Nine States, District of Columbia Hold Primaries : Women Win Maryland Senate Contests

Democratic Rep. Barbara A. Mikulski and Republican Linda Chavez swept past their male rivals Tuesday night to win competing Senate nominations in Maryland. Liberal activist Mark Green won the Democratic spot on the ballot in New York against Republican Sen. Alfonse M. D’Amato.

Neither D’Amato, a first-term senator, nor New York Gov. Mario M. Cuomo, a potential 1988 Democratic presidential contender, faced serious primary challenges.

On the busiest primary night of the season, Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, 34, the daughter of the late Robert F. Kennedy, won a Democratic nomination to the House from Maryland.

Abzug Holds Lead

Connecticut lawmaker Julie D. Belaga won the Republican nomination to face Gov. William A. O’Neill in November. And former Rep. Bella Abzug held a narrow lead in a multi-candidate Democratic primary in a suburban New York district. Abzug, who represented Manhattan for six years in the House, led Oren Teicher, the Democratic candidate in 1984, 36% to 34% with 97% of the votes tallied.

In other results from balloting in nine states and the District of Columbia, Minnesota Gov. Rudy Perpich led St. Paul Mayor George Latimer and three other opponents in a Democratic primary. Former state Rep. Cal Ludeman won the GOP nomination.

Former Massachusetts Gov. Endicott Peabody, running for the Senate in New Hampshire, won the Democratic nomination to oppose GOP Sen. Warren B. Rudman.

Former Vermont Gov. Richard A. Snelling earned the GOP spot on the fall ballot against Democratic Sen. Patrick J. Leahy, who was unopposed for nomination to a third term. Snelling, coaxed out of retirement by national GOP officials, was garnering over 70% of the vote.

Maryland aside, the only other open Senate seat on the ballot was in Arizona, where Barry Goldwater is ending a 37-year career in politics. Rep. John S. McCain III was without opposition for the GOP nomination. Former Corporation Commission Chairman Richard Kimball was unopposed for the Democratic nomination.

Democrat Edward Garvey, a former official of the National Football League Players Assn., held a strong lead in Wisconsin over Matthew Flynn in the race to select a rival for GOP Sen. Bob Kasten.

In a race to succeed outgoing Gov. Harry Hughes in Maryland, Baltimore Mayor William Donald Schaefer defeated Atty. Gen. Stephen Sachs in a four-way race for the Democratic spot on the ballot. State lawmaker Thomas J. Mooney was unopposed in the Republican primary.

2nd Time in History

The Mikulski-Chavez Senate race in Maryland will mark only the second time two women have held the national party nominations in a Senate race, according to officials in the Senate historian’s office. Former Sen. Margaret Chase Smith, a Maine Republican, defeated Democratic rival Lucia Cormier in 1960.

Chavez was winning more than 70% of the Maryland Republican primary vote in a crowded field in the race to pick a candidate to replace retiring GOP Sen. Charles McC. Mathias Jr.

With 86% of the vote tallied in the Democratic primary, Mikulski was winning 53% to 29% for Rep. Michael D. Barnes and 13% for Gov. Harry Hughes.

Leaders of both political parties agree that Maryland offers Democrats a promising opportunity to pick up a seat in the national battle for control of the Senate. But Chavez wasted little time in attacking her rival, calling her a “left of center liberal who represents the failed policies of the past . . . Barbara Mikulski is a San Francisco, George McGovern liberal Democrat, and I am a mainstream Marylander,” said Chavez, who has lived in Maryland for two years.

Final returns in the Connecticut gubernatorial primary showed Belaga, a state legislator making her first run for statewide office, with 41% of the vote. Former state Sen. Richard C. Bozzuto, who held the party’s endorsement, had 36%. O’Neill was unopposed for the Democratic nomination for a new term.

Sununu Wins Easily

New Hampshire Republican Gov. John H. Sununu easily won renomination. Paul McEachern, an attorney, won the Democratic spot on the ballot.

Rhode Island Democrats chose Bruce Sundlun, a millionaire political newcomer, to face GOP Gov. Edward DiPrete.

Wisconsin’s Democratic Gov. Anthony S. Earl was renominated easily, while State Rep. Tommy Thompson held a wide lead for the GOP spot on the fall ballot.

In Connecticut, Roger Eddy was unopposed for the Republican nomination against incumbent Democratic Sen. Christopher J. Dodd. The situation was similar in Vermont, where Democratic Gov. Madeleine M. Kunin was unopposed for renomination, and Lt. Gov. Peter Smith had the Republican ballot to himself.

District of Columbia Mayor Marion Barry coasted to renomination in the Democratic primary. His Republican opponent will be Carol Schwartz, a member of the city council.