Record turnout expected for today's state elections by Rick Edmondson Democrat Ray Blanton has campaigned Comer, Hubert Patty, James Reesor, Al- Tennesseans will go to the polls today in primarily on his association with the De- fred Taylor and Arnold J. Zandi. what is predicted to be a record turnout to mocratic party and has strongly advocated The race for Public Service Commis- elect a governor, public service commis- party unity. sioner, which has been characterized as a sioner, eight congressional candidates and Blanton has apparently achieved this goal battle of the sexes, pits incumbent Democrat various state legislators. of party unity because he has received en- Z. D. Atkins against Republican JaneHard- Seven gubernatorial candidates--a Re- dorsements from virtually every prominent away. publican, a Democrat and five indepen- Democrat in including Richard In the 4th Congression District, Joe L. dents--will be listed on the ballot. Fulton, Joe L. Evins, , Tom Evins, Tennessee's veteran congressman, In the gubernatorial race, Republican La - Wiseman and Hudley Crockett. is running unopposed on the ballot. How- mar Alexander has made blatant sectional Blanton has proposed a nine-point pro- ever, in the 6th District a heated contest appeals for support from East Tennesseans. gram he says will help fight inflation. The has been raging between Democrat Tim He bills himself as an "-Roy program includes strengthening of con- Schaeffer and his Republican opponent Ro- Acuff Republican" and points out that an East sumer protection laws and the state con- bin Beard. Tennessean has not been elected governor sumer protection agency, efforts to con- since 1921. trol state spending and elimination of sales In the eighth and ninth precincts of Alexander said he supports Tennessee's tax on prescription drugs. Rutherford County (62nd Legislative Dis- new death penalty law, which he says is not Blanton has strongly advocated approval trict) Democrat Clarence "Pete" Phillips discriminatory against blacks or the poor. of the federal Equal Rights Amendment and opposes Republican Kenneth Phillips for the state legislature. Alexander said he is flatly opposed to a a law requiring lobbyists to file annual tax increase over the next four years, would statements of expenditures. Democrats John Bragg and Frank Buck favor removal of the sales tax on prescrip- Both Alexander and Blanton have said they run unopposed in the 40th and 48th Dis- tion drugs, and favors repeal of income tax favor open meetings and campaign disclo- tricts, respectively. on stocks and bonds for persons over sure laws. According to election commission offi- retirement age. Independents on the ballot include Jack cials, 424 absentee ballots have been-cast. sidelines middle tennessee state university Vol. 48 No. 18 Murfreesboro, Tenn. 37130 Tuesday, November 5, 1974

Teachers 'stand up' for gubernatorial hopefuls

" is the most responsible can- Ray Blanton will "champion the interests of the didate for governor," according to Everett Cunn- working man, small businesses and people on fix- ingham of the political science department at ed incomes," according to Imogene Bolin of MTSU. MTSU's political science department. Cunningham said he feels Alexander represents Bolin, whose husband David is Blanton's state- more of the middle-of-the-road "moderate" views Blanton will champion wide campaign manager, said the Democratic gub- of today's issues. Cunningham said the race will ernatorial hopeful was always "accessible" as a be "very close" despite public opinion polls to the the interests of the congressman. contrary. "I see Ray as a Populist basically, especially in "I expect a lower turnout than usual, mainly be- working man . . . the economic dimensions of his philosophy," Bolin cause a large amount of the electorate is fed up with -- Bolin said. She added that Blanton represents the Demo- politics," Cunningham said. cratic party platform. The two candidates' platforms differ very little "Ray Blanton stood in support on social security according to Cunningham. However, Cunningham increases and supported sickle-cell anemia re- said he dislikes the "demagoguery Blanton uses search which Gov. Dunn item vetoed," Bolin said. when discussiong economic issues." Cunningham She pointed out that Blanton supports the Equal added that "Democrats have controlled Congress Rights Amendment and the 18-year-old vote. for the last 20 years and should be willing to take Bolin said the win will not be a landslide although some of the blame for the problems the economy the polls are predicting such a victory for Blanton. is experiencing." "The results mainly dependon the turnout. If the Cunningham said he felt the Republican party na- Alexander represents turnout is very low the vote will be much closer due tionwide may lose about 20 seats inthe House and to the fact that Republicans in proportion get out and probably four or five Senate seats. However, the more of the middle-of- vote more," Bolin said. losses will not be as bad as some expect, Cunning- Bolin said the Memphis area, which has 20 per ham predicted. the-road views . . . cent of the state vote, will be the election's pivotal The Public Service Commissioner race will also area. She pointed out that Blanton is from West be close, Cunningham said. "I feel Z.D. Atkins may -- Cunningham Tennessee. Bolin added that many East Tenn- pull ahead and most all the Democrats voting will esseans still remember the veto the Dunn adminis- vote for Atkins due to party loyalty." He also said tration invoked on the proposed medical school in that many of those Democrats will vote for Alexan- Johnson City. der for governor. Atkins and Blanton will carry Rutherford Coun- "I feel Lamar Alexander will be Tennessee's ty and Ray Blanton will be Tennessee's next gov- next governor," Cunningham said. ernor, Bolin predicted. Pre-election interviews by Greg Wade

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