Hart’s N. England hat trick

Press, 8 March 1984, Page 10

Hart’s N. England hat trick

NZPA-AP Montpelier Senator Gary Hart’s campaign for the Democratic Presidential nomination has picked up even more momentum by adding a third victory in a row against the former American Vice-President, Walter Mondale. This time the margin was a three-to-one thrashing. Mr Hart, fuelling a campaign that caught fire a week ago, won a lopsided victory yesterday in Vermont’s “beauty-contest” primary, so-called because it was not binding on the delegates. The victory was expected in Mr Hart’s Vermont headquarters, but not the margin of more than 70 per cent over Mr Mondale that the unofficial tally showed with 83 per cent of. the precincts in. At that stage the figures showed Mr Hart with 71 per cent of the votes and Mr Mondale with 20 per cent. “If I were in the White House tonight, I would be very concerned about the Hart candidacy. He represents a far more significant threat to the President than does Walter Mondale,” said

an elated Oliver Henkel, the winner’s campaign manager.

The triumph gave Mr Hart a clean sweep of northern New England and unmistakable momentum going into delegate-rich elections next week in Massachusetts and the South.

"There appears to be a Republican cross-over. I feel that’s the real story to come out of Vermont,” said Mr Henkel.

No nominating delegates were at stake, but Mr Mondale had wanted to stem the Hart surge. “New Hampshire, Maine has hurt. I assume Vermont will hurt,” said Mr Mondale, campaigning in Florida. He said that he would now focus exclusively in the South.

“We were really not contesting Vermont. We spent little or no money there... this was one we just couldn’t afford to be in.”

Mr Mondale has been losing since his victory on February 20 in lowa caucuses briefly established his front-runner credentials.