European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 5, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Monday novembers 1990 the stars and stripes a Page 5twin threats overshadow elections by David Espo a political writer disgruntled voters pick a new Congress and 36 governors tuesday in midterm elections overshadowed by threats of recession at Home and War in the Middle East. But for All the combustible ingredients a and unexpectedly close races involving Republican Sens. Jesse Helms Mark Hatfield and Rudy Boschwitz a few incumbents seem Likely to lose in 34 Senate races 435 House contests and 36 statehouse races on the ballot. And Only marginal changes seem Likely in the size of democratic majorities in Congress and among the nations governors. The California governors race is the biggest prize of the Campaign season pitting Republican sen. Pete Wilson against former san Francisco mayor Dianne Feinstein in a $35 million contest. The nations most populous state is expected to gain As Many As seven House seats after the 1990 census and the new governor will share Power with the democratic controlled legislature in deciding the make up of the new congressional districts. Other closely watched gubernatorial campaigns Are in Texas where Republican Clayton Williams is in a close race with Democrat Ann Richards and Florida where late polls had former sen. Lawton Chiles leading gop gov. Bob Martinez. Not on the ballot but scarcely Ever on the sidelines this fall has been president Bush. He campaigned for More than 80 gop candidates but triggered a period of Republican disillusionment when he flip flopped on tax increases during budget negotiations with Congress and abandoned his 1988 pledge of no new taxes. There was no shortage of campaigning the final weekend before election Day. Bush stumped in California for Wilson whom he praised As an environmentalist and credited with a a big part in our decision to impose a 10-year moratorium on off Shore Oil drilling off the California coast. Feinstein campaigned by train through the san Joaquin Valley. In Oregon Democrat Harry Lonsdale crashed Hatfield a news conference and issued one More Call for a debate. Hatfield made no response but later told reporters a a in a conducting a press conference not a circus.�?�. Helms sought to strip his race to its essentials a the real question is do you want Liberal Harvey Gantt or conservative Jesse Helms to cast your vote in the Senate and that a the question the people of North Carolina have to ask a he said. Gantt a Black trying to unseat one of the Senate a Best known conservatives referred to the desegregation Battles in the 1960s As he appealed for votes. He said he sees a need to build Bridges of understanding because people Are in danger of a Drifting Back to overt  an estimated 19 House seats will Migrate from states in the Industrial Northeast and Midwest to the Sun Belt before the 1992 elections elevating interest in this years legislative races and raising the stakes in the gubernatorial Battleground states. An estimated $1 million has been spent by two candidates for a state legislative seat in Pennsylvania where democrats Hope to take control of the Senate and monopolize the states reapportionment process. More than 6,100 legislative seats Are up for election around the country. Voters in .43 states and the District of Columbia will decide 236 ballot questions including a big Green a an environmentalist backed measure in California. A you could have the contradictory result of overwhelming Public anger toward the people in government and a very High re election percentage of incumbents a says Larry Mccarthy a gop consultant Active m campaigns from Florida to California. Mccarthy says polling indicates that upwards of two thirds of the voters believe the country is headed in the wrong direction and others say the level of antipathy toward incumbents is extraordinarily High. Says Paul Tully political director at the democratic National committee a when we be seen voters get More nervous More anxious they grab for stability and vote for the incumbent candidate. California aside All eyes Are on these races t a North Carolinas Senate seat where Gantt is locked m a close race with Helms. Helms is running a late Campaign commercial showing a White worker with a Job rejection letter a reference to the civil rights Bill that Helms opposed and Bush vetoed with a claim it . Economy crisis in Middle East sen. Jesse Helms seeking a fourth term greets supporters in Lenoir . Lead to hiring quotas. A the Texas governors race a $33 million Battle Between wealthy oilman Williams and Richards that a close in the pre election polls. A Minnesota a tumultuous gubernatorial Campaign where Republican Jon Grunseth dropped out of the race in late october Over allegations that he had once gone swimming nude with teen age girls and had an affair during both of his marriages. After Days of bickering a state party dominated by conservatives turned to moderate Arne Carlson. The gop still has realistic Hopes of ousting unpopular democratic gov. Rudy per Pich. In the House democrats Hope to pick up As Many As 10 or 12 seats and pad their 259-176 majority. But with the exception of incumbents tinged by the savings and loan crisis such As Republican Alfred Mccandless in California or personal scandal such As Arlan Stange land in Minnesota relatively few incumbents seem to be in serious difficulty. The most competitive races Are for the 18 Republican and 11 democratic seats without incumbents. A Small group of potential 1992 democratic presidential candidates is on the ballot. Gov. Mario Cuomo of new York and Sens. Sam Nunn of Georgia a1 Gore of Tennessee and Bill Bradley of new Jersey Are All favored to run up landslide re election victories. As always the two sides Harbor Hopes of late Blooming upsets democrats claimed a surge in Kentucky where Harvey Sloane is running against gop sen. Mitch Mcconnell. Republicans hoped to Surprise democratic sen. John Kerry in Massachusetts. But after months of campaigning hundreds of millions of dollars in expenditures and seemingly endless negative Campaign commercials there seems Little likelihood of anti incumbency fever sweeping the nation. Democrats quickly portrayed themselves As the party of a tax fairness and republicans As protectors of the Rich during the october budget debate and the party benefited in pre election polling. But lately Bush has helped shift the Campaign focus away from the budget and softening Economy and toward the persian Gulf where he has deployed More than 200,000 american troops As a bulwark against iraqis Saddam Hussein. The result has been an apparent shift Back to some gop candidates. Abortion is playing a role at the end of a tight Florida gubernatorial race. Chiles stayed away from the Issue until a debate last monday night in which he said he would a Trust the women of Florida to make their own Choice. Martinez is a foe of abortion. Polls in two states favor Independent candidates Over major party rivals for governor. Former gop sen. Lowell Weicker is seeking a political comeback in Connecticut and former gop gov. Wally Hickel in Alaska. Illinois Ohio and Massachusetts Are among 13 states where no incumbent is on the ballot. One incumbent whose defeat seems certain is Rhode Island Republican gov. Edward Diprete lagging far behind in the polls in a third time rematch with Democrat Bruce Sundlun. The fallout from the Minnesota governors race has settled on Veteran gop sen. Rudy Boschwitz locked in a tight race with Liberal Democrat Paul Wellstone. Harvey Gantt North Carolina democratic candidate for the Senate faces a tight election. The other endangered Republican is Mark Hatfield of Oregon a Veteran of 40 years of politics. Democrat Harry Lonsdale has depicted him As a Washington elitist out of touch with his state. Hatfield fought Back with advertisements recalling Lonsdale a supportive comments in the mid-1980s of an Indian guru whose top aide was convicted of arson and poisoning. The Lone democratic incumbent in difficulty appears to be sen. Daniel Akaka in Hawaii appointed after the death of spark Matsunaga earlier this year. Republicans Hope rep. Patricia Saiki can win the seat and offset any losses elsewhere. The democrats hold a 55-45 Edge in the Senate. Gop candidates Are favored to retain All three open Senate seats on the ballot reps. Hank Brown in Colorado Larry Craig in Idaho and Bob Smith in new Hampshire. Gop Veteran Strom Thurmond of South Carolina who will be 88 when his new term starts has no major party opposition. Democrat j. Bennett Johnston won election earlier this fall in Louisiana a unique open primary system. Democratic freshman sen. Paul Simon is favored to win re election in Illinois and sen. Tom Harkin is favored less securely in Iowa. In House races of interest three Blacks Are running competitive races As republicans Gary Franks in Connecticut former Cincinnati mayor Kenneth Blackwell in Ohio and a1 Brown in  of time in the stars and stripes 40 years ago today. Nov. 5, 1950 a the . General Assembly revoked part of its four year ban on Spain Clearing the Way Foi members to Send ambassadors Back to Madrid and Foi Spain to join specialized . Agencies.30 years ago today. Nov. 5,1960 a president Eisenhower campaigning in Cleveland for vice president Richard Nixon said that in the democrats recaptured the White House the nation would see a a return to deficit spending and the resultant runaway inflation.�?�20 years ago today. Nov. 5, 1970 a Republican Nelson a. Rockefeller was elected to a fourth term As governor of new york.7 0 years ago today. Nov. 5, 1980 a the United states asked West Germany for new assistance in paying for the improvement of american military installations in that country