Crane, Buczko, Connolly Win: 'A Night for the Democrats'

The computers broke down last night, and consequently, the campaign headquarters of many Massachusetts candidates agonized late into the night over their heroes. But Lew Crampton himself--Republican challenger for state treasurer against 14-year Democratic incumbent Robert Crane--stepped into his Harvard Club headquarters with a polite smile on his face, losing.

"I think it's going to be a rough night," he said. "The Democratic pull in this state just seems to be tremendous."

In other races, Thaddeus Buczko, long-time Democrat incumbent, defeated Timothy O'Brien for state auditor. Also, Democrat Mike Connolly defeated former MDC commissioner John Sears for secretary of state.

By this time, Brooke had conceded, and ABC had picked King to be the next governor of the Commonwealth. Though the green blackboard in the basement of the Commonwealth Ave. Harvard Club boasted the Newton-Boston returns--3555 for Crampton, 3372 for Crane--Crampton reported that the computer-tally break-down stalled the real story, and the story really was that Crampton was behind, by his own estimate--"about 21/2 or 31/2 to one."

Lazy Media

"I think the media has been lazy," Debra Garrett, Crampton's press secretary said last night. "There were a lot of real issues in this campaign--real favoritism and corruption on Crane's part--that were lost in the Hatch-King glamor...oh, what have I said," Garrett giggled, sipping out of a wine glass.

The Republican groupies stepped soft-shoe through the crimson glamor of the Harvard Club, looking at oak wall fixtures and wondering at the absurdity of it all.

"It is ironic that Crane can win when he has erred so consistently in the past," Crampton said. He said that media visibility and "a lack of grass-roots campaigning and support like the Democrats had" hurt his campaign, but (smiling all the time) said, "I'll be back."

In the wake of it all, Crampton said, "Really this is going to be a night for Democrats, I think."