U.S.

Geraldine Ferraro Bows Out

September 15, 1998 / 4:23 PM EDT / AP

New York voters spoiled Geraldine Ferraro's final comeback attempt, setting up a big-money race between a liberal congressman and Republican Sen. Alfonse D'Amato. In Washington state, a conservative congresswoman won the right to challenge Democratic Sen. Patty Murray, a top GOP target.

Elsewhere on the last busy primary day of the year, Minnesota Attorney General Hubert Humphrey III, fresh from achieving a $6.6 billion settlement with tobacco companies, defeated two other sons of famous politicians to win the Democratic nomination for governor.

In Massachusetts, acting Gov. Paul Cellucci, seeking a full term, made a strong showing against a Republican challenger and prepared for a race against the state's Democratic attorney general.

Tuesday's primaries in nine states and the District of Columbia were the first since prosecutor Kenneth Starr released his report on President Clinton's affair with Monica Lewinsky. Republicans will scour the results in coming days, looking for signs that the revelations hurt Democratic candidates.

Ferraro lost a close Senate primary in 1992, but got just 26 percent of the vote this time, a distant second to Rep. Charles Schumer, who won with 51 percent. Six years ago, Democrats were fractured by a bruising primary campaign, but Schumer's rather easy victory gives him momentum to tackle D'Amato, who is considered one of the most vulnerable GOP senators.

Ferraro the only woman ever nominated for the vice presidency announced she had made her final run for office but also made Democratic unity a theme of her concession speech.

"Watch out!" Ferraro warned D'Amato. "Chuck Schumer is coming."

Schumer opened his campaign against D'Amato by saying the three-term senator has been in Washington too long and can't be trusted. D'Amato's campaign manager, Jon Lerner, responded by calling Schumer the Democrats' "most left-of-center candidate."

Schumer spent a record $8 million on the primary and has plenty left. He might need it: D'Amato has raised $20 million.

Washington state's Senate race, the only one in the nation with two women, will also be closely watched.

After a bitter primary campaign, Republicans selected two-term conservative Rep. Linda Smith, who has made campaign finance reform a major issue. She defeated a moderate millionaire, Chris Bayley.

Her opponent will be Sen. Patty Murray, a GOP target who joined the Senate in the 1992 "Year of The Women" elections. National Democratic officials worry that Ross Perot's supporters will latch on to Smith's campaign-finance agenda and make her election a cause.

Smith said Murray has lost her common touch and has been co-opted by Washington power brokers and lobbyists. She also renewed her call for Clinton's resignation and said the senator has been strangely silent about the president's transgressions.

Murray did not return fire, saying she plans t keep the campaign on a higher plane. She said she hasn't asked Clinton to campaign for her.

With 32 Republican governors, Democrats were watching the Massachusetts primary, hoping Cellucci would have trouble and show vulnerability. But he beat Treasurer Joe Malone with 58 percent of the vote.

Attorney General Scott Harshbarger won the three-way Democratic race with 51 percent.

In Minnesota, where Republican Gov. Arne Carlson is retiring after two terms, the Democratic gubernatorial primary became a "My Three Sons" election: Humphrey, the son of the former vice president and senator; Mike Freeman, son of former Gov. Orville Freeman; and Ted Mondale, son of former Vice President Walter Mondale, who was Ferraro's 1984 running mate.

Humphrey, who picked up 37 percent of the vote, will face a close friend and former Democrat, St. Paul Mayor Norm Coleman, who easily won the GOP primary.

New York City Council Speaker Peter Vallone won the Democratic nomination to run against George Pataki, a widely popular governor considered a potential presidential candidate in 2000. Vallone easily defeated two other Democrats, including Lt. Gov. Betsy McCaughey Ross, once a rising GOP star.

Democrats stand a chance of winning a governor's seat in Rhode Island, where Republican Gov. Lincoln Almond is seeking a second term. He had no primary opposition, and 1994 nominee Myrth York easily won the Democratic primary.

Republicans, however, hope to take the governor's office in Maryland, where Democratic incumbent Parris Glendening and Republican Ellen Sauerbrey, who almost beat him four years ago, won their nominations easily.

In House races, Washington state Republicans picked state Sen. Don Benton to face Democrat Brian Baird, who stands a good chance of winning the seat Linda Smith is leaving. Connecticut Democrats picked former state lawmaker John Larson to replace Rep. Barbara Kennelly in a heavily Democratic district. Kennelly is running for governor. In North Carolina, Republicans chose dentist Scott Keadle to face Democratic Rep. Melvin Watt, weakened by redistricting.

In the Massachusetts House district once represented by John F. Kennedy, the mayor of blue-collar Somerville, Michael Capuano, beat former Boston Mayor Ray Flynn and eight other Democrats for the nomination to succeed Rep. Joseph P. Kennedy II.

In Washington, D.C., bow tie-wearing bureaucrat Anthony Williams won the Democratic nomination for mayor, a job that Marion Barry is leaving after four tumultuous ter The Republican nominee is Carol Schwartz.