CAMPAIGN ’88 : Primaries in 6 States Set Stage for Contests

Voters set the stage for three Senate races, nominated a councilman to become the first black congressman from New Jersey and launched a comeback attempt by former Montana Gov. Thomas Judge, returns from primary elections in six states outside of California showed Wednesday.

Here are the key results of Tuesday’s primaries in those states:

New Jersey--First-term Democratic Sen. Frank R. Lautenberg trounced two opponents and will face GOP newcomer Peter Dawkins, a former star athlete, Rhodes scholar and Vietnam War hero. Newark City Councilman Donald Payne defeated a fellow black councilman, Ralph Grant, to win the Democratic nomination for the seat held by Rep. Peter W. Rodino Jr. for 40 years. Payne will be an overwhelming favorite against Republican Michael Webb, who also is black. “It gives our delegation the fairness it’s been lacking for many years,” Payne said of the fact that he stands to become the state’s first black congressman.

Montana--Democratic Sen. John Melcher won handily against a political unknown in his bid for a third term and will run against Republican Conrad Burns, a Yellowstone County commissioner. Ex-Gov. Judge defeated five other Democrats who were enticed into the race by the retirement of two-term Gov. Ted Schwinden. Judge served from 1973 to 1981 and was beaten by Schwinden in the 1980 primary. The GOP primary victor was former state Sen. Stan Stephens. The early favorite, Secretary of State Jim Waltermire, was killed in a plane crash in April.

New Mexico--State Sen. Bill Valentine outpolled three Republicans for the right to take on first-term Democratic Sen. Jeff Bingaman.

Alabama--Circuit Judge Mark Kennedy, a son-in-law of former Gov. George C. Wallace, won the Democratic nomination for the state Supreme Court on a slate supported by trial lawyers and opposed by big business and insurance companies.

Iowa--Sixteen Lyndon H. LaRouche Jr. supporters ran in Democratic primaries, losing all five congressional nominations they sought and nine of 11 state legislative nominations. They won only in two districts where they were unopposed.

South Dakota--No statewide races were on the ballot, and there were only 26 primary races for the 105 state Senate and House seats.