into the shot iV The Sioux Falls businessman was quickly shooed away, like a child who had made a boo-boo.

"It was my one big deal and Argus Leader photo by MIKE ROEMER Democratic presidential candidate Tom Harkin, a U.S. senator from Iowa, talks with local and national media as he leaves the Minnehaha County Courthouse Tuesday with his wife, Ruth, after trying to meet with voters after the polls opened. they tell me to get the hell out of Heads into next Tuesday's primaries 'a winner' Bush total concerns supporters Backing in state a lackluster 69 By LISA GAUMNITZ Argus Leader Staff President Bush's supporters were concerned about Tuesday's results, but said he is in good shape and that it's no time to panic. "I don't think you can read anything into other than what it says," said Herb Jones, executive director of the state Republican Party. "George Bush got 70 percent.

I think that's a very respectable showing." While some Republicans said they were sending a message to Bush by voting uncommitted Tuesday, others thought such action was ill-advised or futile. Arlene Ham, Republican National Committee-woman from Rapid City, says that it doesn't help Republicans to send a to Bush. "That is the frustration. What good is bashing Bush?" Gov. George Mickelson saw a positive result Tuesday.

"The president has won in every primary and he'll continue to win every primary. The story is that the Democrats have no consensus that's the strongest thing the president has going for him." Bush got 69 percent support in the voting, while 31 percent was uncommitted. The results mean that a proportion of the uncommitted delegates will be delegates to the Republican National Convention. It also means nearly a third of GOP voters told Bush they are unhappy with his performance. Even more voters stayed at home.

The GOP vote was half of the 45 percent who voted in 1988, when there were five candidates on the ballot. "It's the first time I haven't voted in a primary," said Julie Newcomb of Sioux Falls. "I have not been happy with the president and some of his policies, yet I did not feel comfortable voting a non-committed ballot because I did not want to be misconstrued that I was supporting Buchanan." The South Dakota results follow a weak Bush showing in New Hampshire, where he collected 53 percent of the vote and political commentator Pat Buchanan pulled in a surprising 37 percent. Bush's showing here was consistent with recent polls, but many expected him to do better. "I would say it was a surprise," said Larry Ritz, Minnehaha County Republican Party chairman.

"I was thinking that maybe the uncommitted wouldn't be more than 20 percent, but I guess that people just didn't realize the need to vote." Ritz said the vote totals show that Republicans dissatisfied with Bush were more motivated to vote than the larger percentage that are content. The low turnout was what Republicans hoped to avoid. National Bush-Quayle campaign staff members called South Dakotans in the days leading up to the election, urging them to vote, said Don Peterson, state Republican Party chairman. But Joe Cholik, a Pierre Republican, said the low turnout should send a message to Bush. "I think he can see by that there's a lot of people of his core support that are not happy," he said.

"Whether they come back to him in November, I don't know. I assume they will because there's no place to go." Sioux Falls City Commissioner Matt Staab voted for Bush. "I think he's a good president. I think he's the best man for the job right now." Cholik wanted to vote for Buchanan, who wasn't allowed on the South Dakota ballot because he failed to participate in the county caucuses that selected delegates. "Voters always vote their pocketbooks," Mickelson said.

"This nation's economy is the issue of this election, along with health care. Although we don't have the economic problem the rest of the nation does, we are obviously concerned that the recession will eventually come to us." Dwight Adams, former state Republican Party chairman, said primaries in the South, coupled with South Dakota and New Hampshire, will show whether the discontent with Bush could pose a problem for the president. "If this is an accurate reflection of very widespread discontent, better it manifest itself now with lots of time to combat it, than to have it occur much later in the campaign," he said. By CARSON WALKER Argus Leader Staff Like a good neighbor trying to help out, South Dakota Democratic voters gave Bob Kerrey of Nebraska a 15-point win over his Midwestern rival in Tuesday's South Dakota primary. "We are going to change this great nation of ours with our work, our perseverance and work every single day to seize the moment of our domain," Kerrey said in his victory speech in the Holiday Inn City Centre in Sioux Falls.

Statewide turnout for Democrats was estimated at 35 percent, compared to 39 percent in 1988. "As far as the Democrats, I just don't know what it might have been. They had enough candidates, so I can't say why they didn't vote," said Chris Nelson, election supervisor in the Secretary of State's office. Statewide, Kerrey won 40 percent, Tom Harkin 25 percent, Bill Clinton 19, Paul Tsongas 10, Jerry Brown 4, Larry Agran and Lyndon LaRouche each earned 1 percent. Harkin did better in rural areas, the foundation of his support.

Statewide, Harkin beat Clinton by six points, but in Minnehaha County, Harkin earned 24 to Clinton's 22 percent "I think it's a reflection that those folks know he has been a fighter for their interest and has a good grasp of rural Americans," said John Norris, Harkin's campaign manager. Kerrey picked up 37 percent of the vote in Minnehaha County, Harkin 24 percent, Clinton 22, Tsongas 12, Brown 4 and Agran 1 percent. Though his father had just gained national attention as a presidential contender, 17-year-old Ben Kerrey watched the Grammy Awards like thousands of teen-agers. "I'm going to be happy that we won, but from here on out it's all uphill," Ben said before going to the victory speech. "On a short term it's real good, you know, Clinton was a little-known governor from Arkansas until he gave a rousing' speech and surprised Democrats at Nov.

23 Battle of the Heartland Steak Fry in Baltic. His South Dakota campaign organizer moved into the state in late January and opened an office. Clinton's campaign has relied heavily on phone banks and mailings. He visited the state twice, the steak fry and Sunday's forum in Sioux Falls. Some voters said his personal problems hurt him in the polls.

Tsongas visited South Dakota in July, when few people took him seriously. He opened an office and brought in a full-time staff person in early February and hoped his family roots would carry him here. His father-in-law, Russ Sau-vage, is a South Dakota native and member of the University of South Dakota Sports Hall of Fame. Other family members live here. Brown had little organization in the state until after last week's New Hampshire primary.

Kerrey's younger brother, Bill, an Omaha businessman, said his brother has the life experiences that would make him a good president. "He's always done well," Bill Kerrey said. "He's always gone out and fought for things and persevered and overcome difficult things, whether he's in private life or public life. And this presidential campaign really tests a person." Several times Tuesday night Kerrey expressed appreciation to South Dakotans for giving his campaign a needed boost. "I said to the people of South Dakota, 'You have the chance to elect the next president of the United States of America and you he said.

Ben Kerrey was content to see his dad do well. "That's the most important thing, it doesn't matter whether he wins or not, I'm just real proud of him." He's always gone out and fought for things and persevered and overcome difficult things, whether he's in private life or public life. And this presidential campaign really tests a -Bill Kerrey, brother of Bob Kerrey but we have to keep working hard and not consider this the end." Kerrey came to the state early, developed a large base of support and counted on South Dakotans to give him the lift he wanted. "It'll carry me into next Tuesday's primaries as a winner," he said before his speech. "If we can raise some money off this win and do extremely well in Minnesota and Colorado, we'll hopefully be able to go out and hunt delegates." Because Tsongas won New Hampshire and tied in Maine, Kerrey said his win proves the Democratic field is open and won't be decided soon.

In his speech, he told how he woke early Tuesday in Rapid City and saw the sun rise on Mount Rushmore. "And I didn't see the faces of Bill Clinton or Paul Tsongas, or even George Bush," he joked. The Kerrey and Harkin campaigns sprouted in South Dakota early, working for a win here. The two farm state neighbors hoped their Midwestern roots would convince South Dakotans they would best represent rural concerns in the White House. Harkin spent most of his time campaigning in cities outside Sioux Falls, emphasizing his work for farmers in 17 years in Congress.

He also won the support of labor organizations and many state legislators. there, Muenster said, faking disappointment. Media hot spot The South Dakota primary may not have attracted many voters, but the same can't be said for media. One election worker reported to County Auditor Sue Roust what activity had been like at her polling place. "We didn't have a lot of voters but we had lots of cameramen," she said.

"At times we had more media than voters." CNN made early pick CNN declared the winner of South Dakota's primary before the polls closed throughout the state. Anchor Catherine Crier announced Bob Kerrey's win at 7:02 p.m. CST, two minutes after polls closed in the Central time zone but nearly an hour before closing in the western half of the state. Governor material? Ted Muenster introduced Bob Kerrey for his victory speech. Kerrey said he hoped he was standing next to "the next governor of South Dakota." Many Democrats are urging Muenster, who lost to Republican Sen.

Larry Pressler in 1990, to run for governor. Group presses Harkin About a dozen members of the group ACT UP, or AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power, came to Sioux Falls on Sunday and have tried to draw attention to their cause during the presidential campaign. When Iowa Sen. Tom Harkin greeted a few voters outside the Minnehaha County Courthouse Tuesday morning, ACT UP members chanted slogans and asked Harkin why he doesn't co-sponsor the Gay and Lesbian Bill. "I have care and compassion for people with AIDS and always have," Harkin said.

"One thing I don't understand, I'm the only candidate that says as president I'll speak out against sexism, racism and homophobia." Money matters When asked about the status of his campaign's money chase, Bob Kerrey said: "We're not down to bake sales yet, but we're close." Trading places When a TV reporter asked Bob Kerrey what he thought about Arkansas Gov. Bill Clinton coirino ha urmilH malra a annA Anchors away from S.D. primary DESIGNER ft stations were from other affiliates or companies wanting to tap into their satellite trucks and other equipment. Millage said SpaceLink was so booked up, he was turning requests down Tuesday. "We've been busier as a station than we were in 1988," he said.

"You just don't see a lot of recognizable faces walking around." Other than that, the only network reporters in town Tuesday were ABC's Judy Mueller and Richard Roth of the Cable News Network. Roth did live reports from the Holiday Inn City Centre, using a hookup with KELO's SpaceLink satellite truck. Otherwise, producers and camera crews sent whatever film was being used to New York. The greater demands on the Sioux Falls DAY Networks dedicate scant air time to race By STEVE YOUNG Argus Leader Staff The national spotlight on South Dakota's presidential primary Tuesday included scant enlightenment from the national television networks, a fact that miffed at least one local news director. While hordes of print reporters from coast to coast from the Los Angeles Times to the Des Moines Register to the Washington Post scoured Sioux Falls for election-day news, the networks barely blinked.

That bothered KELO news director Mark Millage. "To be honest, I've been disappointed I guess with what CBS has done," said Millage, whose station is a CBS affiliate. He said he watched network news Monday night, and the competition ABC and NBC ran I FOR YOUR CHILDREN THIS Consider the absolute best in summer camps. the Okobojis at FOSTER YMCA. 90-second segments on South Dako In ta primary.

CBS did 15 seconds. I Millage speculated on a number of reasons for that: One. CBS News annears tn ho running mate, the senator replied, "That's very nice, but I think it's apt to be the other way around." Out in TV land Al Kirts, the director of television programs for South Dakota Public Television, estimates that 20,000 to 45,000 viewers saw the debate among the six Democratic candidates Sunday night in Sioux Falls. Humorist to file suit in some states OKLAHOMA CITY Humorist Jim Boren said he will file lawsuits in South Dakota and other states that bar write-in candidacies in the general election for president. Boren said he is filing his first lawsuit in Oklahoma County District Court.

Boren filed as a Democratic presidential candidate in Oklahoma, but later withdrew, forfeited his $2,500 filing fee and announced he would wage a write-in campaign. He said he also will file lawsuits in states that do not allow write-ins such as Virginia, Kansas, South Dakota, Kentucky, Nebraska, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada, Indiana, Pennsylvania. Compiled by Matt Cecil, Carson Walker and Mike Trautmann and from wire reports. directing much of its resources to .1 Tl 1 uie j-ai cucnanan-oeorge Bush Republican race, he said. "Bpcane Buchanan wasn't on the ballot here, I think it's perceived that there's no Renub liran nrimaru Over 80 years of camping tradition Open to all youth 7-16 Accredited by the American Camping Association Highest Quality College Age Staff Modern Facilities Superb, Varied Programming Eight unique weeks Family Camps Available CALL TODAY FOR A FREE COIX)R BROCHURE here." And two, with Democratic Designer Day 25 OFF Saturday Only challengers Tom Harkin and Bob Kerrey from nearby Iowa and Nebraska, Millage thought that his network "was just kind of writing South Dakota off and pointing to Super Tuesday in the uMDnonRF SFMIMAR Network anchors Dan Kather, 1-800-456-9622 CAMP FOSTER YMCA P.O.

BOX 296 SPIRIT LAKE, IA 51360 SATURDAY, FEB. 29 9a.m.-10p.m. MAKF3 RESERVATIONS NOW 335-7850 Tom Brokaw and Peter Jennings made little mention of the primary during 5:30 p.m. newscasts ACCRf niTED CAMP SIOUX FALLS Tuesday. CBS did run a little Sioux 10-6PM DOWNTOWN Falls footage on eventual Democratic winner Kerrey..