Packwood Survives GOP Challenger : Democrats Cheered by Tight Race, See Chance of Senate Gain

The unexpectedly strong Republican primary showing of a little-known Baptist minister who challenged Sen. Bob Packwood of Oregon drew cheers from anti-abortion activists and gave heart to Democrats fighting to regain control of the Senate.

Packwood was the winner, but the Rev. Joe Lutz received 42% of the vote against the three-term senator.

“We’re delighted,” said Peter Gemma, director of the National Pro-Life Political Action Committee, when asked about Lutz’s showing.

“The results of yesterday’s GOP primary showed a surprisingly low level of support for Sen. Bob Packwood,” said David Johnson, executive director of the Democratic Senate Campaign committee. “Oregon represents an excellent opportunity for Democrats to pick up a Senate seat in November.”

Democrats Need 4 Seats

The Democrats need to pick up four seats this year to gain a majority in the Senate.

Rep. Jim Weaver easily won the Democratic nomination to challenge Packwood and immediately attacked the three-term senator for having “lost all touch with the people of Oregon.”

In other primary results, Pennsylvania Democrats narrowly chose Rep. Bob Edgar to challenge Republican Sen. Arlen Specter. Edgar’s primary opponent, state auditor general Don Bailey, immediately pledged his support to the congressman.

Robert P. Casey, a former state auditor general, won the Democratic nomination for governor of Pennsylvania and will square off against Republican Lt. Gov. William W. Scranton III, son of a former two-term governor.

Woman Wins GOP Nod

Oregon Republicans nominated former Secretary of State Norma Paulus to run for governor against Democrat Neil Goldschmidt, a former Portland mayor who served as secretary of transportation under President Jimmy Carter. Paulus, 53, was the fifth woman nominated so far this year for either governor or senator.

In Connecticut, meanwhile, Democrats voting for convention delegates apparently threw enough support to Gov. William A. O’Neill to spare him a September primary challenge by former Rep. Toby Moffett. In order to force a primary in September, Moffett would need the support of 20% of the delegates to the party convention in July.

Anti-abortion activists had named Packwood their No. 1 target because of his strong support of the pro-choice position and his leadership of the opposition to efforts to overturn the Supreme Court decision legalizing most abortions.

Gemma said that while Weaver’s record on abortion was no more acceptable to movement activists, many might vote for the congressman because of Packwood’s far more prominent role.

After his primary victory, Packwood said he wished the abortion issue “wasn’t in the political sphere. I wish we could all just live with the Supreme Court’s decision.”