Set-back for Nixon

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33512, 18 April 1974, Page 11

Set-back for Nixon

<X.Z. Presi Ann—Copyright) . SAGINAW (Michigan). April 17. President Nixon’s battered political prestige suffered a heavy defeat last night, when the Republicans lost yet another key Congressional election: Mr .lames Sparling, for whom Mr Nixon had insisted on

campaigning personally in the east Michigan district of Saginaw, conceded defeat to a Democrat. Mr Robert Traxler, in a contest for a Republican seat in the of Representatives. Mr Traxler, aged 42. a lawyer, became the fourth I Democrat this year to cap-1 ture a seat in the House long held by the Republicans. By 1 defeating Mr Sparling, he ended a 42-year Republican hold on Michigan's eighth district. When all of the votes in the 296 precincts had been counted. Mr Traxler had 59.918. and Mr Sparling. 56.575. The tally gave Mr Traxler 51 4 per cent of the v >te. about .54 per cent of the electorate having voted. Acknowledging victory while bis supporters chanted "Nixon must go!” Mr Traxler said: "More good people will be elected in November, with the idea of throwing the rascals out and giving good government to the people.” The Democratic candidate had campaigned as much against Mr Nixon as against' Mr Sparling, describing the contest as "a referendum on | Nixon policies and moral leadership Mr Sparling and the state's Republican chairman Mr William McLaughlin, who had -pent most of the last month in Saginaw, refused to hiame Mr Nixon for the defeat "If the campaign was l ot. it was lost bv Jim SparI ne" Mr Sparling declared -Watergate was absolutely

not an issue in the campaign.” In previous Republican defeats, in Ohio and Grand Rapids, post-election surveys • showed that opposition to Mr •Nixon’s handling of the Watergate scandal and other; problems had contributed! strongly to the outcome. Because of this, some; Michigan Republican leaders • had questioned Mr Sparling's decision to invite Mr Nixon; • to campaign on his behalf.; though most said after the)

■ President’s visit that they .thought it had helped. The White House had hoped that the result would be , a Republican victory ■ which would demonstrate renewed faith in the President and perhaps ease impeach'ment pressure in the House. Mr Traxler’s victory increases the Democrats’ • strength in th p House to 247. There are 187 Republicans, •and one vacancy, in Cali[firnia. which will not be .filled until November.