Two Candidates Face Runoff to Replace Wright

Republican Dr. Bob Lanier will meet Democrat Pete Geren in a runoff for a congressional replacement for Jim Wright, the former House Speaker toppled by ethics charges, Ft. Worth-area voters decided Saturday.

Lanier, host of the nationally syndicated TV health show “60 Second Housecall,” garnered 21,978 ballots, or 39% of the vote, to 17,751 votes, or 32%, for Geren, a Ft. Worth lawyer and former aide to Sen. Lloyd Bentsen (D-Tex.).

That made a runoff necessary, since one candidate had to get more than 50% to win.

Democrat Jim Lane came in third with 12,308 votes, or 22%. The remaining five candidates--two Democrats, two Republicans and a Libertarian--trailed far behind.

In an emotionally charged referendum in Dallas, voters approved by a 2-1 margin a proposal to reorganize the City Council in an effort to equalize voting power between whites and minorities. The proposal received 41,456 votes, to 20,823 against.

At the American Legion post where Wright and his wife, Betty, cast ballots earlier Saturday, a steady stream of voters turned out.

Turnout had been expected to play a large part in the election because few issues divided the candidates, and many residents remained angry that they had to vote for anyone other than the popular Wright.

In the congressional race, Lanier and Geren had been the front-runners in a recent opinion poll.

Each man had his party’s endorsements.