Kennedy Bid at Stake as 3 States Hold Primaries

Joseph Kennedy put the finishing touches Monday on his primary bid for the congressional seat once held by his uncle, President John F. Kennedy. The race for the Democratic nomination for Massachusetts’ 8th District House seat was attracting the most attention among elections taking place today in that state and in Washington and Oklahoma.

Kennedy, son of the late Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, and his leading competitor, state Sen. George Bachrach, campaigned vigorously Monday in the district, which has not sent a Republican to Congress in 40 years. The seat is being vacated by House Speaker Thomas P. (Tip) O’Neill Jr., who is retiring after 17 terms.

Washington state’s Republican Sen. Slade Gorton and Democrat Brock Adams, the former transportation secretary, are running for the Senate nominations of their respective parties against a flock of lesser known opponents.

In Oklahoma, Democrats will decide whether businessman David Walters or Atty. Gen. Mike Turpen should be their standard-bearer for governor against former Gov. Henry Bellmon, a Republican. Walters led the field in the Aug. 26 primary, but won fewer than a majority of the votes.

Republicans in Massachusetts face the daunting task of selecting a nominee to run against popular Democratic Gov. Michael Dukakis. In the GOP primary for governor, businessman George Kariotis became a write-in candidate as the party favorite after candidates Royall Switzler, a state legislator, admitted he had lied about his military record, and attorney Gregory Hyatt faced evidence of more than 1,000 forged signatures on his nomination papers. Both Switzler and Hyatt pledged to step aside in favor of Kariotis.