The Nation - News from Jan. 31, 1985

Democratic Party officials opened three days of meetings in Washington and quickly moved toward a test of strength in the four-way race for the party chairmanship. Paul G. Kirk Jr., the party treasurer and a former aide to Sen. Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts, was regarded as the front-runner in the race to succeed Charles T. Manatt as chairman. The other contenders were Nancy Pelosi, former chairman of the California Democratic Party; former Gov. Terry Sanford of North Carolina, and Robert J. Keefe, a political consultant. The test of strength in the chairmanship race will occur today on the question of whether 25 at-large members of the national committee--composed primarily of Kirk supporters--must stand for reelection before the new chairman is elected Friday.