Letter from Washington

Many of the deep divisions within the Republican Party growing out of the Reagan-Ford primary fight threaten to remain permanent. A case in point: the open feud between North Carolina Senator Jesse Helms and Governor James Holshouser. Helms, one of the Senate’s very few 100 per cent conservatives, has been stumping the state for Reagan, and his own former campaign manager, Tom Ellis, is Reagan’s state campaign manager. Holshouser, North Carolina’s first Republican governor in a century, is Ford’s Southern campaign coordinator. Ellis has been attacking Holshouser for using state planes, personnel, and money to campaign for Ford, and has been attempting to exploit the Bo Callaway issue, pointing out that Holshouser’s chief aide had once worked for Callaway in a Georgia gubernatorial campaign. Holshouser’s aides in turn accuse the Reagan camp of attempting to sabotage Holshouser’s pro-Ford appearances by scheduling Reagan for campaign stops at the same times and in the same places. The feud has intensified, say aides in both camps, and it will not end with the primary. Ford has promised that if he is elected, Holshouser will serve in his Cabinet. Holshouser, who cannot succeed himself, is expected to use his tour in Washington to increase his visibility, and to return to North Carolina in 1978 to run against Helms in the primary. Helms has strong support among conservative Democrats as well as Republicans and would have the edge in a general election. But Holshouser is considered stronger among regular Republicans, and since there is no crossover voting in North Carolina primaries, he is given the advantage. And it is an open secret in the White House that all adamant Reaganites are now on the Administration’s enemies list.

Campaign notes: Jimmy Carter tells audiences that there are 1,900 federal agencies and he intends to reduce the number to 200. He also says, however, that he will support the creation of yet another agency having to do with environmental protection and a separate Department of Education. Newsmen traveling with Carter say he spoke favorably in Florida of creating a new Department of Health. Carter’s candidacy will meet its stiffest test on May 11, in Nebraska, where Hubert Humphrey’s name will remain on the ballot.Ford critics find it peculiarly coincidental that the closing of certain military bases, long rumored to be in the works, wasn’t announced until after the primary in Florida, the state due to be hardest hit. Ronald Reagan, on Ford’s campaign stops in North Carolina: “If he comes with the same sort of goodies he brought to Florida, the band won’t know whether to play ‘Hail to the Chief’ or ‘Santa Claus Is Coming to Town.’ ” George Wallace claims that Jimmy Carter promised to support him in 1972 and then reneged. Wallace backers are circulating flyers at Carter rallies listing the former governor’s sins in Georgia. Among them: “As governor of Georgia, he had the portrait of Communist-associated civil-rights agitator Martin Luther King place [sic] in [sic] state capitol.”

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Presidential Election

Many of the deep divisions within the Republican Party growing out of the Reagan-Ford primary fight threaten to remain permanent. A case in point: the open feud between North Carolina Senator Jesse Helms and Governor James Holshouser. Helms, one of the Senate’s very few 100 per cent conservatives, has been stumping the state for Reagan, and his own former campaign manager, Tom Ellis, is Reagan’s state campaign manager. Holshouser, North Carolina’s first Republican governor in a century, is Ford’s Southern campaign coordinator. Ellis has been attacking Holshouser for using state planes, personnel, and money to campaign for Ford, and has been attempting to exploit the Bo Callaway issue, pointing out that Holshouser’s chief aide had once worked for Callaway in a Georgia gubernatorial campaign. Holshouser’s aides in turn accuse the Reagan camp of attempting to sabotage Holshouser’s pro-Ford appearances by scheduling Reagan for campaign stops at the same times and in the same places. The feud has intensified, say aides in both camps, and it will not end with the primary. Ford has promised that if he is elected, Holshouser will serve in his Cabinet. Holshouser, who cannot succeed himself, is expected to use his tour in Washington to increase his visibility, and to return to North Carolina in 1978 to run against Helms in the primary. Helms has strong support among conservative Democrats as well as Republicans and would have the edge in a general election. But Holshouser is considered stronger among regular Republicans, and since there is no crossover voting in North Carolina primaries, he is given the advantage. And it is an open secret in the White House that all adamant Reaganites are now on the Administration’s enemies list.

Campaign notes: Jimmy Carter tells audiences that there are 1,900 federal agencies and he intends to reduce the number to 200. He also says, however, that he will support the creation of yet another agency having to do with environmental protection and a separate Department of Education. Newsmen traveling with Carter say he spoke favorably in Florida of creating a new Department of Health. Carter’s candidacy will meet its stiffest test on May 11, in Nebraska, where Hubert Humphrey’s name will remain on the ballot.Ford critics find it peculiarly coincidental that the closing of certain military bases, long rumored to be in the works, wasn’t announced until after the primary in Florida, the state due to be hardest hit. Ronald Reagan, on Ford’s campaign stops in North Carolina: “If he comes with the same sort of goodies he brought to Florida, the band won’t know whether to play ‘Hail to the Chief’ or ‘Santa Claus Is Coming to Town.’ ” George Wallace claims that Jimmy Carter promised to support him in 1972 and then reneged. Wallace backers are circulating flyers at Carter rallies listing the former governor’s sins in Georgia. Among them: “As governor of Georgia, he had the portrait of Communist-associated civil-rights agitator Martin Luther King place [sic] in [sic] state capitol.”