The Greenwood Commonwealth from Greenwood, Mississippi • 5

Commonwealth, Greenwood, Thursday, August 6, 1987 Page 5 Mabus, Sturdivant appear headed for debate from 99 percent of the state's precincts, Mabus received 297,358 votes or 37 percent, with support coming from all areas of the state. Sturdivant was second with 128,758 votes or 16 percent and former Gov. Bill Waller followed with 102,473 votes or 13 percent. John Arthur Eaves was fourth with 93,498 votes or 12 percent. Maurice Dantin and Attorney General Ed Pittman each had 10 percent with 81,662 and 79,857 votes, respectively.

Gilbert Fountain and H.R. Toney each had less than 1 percent, with 6,008 votes and 5,108 votes, respectively. In the low-turnout Republican race, Jack Reed won the nomination easily with 14,339 votes or 78 percent. Doug Lemon had 4,005 votes or 22 percent. first primary you're going to lose the runoff," Mabus said during a news conference at campaign headquarters Wednesday.

"We've got momentum on our side. primary results show that the people of Mississippi are hearing our message." If Mabus is victorious in the runoff, he would be the first candidate to earn the Democratic gubernatorial nomination since Paul Johnson beat former Gov. J.P. Coleman 24 years ago. The most recent example of the trend was in 1983, when Allain ran second to Evelyn Gandy in the primary and then won a solid victory in the runoff.

"I think that's the best trend I've ever heard of," Sturdivant said when asked about the topic Wednesday. But Mabus downplayed the so- JACKSON (AP) A voting trend spelling defeat for six gubernatorial primary winners over the past two decades doesn't have state Auditor Ray Mabus worried in his bid for the Democratic nomination. On the day following the Democratic primary, Mabus also challenged his runoff opponent to a debate, a request which seemed to be heartily accepted. Mabus, who coasted into the Aug. 25 runoff with a more than 2-to-l lead in Tuesday's primary, will take on Mike Sturdivant, a close friend of incumbent Gov.

Bill Allain. A first primary leader has not won a Democratic runoff since 1963. Mabus said he is confident he can beat the odds. "We've shown the falsity of conventional wisdom that if vou win the called jinx and Allain 's friendship with Sturdivant while emphasizing his "new approach" to Mississippi and calling for a clean campaign with three televised debates. "Yesterday Mississippi voted for better schools, better jobs and a government as honest and hardworking as its people," Mabus said.

.1 challenge my opponent not to run any negative ads and to emphasize the positive in this campaign. I also will defy conventional wisdom and challenge Mr. Sturdivant to three televised debates for the benefit of the people of this state." At a news conference later Wednesday, Sturdivant said he looked forward to debating Mabus. "In fact I've already directed my staff to begin preparations," he said. According to unofficial returns RAY MA BUS, LEFT, AND MIKE STURDIVANT May debate each other before Aug.

25 alter offers reasons for loss By DAV ID BEARD Associated Press Writer JACKSON Former Gov. Bill Waller says unprecedented spending and a $10 car tag proposal combined to sink his grass-roots D-emocratic campaign for governor. Waller conceded his third-place finish behind state Auditor Ray Mabus and Glendora busi Waller nessman Mike Sturdivant, but said saturation advertising just before the election by opponents swung the undecided vote. It TX spending." Waller received 12 percent or 102,473 votes, finishing about 26,000 votes behind Sturdivant, according to unofficial returns from 99 percent of the state's precincts. But he said he did not believe he was out of the election until about 1:45 p.m.

Wednesday, when his hoped-for strength in northeast Mississippi did not materialize. He said self-styled populist John Arthur Eaves, who finished fourth, siphoned off some of his support in north Mississippi. Waller said Eaves' proposal for a $10 car tag, while ridiculed by other candidates, drew unexpected support. "The car tag took votes from all the candidates, particularly from me," said Waller, governor from 1972 to 1976. Waller congratulated his broad- I IFsilbirncc I Friday Saturday 1 1 I I Aug.

Aug. 8 rfl 1 1 1 Tm I I lap I I SEBsJ Knits SSI X.98 yard I Contents on Bolts I I Jacquards fftk I 1 ctwnmmm: I 2 Price QTjLiii Values to $8.98 CJQ A jy 1 2-5 Yd. Length fl I -llliili Upholstery Final resu Pittman looks back at years of service "One candidate may have spent $20 to $30 per vote," said Waller in a reference to Sturdivant, who spent at least $1.2 million of his own money during the primary run. Sturdivant and Mabus will square off in an Aug. 25 runoff.

"(A candidate) could be a bar of soap and the public would vote for him," Waller said. Waller, surrounded by family and support in a Wednesday afternoon news conference, estimated that gubernatorial candidates could spend as much as $10 million before the November general election, and said he would urge the 1988 Legislature to adopt campaign spending limits. "That million) should shock the conscience of the voters," he said. "We're at a crosswords in r-Gary 163,804 23 percent Robertson 134,113 -19 percent Williams 95,838 -14 percent Raff 92,732 -13 percent COMMISSIONER AGRICULTURE Democrat x-Ross (i) 401,949 -56 percent Bost 160,921 -22 percent Patterson 159,580 22 percent OF HIGHWAY COMMISSION DISTRICT 1 Democrat x-Waggoner i 155,195 74 percent Bowen 55,129 26 percent HIGHWAY DISTRICT 2- COMMISSION -Democrat x-Joiner i 193,747 69 percent McDonald 88.638 31 percent HIGHWAY COMMISSION DISTRICT 3 Democrat x-Stewart i 130,957 55 percent Richardson 57,197 24 percent Little percent PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION DISTRICT 3 Democrat x-Snyder i 119,648 53 percent Adams Jr 57,358 25 percent Alexander 49,946 22 percent I 3331 Its based, mostly volunteer staff and said "we ran a race that we thought was clean, devoid of any dirty tricks." But Waller said dirty tricks haunted his campaign, from a plane that dropped leaflets near Vicksburg suggesting he had paid off black supporter Charles Evers to an anonymous caller that tried to change his ads on TV stations. The candidate said he was not announcing support of any candidate at that time, although his office had received calls from Mabus and Republican Jack Reed of Tupelo seeking support.

Waller said he would remain practicing law in Jackson and continue an oil and gas business there with his four sons. secretary of state, and won election to the attorney general's office in 1983. But state Auditor Ray Mabus and Glendora millionaire Mike Sturdivant notched the two Democratic slots in an Aug. 25 runoff, and Pittman criticizes his campaign performance for the failure. "I didn't fight hard enough in this governor's race," said Pittman.

"I should have scrapped more. I didn't communicate my accomplishments or my dreams very well. I ran a poor campaign, and I have only myself to blame for that." Pittman also said he was viewed as a member of the political Old Guard, hich he said isn't true "As early as 1967, I supported kindergartens," he said. 'i LEE Boy's fiirr, LEE Juier lee 7 Hsu's Nikt (Skrlaatn) LOW QUARTER LEATHER Jm 3f I usViVNS'M'MH I LEE lei's LEE StriMt LEE JACKSON (AP) Ed Pittman now sees the end next January of nearly two decades of employment as an elected Mississippi official, although he hadn't planned facing that day for several more years. "I'm going to finish up being attorney gene Pittman ral, and then I don't know what I'll do next.

I might practice law," said the 52-year-old former Hattiesburg lawyer. Pittman, who called public service "my callling for a lifetime," lagged to sixth place in the race for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination. "I've got a few months to decide what to do. I'm going to be a good citizen, at the very least," he said. Pittman served in the state Senate from 1964-72 and ran unsuccessfully for governor in 1971.

He practiced law in Hattiesburg from 1972-76, then was elected state treasurer and served from 1976-80. In 1980, Pittman took office as LEE BACK-T0-SGH00L SALE JEMS By The Associated Press Here are the complete but unofficial vote counts from Tuesday's contested statewide and regional races. Incumbents are noted by (i), x-primary winner, r-runoff qualifier: GOVERNOR Democrat r-Mabus 297,358 37 percent r-Sturdivant 128,758 -16 percent Waller 102,473 -13 percent Eaves 93,498 -12 percent Dantin 81,662 -10 percent Pittman 79,857 -10 percent Fountain 6,008 -1 percent Toney 5,108 -1 percent GOVERNOR Republican x-Reed 14,339 -78 percent Lemon 4.005 22 percent SECRET ARTY Democrat OF STATE x-Molpus i 539,982 76 percent Jordan 104,388 -15 percent Turney 67,625 -9 percent ATTORNEY Democrat GENERAL r-Moore 343,855 47 percent r-Danks 338,290 46 percent Gilchrist 47,958 7 percent TREASURER Democrat r-Bennett 338,893 48 percent r-Gilbert 189,720 27 percent Land 175,011 -25 percent AUDITOR Democrat r-Johnson 214,416 31 percent Sad loser quits board BAY ST. LOUIS (AP) A tearful Mississippi county supervisor has resigned one day after his first election loss in 38 years. "The people have spoken, and I'll accept that," said Hancock County Board of Supervisors president A.A.

"Dolph" Kellar at a board meeting Wednesday, when he announced his resignation. His term was to continue until Jan. 1. Kellar, 67, was elected to the county school board in 1949, on which he remained until his first victory in the supervisor's race in 1964. But Tuesday night, Pearlington merchant Ronald E.

Cuevas won Kellar's seat in the Democratic primary by a vote of 1 ,039 to 893. With no opposition in the November election, Cuevas is assured of the seat. JEMS- JEMS JEMS JEMS (stnithtLtc) (4 fk 28-44 f.QU J12.50 4-7. 8-14 26 33. 7 14 72 2price 1 Country Toyota "Celica" No Purchase Nocetsary QUARTER 21.50 jeaxs (Urpubi) 2 price KEW STGR51 RIDER FROSTED LEE JEMS (RI.M2) Chiidrtn's Niks SIR OR LOW QUARTER LEATHER h4 I Ws99 Lea I Class art Wing away a 1931 Saptimber 12 Ragistar today 19.95 Ladiss I Msi's REEBOK LOW 35 N.

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