RFK Wins in Indiana; 28% Choose McCarthy

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind., May 7--Two million dollars, several hundred speeches, and five weeks of hard campaigning for today's Indiana primary seem to have left the Democratic presidential sweepstakes unchanged.

Continuing his family's perfect winning streak, Senator Robert F. Kennedy scored an inconclusive victory over his two rivals in the Indiana primary--Senator Eugene J. McCarthy and Hoosier Governor Roger D. Branigin, the favorite son candidate.

With 73 per cent of the vote counted, Kennedy, with 42 per cent, led Branigin, with 30, and McCarthy, with 28. Former Vice President Richard M. Nixon, running uncontested in the Republican primary, had 392,098 votes at that time. No write-ins were permitted.

RFK "VERY PLEASED"

Kennedy declared late this evening that he was "very pleased" with the results of the primary. "I came here against the advice of political leaders and all of the pollsters," he said. "I think this shows I can win."

Kennedy had hoped to take more than 45 per cent of the vote in the three-way fight. A vote of over 50 per cent would have seriously injured McCarthy's chances for the nomination and would have thrown a cog in Vice President Hubert H. Humphrey's delegate-gathering bandwagon.

McCarthy declared at an Indianapolis news conference this evening that the results were "inconclusive." "I think I made a good showing; I don't see this as a very serious setback," said the Minnesota Senator.

Although he came in last in the three-cornered race, McCarthy ran very strong. Last weekend, he stated that he would consider 25 per cent of the Indiana vote a victory.

McCarthy appeared to be pulling up fast during the last four days of the campaign after a massive television and radio barrage and his now-typical student canvassing operation. Among black voters, Kennedy scored an impressive 90 per cent in by far the heaviest primary turnout of voters in black areas. Black voters, who comprise about 20 per cent of Indiana voters, live primarily in Indianapolis and Gary.

About 15 per cent of the Republicans voting in today's primary crossed over to vote for Branigin and McCarthy. Kennedy tried to discourage GOP crossovers. Branigin's Republican votes came primarily from lower and lower-middle class voters. McCarthy's crossover votes came from middle and upper-class voters in suburban and university communities.

Slavic voters in Lake County (Gary) divided their votes largely between Kennedy and Branigin. Kennedy was able to capture Lake County by putting together a coalition of whites and blacks based primarily on his personal charisma and a program for jobs which he developed during the Indiana campaign.

Branigin piled up majories in many rural counties where his "Hoosierism" appeared to have succeeded. With 66 per cent of the votes tabulated, the Indiana governor had captured majorities in three of the state's 11 congressional districts. Kennedy took the other eight districts.

Branigin operated his campaign through the powerful Indiana Democratic machine. McCarthy and Kennedy appeared to have circumvented that machine by their strong showings. They both brought in out-of-state students and campaign organizations to fill gaps in their Indiana campaign organizations.

NBC political analyst Richard Scammon pointed out this evening that all three Democratic contenders ran about equal if one subtracts Kennedy's massive Negro vote. Thus, Scammon reasoned, Kennedy still must prove his ability to gather a majority of white voters before the Democratic party will award him the nomination.

The turnout in bright summery weather ran over 1.3 million--the largest in Indiana primary history and the largest of any of the presidential preference primaries this year