Dukakis Rolling to Easy Victory in Oregon Primary

Massachusetts Gov. Michael S. Dukakis was on his way to an easy victory over the Rev. Jesse Jackson in the Oregon primary Tuesday.

With 67% of the vote in, Dukakis had 56% to Jackson’s 38%, a trend that appeared to be steady.

In a statement released by his Boston campaign office, Dukakis said Tuesday night: “Today the people of Oregon voted for change. They voted for a candidate who can win the presidency . . . (and) for strong and compassionate leadership in the White House.”

Dukakis appeared likely to win at least 27 of the 45 Democratic delegates at stake. He also is expected to get most if not all of Oregon’s six Democratic “super delegates.”

Despite the loss, Jackson, who appeared to be winning 18 Oregon delegates, could take satisfaction in getting such a large percentage of the vote in a state that is only 1% black.

And he greatly improved his showing over 1984, when he got only 9% of the vote. This time he ran strongly in Portland and in the liberal university communities.

Dukakis did well all over, particularly in the middle-class suburbs. It was his ninth primary victory in the last 10 contests.

Vice President George Bush easily picked up all 32 GOP delegates at stake Tuesday.

Jackson clearly hoped for an upset here. In several visits to the state this month he campaigned relentlessly from one end to the other and drew the largest crowds in memory in an Oregon primary.

He was particularly successful with his impassioned attacks on drug use, a growing problem in Portland.

Jackson was told Monday that after he led an anti-drug march in Portland last week, several drug users came into a detoxification center, saying they had been moved by Jackson’s pleas.

Oregonians expressed some irritation with Dukakis for spending less time here and for sending his wife, Kitty, on Monday while Jackson himself returned to the state.

Wishes for More Visits

“I just wish Dukakis had come more often,” said Portland pollster Tim Hibbitts, a Democrat who is neutral. “Jackson passed the Oregon test--come and come often. Don’t take us for granted.”

But Hibbitts said he expected to see much more of Dukakis in the fall if the Massachusetts governor is the nominee because many Democrats believe Oregon’s seven electoral votes can move into the Democratic column.

An additional lure will be the state of Washington’s 10 electoral votes, since these two states usually vote alike in presidential contests.

Their proximity to California, with its 47 electoral votes, also is a factor because many political professionals believe California will be a battleground state in the fall.

So in that sense the Oregon primary was a primer for the fall and gave Dukakis a chance to introduce himself, 3,000 miles from his home.

He stressed economic themes, something that has more impact here than it used to because of the ups and downs of the lumber business.

Touts Environmental Views

Dukakis also touted his environmental views. That issue is still a big one in Oregon even though concern for economic growth has curtailed some of the environmental fervor in recent years.

But mainly Dukakis--and Jackson--blasted Bush and the Republicans on such issues as drugs, Atty. Gen. Edwin Meese III’s conflict-of-interest problems and the Reagan Administration’s desire to privatize the Bonneville Power Administration.

The latter is a touchy subject here since it would mean higher utility rates. Bush himself came out against the Administration position recently.

For Bush, who already owns a delegate majority on the Republican side, the Oregon victory came without a fight. His final active opponent, former religious broadcaster Pat Robertson, suspended his campaign Monday.

In contrast to Bush, Dukakis remains several hundred delegates shy of the 2,081 needed to clinch the Democratic nomination and looked to Oregon to help him inch toward the total. He has more than 1,600 delegates to less than 1,000 for Jackson, and his aides express confidence that he will control a nominating majority by the time the primaries end next month.

Vows to Keep Momentum

In his statement Tuesday night, Dukakis vowed to maintain his momentum.

“We will campaign hard for victories in California, New Jersey, Montana and New Mexico on June 7 and for the White House next fall,” he said.

Jackson is investing heavily in California in hopes of claiming one final primary victory.

The party conventions won’t formally name their nominees until summer, but the signs of a Bush-Dukakis fall campaign continue to grow stronger.

“All I can say is I think something is cooking out there,” Dukakis said Tuesday when reporters asked him about polls indicating he holds a nationwide lead over the vice president.

DEMOCRATIC VOTE Oregon 1,575 of 2,340 precincts reporting--67%. 51 convention delegates at stake.

Vote Pct. Delegates Dukakis 132,265 56 33 Jackson 90,753 38 18 Others 13,957 6 0