Democrats May Not Extend Clinton Win

The president still leads his Republican opponent Bob Dole by about 10 points in most national surveys. But he may be pushed to get the 50 per cent of the vote he wants to claim an unquestioned mandate for a second term.

Senator Chris Dodd of Connecticut, co-chairman of the national Democratic party, said he was not surprised it is closing, because the negativism of the Dole campaign is having its effect. But he claimed most of the drain away from Clinton was going not to Dole but to Ross Perot of the Reform party.

That was borne out by a poll Sunday by NBC News and the Wall Street Journal, which had the president at 47 per cent, Dole at 37 per cent and Perot at 9 per cent, against a 52-35-6 per cent division 10 days earlier.

 

Dole, in an interview recorded on Friday, conceded Clinton was probably still ahead, but added: We think its going to be a very close race. Extensive state-by-state reports in several weekend US newspapers suggested the Republicans might hold on to their small majorities in Congress, although many individual House and Senate races were considered very close.

The Democrats need a gain of three in the Senate and 19 in the House, more difficult to reach if Clintons support turns out to be less than appeared likely two weeks ago. An extensive Washington Post survey concluded that the current 53-47 Republican edge in the Senate would be at least as large after tomorrows votes were counted.

The New York Times noted the Democrats would have to win more than two-thirds of 17 close Senate contests to take back control. Greater uncertainty applies to the 435-member House, but the Post found enough of the vulnerable 70 Republican freshmen were set to win re- election to give Congressman Newt Gingrich a second chance to serve as Speaker. It would be the first time since 1930 that Republicans had won both houses in successive elections and also the first time a Democratic president has been elected with both chambers in opposition.