European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 2, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                              It s in to be everyone wants to be an outsider in political ads by Ceci Connolly St. Petersburg times n 30 seconds they want you to know this they prefer the Coffee of local diners to the Champagne at fancy French restaurants. They Are uncomfortable in dark suits cozy in plaid shirts. They go to Church work hard and most importantly do not look anything like president Clinton. Now appearing in living rooms across America the congressional candidates of 1994. 1 As tuesday s election approaches the races for the Houe and Senate Are in Hilf gear on television an expensive fast paced medium that capitalizes on style and often shortchanged substance. Fuelled by polls that report the Public remains disgusted by the ways of Washington the political image makers Are portraying this year s candidates As average citizens who Don t want to go to Capitol Hill but will for the Good of the country. Judging from the commercials the Best Way to get into Congress is to Bash it and if you re already in office the Best Way to stay in Congress is Well to Bash it. Dick Bryan sick and tired of the mess in Washington and doing something about it intones one Mario Cuomo right shakes hands with new York City mayor Rudolph Giuliani after receiving his endorsement in the new York gubernatorial race. Gubernatorial races to watch Here s a glance at what s at stake and some of the interesting contests in this year s gubernatorial races. The numbers democrats have a 29-19 Edge in governorships with independents in Connecticut and Alaska. There Are 36 gubernatorial contests this year. Both Independent seats Are up As Are 21 held by democrats and 13 by republicans. The embattled incumbents everywhere you look incumbent governors Are in Tough races. Among republicans Pete Wilson of California Terry Branstad of Iowa Fife Symington of Arizona and Arne Carlson of Minnesota Lead the endangered list. Mario Cuomo of new York Ann Richards of Texas Lawton Chiles f Florida Bruce King of new Mexico and Roy Romer of Colorado Lead a Long list of democratic incumbents in close contests. 7 the personalities two sons of former president Bush Are run the for governor George  Bush in Texas and Jeb Bush in Florida. Kathleen Brown the daughter of former cps. Pat Brown and sister of former Cov Jerry Brown is the democratic nominee in California Idaho s democratic nominee Larry Echohawk would be the first american Indian elected governor. The cop class of 90 four leading members of the Republican gubernatorial class of 1990 Are favored in their first re election runs goes Jim Edgar of Illinois John Engler of Michigan George Voinovich of Ohio and William Weld of Massachusetts. Five to watch new York seeking a fourth term _ democratic Star Cuomo who received a boost when new York City s Republican mayor Rudolph Giuliani endorsed him is running just about even with gop state sen. George Pataki. Texas Richards is one of the most colourful figures in americano politics trying to win a second term in a state that is More Republican by the Day. " California the biggest of the big on the White House list which wants a democratic governor in this _ Meg state come 1996.georgia Democrat Zell Miller is a Clear favorite Over the gop s Guy Millner but is running in a year when republicans Are predicting significant congressional gains in the state. A Good test of whether the National midterm election dynamics filter into state races. Minnesota gop incumbent Carlson lost the party endorsement to Alan quist a Leader of the state s blossoming religious conservative movement but still beat him in the party primary. Now he is opposed by state sen. John Marty who won a four Way race for the nomination. The associated press spot for the Nevada Democrat who is seeking a second term. For those taking on incumbents the to messages Are a Chance to paint the officeholder As stale or co opted by Washington s elitist political culture or both. In Washington state where House speaker Thomas Foley is under serious attack his challenger s and asks voters to recall 1964, the year Bonanza was the top to show Lyndon Johnson was president and Tom Foley was elected to Congress. Except for Tom a lot s changed in 30  in Indiana democratic challenger Mike harmless depicts Republican John Myers As a perk addicted incumbent while he is the Man with the Hoosier Hometown  membership has its privileges the harmless and says and after 28 years John Myers knows them  in Montana sen. Conrad Burns a Republican seeking a second term tries to pre empt being painted As part of the system. His and shows Champagne glasses clinking and limousines speeding past the Capitol dome and warns in this town the special interests Are always out to get their hands on your  Many candidates Are being forced onto the negative bandwagon because the voters Are out in front of them said american University professor Lewis Wolfson. That Means republicans and democrats alike Are aiming their vitriol not Only at each other but also at criminals Oliver North meets the voters in Northern Virginia. Bureaucrats lobbyists and of course president Clinton. In Arizona Republican Senate contender Jon Kyi is using a spoof of the television game show jeopardy to tie his democratic opponent to Clinton and retiring democratic sen. Dennis Deconcini who was embroiled in the Keating five scandal. The category is politics As usual says the game show Host. The answer is supports the Liberal democratic leadership 92 percent of the  not surprisingly who is Sam Coppersmith is a contestant s Correct response. Some republicans have unearthed snapshots of their democratic opponents standing next to the unpopular not clockwise from above Oklahoma rep. Mike Synar Center got Folksy in his campaigning but still lost in the primaries sen. Richard Bryan is running Asah incumbent trying to clean up the mess in Washington Lormer president Bush right with son George w., one of two sons running for governor. President. Increasingly though others Are taking advantage of modern technology to transform a picture of their opponent s face into Clinton s. The technique is known As morphing named for the popular children s show mighty morphine Power rangers characters that transform themselves into superheroes. I this Media technique is becoming so popular that the political jargon in Washington now includes the phrase  rep. Mike Synar says he was morphed in the f closing Days of his primary in which he was Defeated in his bid for a ninth term. It brought my numbers Way Down the Oklahoma Democrat said of the to spot in which his face evolved into Clinton s. Despite his own loss Synar argues that voters increasingly see through advertising paid for by politicians. He says direct mail from groups such As the chamber of Commerce the Christian coalition and the National Rifle association does More to influence voters. Many of the candidates have decided that the Best antidote to the Public s cynicism is some Good old fashioned Elbow grease. Former Missouri gov. John Ashcroft in his Senate bid has taken a Page from Bob Graham s successful campaigns in Florida and is Labouring in stores factories and farms As part of a working tour of the state featured in his ads. Some of the hottest poli Cal faces this year have found Success with this w recipe highlight that you have no the Senate numbers game following is a Quick look at what s at stake and some of the interesting contests in this year s Senate races. ,. The numbers democrats have a 56-44 majority. Republicans last had a Senate majority 53-47, in 1986. There Are 35 Senate seats on the ballot of those 22 Are held by democrats. Midterm blues in the midterm elections of a president s first term his party on average Breaks even in a Senate races. But Clinton s slumping political standing and the High number of races nine without an incumbent running have bolstered Republican Odds. The consensus among party strategists and analysts is a gop gain of three to five seats but a bigger Republican showing is possible. Five to watch Here Are five races that offer insight into the midterm dynamics. Pennsylvania Harris Wofford won a 1991 special election promising a tax Cut for the Middle class and Universal health care. Having delivered neither he is perhaps the most vulnerable democratic incumbent. New Jersey in the final two years of his second term Democrat Frank Lautenberg has watched a Republican revival in this state and his poor polling numbers expose him As vulnerable. Republican Hopes to capture Senate control depend on winning this one. Oklahoma Democrat David Boren s retirement set the stage for a match Between two House members Democrat Dave Mccurdy and Republican Jim Inhofe. Mccurdy is favored but this is among Clinton s worst states and a major test of his drag on democrats. Tennessee in one of two Senate contests Here democratic rep. Jim Cooper is favored for the seat once held by vice president Al Gore. Republican Hopes for major Senate gains hinge on a few upsets and actor attorney Fred Thompson is their Hope Here. Michigan in another open seat democratic rep. Bob Carr runs against Spencer Abraham a state gop chairman and aide to Dan Quayle. It s a toss pin a competitive bellwether state. Given Good gop Odds in the other open races democrats need this one. The associated press government service or just Don t mention i Wear casual shirts usually plaid and scowl out of concern about what is going on in Washington. In Virginia Oliver North a former White House insider is running hard for he Senate As a Washington outsider who wants to shake things up. He campaigns in casual attire and Speaks with a Down to Earth simplicity that draws in voters. Leaning on a red pickup truck and wearing a plaid shirt Tennessee Republican Fred Thompson promises a major shakeup if elected to the Senate. Thompson has an interesting resume he was a lawyer who served the Senate watergate committee but he is better known in Hollywood where he has worked As a Tough Guy character actor with parts in films including the Hunt for red october. Sometimes it s hard to Tell where the acting ends and real life stumping begins. They re out of touch and we re out of patience Thompson says in one spot failing to mention his years working on Capitol Hill. We need somebody on the inside of that place working for  Dane Strother the consultant making commercials for Thompson s opponent complains that the truck is rented and the plaid shirts Are Brand new. But he grudgingly acknowledges the ads Are real  with two weeks to go to election Day political Novice Thompson is leading in the polls. Scrupps Howard news sen fee key races in the House Here s a look at what s at stake and some of the interesting contests in this year s House laces. _ the numbers democrats have a 256-178 advantage Over republicans. There is one Independent who usually sides with democrats. Republicans last held a House majority in 1954. All 435 seats Are up in november. Midterm blues the party that controls the White House the democrats this year loses 10 to 15 seats on average in the first midterm elections. President Clinton s Rocky political standing and the High number of democratic re tired edits have pushed predictions for Republican gains considerably higher. Five to watch Here Are some races that offer insight into the midterm dynamics. Tennessee s 6th District if gop challenger Steve Gill can upset five term democratic rep. Bart Gordon it could signal even greater Republican gains in Southern and Border states than anticipated. Ohio s 14th four term democratic rep. Tom Sawyer won with 68 percent last time but faces a credible challenger in county prosecutor Lynn Slaby if Sawyer Falls it Likely would be under a major National Republican tide. ,.,".California s 49th freshman Democrat Lynn Schenk won in 1992 in a Republican District thanks to the. Weaknesses of the National and state gop tickets. To keep Republican gains close to the midterm average " democrats need to hold this san Diego seat and a few others like it in California. _ " Rhode Island s 1 St state rep. Patrick Kennedy son of the Massachusetts senator is running against it. Kevin vigilante for a seat now held by a Republican. Democrats need to win to offset expected losses elsewhere. Pennsylvania s 13th freshman Democrat Marjorie Margolies Mezvinsky has been a top gop  cast the deciding House vote for Clinton s 1993 budget a Day after saying she would oppose it. If she can hold this seat in a cop leaning District things might not go so bad for democrats after All. The associated press i 18 the stars and stripes wednesday november 2,1994 the stars and stripes 19