McNamara, Kennedy, Dukakis Victorious in Mock Election

Frank L. McNamaru '69, Republican candidate for the U.S. House of Represenatives seat in the state's 8th district, trounced Thomas P. O'Neill Jr., the long-time Democratic incumbent, by eight percentage points in a campus mock election yesterday.

Harvard students also gave nods to Democratic gubernatorial candidate Michael Dukakis and Sen, Edward M. Kennedy '54 in the one-day election co-sponsored by the campus Republican and Democratic clubs and held at the Union.

The 208 students gave McNamara 54 percent, compared to O'Nell's 46 percent. "This is a meaningful victory," said Daniel A. Frahm '83, head of the Republican Club's McNamara committee. "It must be a big disappointment for the O'Neill forces on campus."

In the race governor, Dukakis received 60 percent of the votes to the 40 percent garnered by John W. Sears '52. In the Senate contest. Kennedy beat Republican Ray Shamie by 55 to 45 percent.

"This polling shows that the Republican party on campus is thriving," said Gregory Gross. '83, president of the Republican Club. "I'm shocked by the incredibly good showing made by all our party's candidates."

"The Republican party appeals to youth by offering progressive new ideas, whereas Democrats only recycle tired old ideas," Gross added.

The Real World

Chris Spaulding '84, president of the Democratic Club downplayed the significance of the results. "We agreed to officially co-sponsor this event but we didn't give any time or effort to getting people our," she said. "We're concentrating on the real election."

McNamara supporters also "made an incredible effort at publicizing their candidate and solicited support for him around the polling table," she added.

Spaulding, however, faulted O'Neill for the Democrat's only loss. "He has been hurt by his confidence and his reluctance to come up here to his district and campaign," she said. "But I'm sure Tip O'Neill won't exactly be discouraged by this result."