Dukakis Triumphs In Wisconsin Race

MILWAUKEE--Mass. Gov. Michael S. Dukakis scored a convincing victory in the Wisconsin primary last night, cutting the Rev. Jesse Jackson's momentum in the Democratic presidential race and reaching for control in the struggle for the nomination.

"It was a great victory for us," Dukakis said, "I hope it's a sign of things to come," he added, looking ahead to the New York and Pennsylvania primaries later this month.

With returns in from 57 percent of Wisconsin's precincts, the Massachusetts governor had won 311,160 votes or 47 percent, Jackson had 197,795 votes or 30 percent, Gore 109,384 or 17 percent and Simon 31,389 or 5 percent.

Bush was winning 85 percent of the vote, to 7 percent each for Robertson and recent campaign dropout Sen. Robert Dole (R.-Kan.)

Dukakis also celebrated a narrow victory over Jackson in the Colorado caucuses, which were marked by a slow and controversial count. Together, Wisconsin and Colorado added to his slender lead in the competition for delegates to the Democratic National Convention.

For the Democrats, Wisconsin turned out to be a surprisingly important test in their nominating wars, a gauge of the struggling Dukakis campaign and of Jackson's surprising monentum. It was a prelude, as well, to delegate-rich primaries in New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio just ahead.

Dukakis worked hard in the state to quell party leaders' fears over his ability to fend off Jackson and attract blue-collar votes, particularly after the governor's poor showings in Illinois and Michigan last month. His victory seems likely to reassure establishment leaders, many of whom fear that Jackson would sink the party if he won the nomination.

For the same reason, the Dukakis victory is likely to stifle talk of drafting New York Gov. Mario Cuomo or another Democrat into the race.

Jackson aimed for a win in a state where only 4 percent of the voters were Black, in a bid for dramatic new stature in the contest.

The polls indicated that Jackson, who won the state's minuscule Black vote overwhelmingly, captured between 20 and 25 percent of the white vote as well. While this figure by far exceeded the 7 percent Jackson receivedin 1984, it was not enough to secure him amajority.

He said yesterday, "I feel good. After 40contests, I've come in number one or number two in30 of them. I'm proud of that."

The former civil rights leader campaigned hardhere, following his surprising Michigan caucusvictory late last month. He appeared on the coversof Time and Newsweek and drew large andenthusiastic crowds in a state where whites makeup more than 95 percent of the electorate.

But ABC poll analyst Doug Muzzio warned, "Wemay be looking at his ceiling here."

"We're seeing a dual electorate--a Blackelectorate and a white electorate," the analystadded. "Jackson does extremely well among Blacks,and Dukakis does substantially well among whites."

Despite the Dukakis victory, a CBS pollindicated that the governor's support was softerthan Jackson's or Gore's. It found that thegovernor's support was evenly split between firmbackers and those who liked him "withreservations," while Jackson's strong supportersby far outnumbered his weak ones.

Sen. Albert Gore Jr. '69 (D.-Tenn.) ran adistant third in Wisconsin. But even so, hepronounced himself "extremely pleased."

The Tennessee senator spent heavily intelevision advertising in hopes of sneaking up onhis rivals or at least winning 20 percent of thepopular vote--the percentage necessary tore-qualify his campaign for federal matchingfunds.

While Gore predicted "a hard-fought battle allthe way to the convention," Sen. Paul Simon(D.-Ill.), a poor fourth, seemed likely to suspendactive campaigning later in the week.

Wisconsin had 81 Democratic delegates at stake,with Dukakis receiving 43, Jackson 26 and Gore 12.Going into the evening, Dukakis led Jackson, 692to 683, and Gore had 382 delegates. Simon had 171and 517 were uncommitted. The Democratic nomineemust receive 2081.

Bush easily defeated former televisionevangelist Pat Robertson in the Republican raceand the addition of 47 Wisconsin delegates broughthis total to 888. He needs 1039 for the nominationand ought to have enough some time this month.

The Wisconsin primary overshadowed Colorado'scaucuses in terms of delegates as well asimportance in the competition for momentum in theweeks to come.

Returns from 73 percent of Colorado's 2784precincts showed Dukakis with 3974 delegates, or45.4 percent, to Jackson's 3453 delegates or 39.5percent. Uncommitted delegates totaled 1069, or12.2 percent, and Gore received 236 delegates, or2.7 percent.

Dukakis stood to gain some 21 nationalconvention delegates from Colorado if hemaintained his lead. Jackson would win 17delegates and another seven would be uncommitted.

The Democratic caucuses were held acrossColorado on Monday night, but significant returnswere not reported until yesterday by the stateDemocratic Party. The slow count brought sharpcriticism from Jackson, who accused State ChairmanBuie Seawell of "deliberately controlling theprocess" by remaining as party chairman afterpublicly supporting Dukakis.

Under Wisconsin state rules, Republicans werepermitted to "cross over" and vote in theDemocratic contest. When GOP Gov. Tommy Thompsonpraised Jackson last week, some Democrats fearedthat Republicans might vote for the former civilrights leader in the belief that he would make aneasy mark for Bush in November.AP WirephotoGov. MICHAEL S. DUKAKIS