European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 10, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                A step Forward for female by Art Dalgleish Cox news service the 1990 elections marked Progress for female candidates even though women were unable to increase their numbers at the highest Levels of government. The number of women governors and senators was unchanged with their . House membership Down two. Molly Yard president of the National organization for women no said "1990 will be remembered As a breakthrough year for women with More women running for office at every level of government than Ever  the fund for a feminist majority found 2,038 female candidates running in general elections at the state and National level this year 9 percent More than two years ago said the fund s president Eleanor Smeal. A these were no tokens. They Are All competent savvy serious candidates Quot said Wendy Sherman executive director of Emily s list which provides seed Money for democratic women candidates. Smeal also said that Quot gender Gap Quot voting provided the margin of Victory for some female candidates and some ballot issues supporting abortion rights. Telephone interviews of 1,212 voters on election Day for Abc news indicated that among those voting in House races 67 percent of the women and 54 percent of the men voted for democrats. The growth in female bloc voting and candidates did not translate into More women in top offices however. Women contested eight of this years 36 gubernatorial races eight of the 36 . Senate seats and 61 of the 435 . House races according to the democratic and Republican congressional Campaign committees. A three female democrats were elected governor Ann Richards in Texas Barbara Roberts in Oregon and Joan Finney in Kansas. Another Democrat Dianne Feinstein was Defeated in California and four republicans also lost incumbent Kay Orr in Nebraska Arliss Sturgulewski in Alaska Barbara Hafer in Pennsylvania and Mary mean in Wyoming. With female governors retiring in Arizona and Vermont the number of the 50 statehouse controlled by women remains at three. A Nancy Kassebaum a Republican was re elected to the Senate in Kansas but seven female Senate challengers were Defeated. They were Josie Heath in Colorado Jane Brady in Delaware Pat Saiki in Hawaii Lynn Martin in Illinois Christine Todd Whitman in new Jersey Claudine Schneider in Rhode Island and Kathy Helling in Wyoming. All the losing women were republicans except Heath and Helling. The number of female senators remains at two with men holding the other 98 seats. A in the House 14 female democrats and eight female republicans were re elected and they will be joined by four newly elected democrats. Another 17 democratic and 18 Republican female challengers were Defeated. With the retirement of one Democrat and five republicans the 435-member House will Convene in january with 26 women a two fewer than the current Congress. Feminist leaders said the Power of incumbency was protecting the Quot Glass ceiling they say keeps women from rising to top positions. A we do not have a True democracy when women and minorities Are nearly invisible in the legislative Halls of this country and when the monies special interests assure reelection for Over 95 percent of All members of Congress Quot said Yard of now. Highlights new seats for Blanksby David Briscoe associated press Black candidates gained two additional seats in the House of representatives and Congress will have its first Black Republican House member in half a Century As a result of tuesdays election. Washington also will become the first major City to be led by a Black woman mayor Sharon Pratt Dixon. And America s Best known african american politician Jesse Jackson won his first election Ever to become a Quot Shadow senator Quot to promote statehood for the nations capital City. But the Man who hoped to become the first Black democratic senator lost in what polls showed would be a closer race against Arch conservative sen. Jesse Helms in North Carolina. When the new Congress convenes in january the House will have 25 Black voting members out of a total membership of 435. There were 23 in the last session. There Are no Blacks in the 100-seat Senate. The Only Black gubernatorial candidate Theo Mitchell in South Carolina lost As expected against Republican Carroll Campbell. After nearly All the votes were counted Blacks remained a Long Way from gaining political parity with their 12 percent share of the . Population. In Connecticut Garry Franks was elected the first Black Republican to serve in the House since 1935. Two other Black republicans lost congressional races in Ohio and Kentucky. Gantt had been running close to Helms in pre election polls but his Lead slipped away after Helms charged that the former mayor of Charlotte favored hiring quotas which would favor minorities Over Whites. Quot we be seen the Triumph of racism Over reason in North Carolina Quot said Eddie n. Williams president of the joint Center for political and economic studies a Black think tank. In Louisiana voters elected a Black Democrat state sen. William Jefferson to succeed retiring congresswoman Lindy Boggs. District of Columbia mayor elect Sharon Pratt Dixon announcing Victory Over Maurice  for Independent by John Diamond associated press voters elected Independent governors in Connecticut and Alaska in a historic warning to republicans and democrats that they Aren t the Only choices in american politics. But experts Are saying the winners Are not True independents and that if they Hope to get anything done they won t stay Independent for Long. In Connecticut former . Sen. Lowell p. Weicker or. Completed a political comeback with a narrow Victory in a three Way Field. In Alaska Walter Hickel a former governor was the Winner in another close three Way race. Their victories mean two Independent governors will be in office simultaneously for the first time in . History. Both men Are former republicans who left the party after falling out of favor a Weicker because he was considered too Liberal Hickel because he was viewed As too conservative. They la Lead states whose Legislatures Are still party controlled. Hickel said an anti government feeling among voters carried him Back into office. Quot i think alaskans just want a change a they want to have More of a say in government Quot he said. Weicker said bypassing party politics will make his state More efficient. Quot we did t ask or bequeath upon any particular party to run our business for us Quot he said. Quot we can run it better than anybody else  Weicker s Independent attitude surfaced in 1973-74 while serving on the Senate watergate committee. He was one of president Nixon s most outspoken critics. Later he also was arrested outside the South african embassy in Washington during an anti apartheid protest. Nixon appointed Hickel Interior Secretary in 1968 and fired him in 1970 because of what Hickel says were Industry pressures. Hickel also had written Nixon a letter chiding him for failing to listen to America s youth protesting the Vietnam War. Weicker ran under the Banner of a Connecticut party. Excluding his running mate Only one legislative candidate joined in a and he lost. Hickel adopted the Banner of the Alaska Independence party an established third party that wants to make Alaska an Independent country. It was a move of convenience since Hickel ignores the party s Independence Plank. The former gop Mavericks Are making history by shunning major party affiliation and winning but it is widely Felt they could not have won without their High name recognition and their former major party ties. Quot the message is very guarded Quot said William Schneider a political scientist at the american Enterprise Institute. Quot it helps if you re a known Quantity. For a third party to succeed a major party has to  political observers tended to agree that the Independent victories Send a warning to republicans and democrats. Quot these Are More than blips Quot said James Reichley a authority on party politics with the Brookings institution. Quot they re indicators that neither of the major parties is attracting  in another sign of anger at the two established parties socialist candidate Bernard Sanders won Vermont a congressional seat defeating Republican and democratic candidates. Quot our Small state might go Down in history As the leading state in a political revolution which takes Power away from the multinational corporations and the wealthy and gives it Back to the people Quot Sanders said. Saturday november 10, 1990 the stars and stripes a a a Page 13