Senate Primary Results
Karen Boothe, 9/11/96

Minnesotans joined voters in eight states, to nominate candidates for November's general election. Yesterday's low-voter turnout was PARTIALLY due to the lack of a heated statewide race. But as Minnesota Public Radio's Karen-Louise Boothe reports, the primary wins of incumbent Democratic Senator Paul Wellstone and Republican challenger Rudy Boschwitz makes the re-match between the two, OFFICIAL:

There were no surprises in the Senate Republican Primary race Between Rudy Boschwitz, Steve Young, and Monti Moreno. Boschwitz SOUNDLY won the nomination...thereby officially putting his name on the November Fifth general election ballot. The same predictable scenario preceeded Paul Wellstone's primary win last night...as did Reform Party Candidate Dean Barkley who ALSO won out in the primary....making it a three-way race come November.

[sfx of the party]

During the Boschwitz victory party at the Marriot Hotel downtown Minneapolis, supporters cheered after polls closed at Eight O'CLock and their candidate's victory became official. Boschwitz told the crowd, he was honored to receive such resounding support from around the state:

BITE: #1261 :30-secs "for all Americans"

But Boschwitz shouldn't expect to ride on the coat-tails of Republican Presidential nominee Bob Dole. MANY congressional Republicans, alarmed that Dole is heading toward a November meltdown, have begun to quietly distance themselves from the fledging Dole campaign.

COULD the 1996 election be 1994 in REVERSE? That is, a year when DEMOCRATS sweep congressional races and NOT Republicans? That's what some political pundits are predicting. After all, the fortunes of congressional and state legislative candidates may be tied to the top of the ticket in a presidential election year. Minnesota Republican Chairman Chris Georgacas was asked if his party's state candidates might take a drubbing this year?

BITE: #1156 :25-secs "in the state legislature."

Turnout will be KEY this election, just as it was two years ago. In 1994, Republicans nationwide picked up 9-million new votes, most of them from swing voters, while Democrats LOST about a million.

But State D-F-L Party Chairman, Mark Andrew says there's at least ONE big distinction to be made between 1994's so-called "Republican Revolution" and THIS year:

BITE: #1177 :30-secs "a very hard time" There was talk of political realignment following the 1994 election. But MANY analysts have been reluctant to characterize the Republican sweep as a realignment unless it lasted for at least TWO elections.

President Clinton's strength in this campaign may blunt 1994 predictions that the Republican sweep signalled a political sea-change in the country. Recent polls have given Democrats more optimism. That includes.... Paul Wellstone who emerged with a lead over Rudy Boschwitz in the latest Minnesota Public Radio/Pioneer Press/Kare-11 poll. Wellstone says he'll wage the final eight weeks of the campaign honestly and without attacks on his two opponents:

BITE:#1250 :30-SECS "PEOPLE OF MINNESOTA"

Reform Party candidate Dean Barkley, says unlike many Republican candidates this year...HE expects to benefit from riding the coat-tails of HIS party's Presidential candidate, Ross Perot.

BITE: #1252 :30-secs "these issues."

As for the SWING vote the two major parties are vying for...Barkley says it's the Third Party that's growing greatest in number, especially among those aged 30-and under. SOC