Primaries

Last week more primaries were held. In Wisconsin two important Republican senatorial candidates were Governor John J. Elaine (Wet) supported by Senator Robert M. ("Sonny") LaFollette, and Senator Irvine L. Lenroot (Dry), enthusiastic Coolidge man, although he was elected six years ago on an "insurgent" platform. The extremely bitter fight was won by Governor Elaine, with some 15,000 plurality.

The gubernatorial battle was, if anything, more important than that for senator, because it involved the state machine control shakily assumed by young Senator LaFollette after his famed father's death. The candidate of the LaFollette group was Herman L. Ekern, who was opposed by Fred R. Zimmerman, onetime friend of the elder LaFollette, but hostile to the scion. Mr. Zimmerman won by over 50,000 plurality.

In New Hampshire Senator George H. Moses, antiworld court and president pro tempore of the Senate, was renominated in the Republican primary by a two-to-one vote over onetime (1911-13) Governor Robert P. Bass, his nearest opponent. The score: Mr. Moses, 33,900; Mr. Bass, 16,200. Robert C. Murchie, Concord attorney, was nominated by the Democrats.

In Nevada Senator Tasker L. Oddie, (pro-world Court) won the slackly balloted Republican senatorial nomination over E. E. Roberts, Mayor of Reno. The score: Mr. Oddie, 7,716; Mr. Roberts, 3,665.

The Democratic primary was handled neatly by onetime Director of the Mint Raymond T. Baker (see below). The score: Mr. Baker, 4,363; P. A. McGarren, 2,524.

Arizona voters are pleased with warhorses. Governor George W. P. Hunt, five times Governor, last week was renominated for a sixth term in the Democratic primary, will oppose E. S. Clark, Republican nominee.

War-horse Carl T. Hayden, long (1912-25) Arizona's lone Congressman, received the Democratic senatorial nomination. He will oppose Senator Ralph H. Cameron, unopposed last week in the Republican primary.

In Massachusetts Senator William M. Butler, Chairman of the Republican National Committee, was returned unopposed. He will face Democratic candidate David I. Walsh in the autumn, who likewise was unopposed in the Democratic primary.

Georgia Democratic voters renominated Senator Walter Franklin George, able successor to "Tom" Watson, and rejected Congressman William David Upshaw for a fourth congressional term (see p. 7).

Vermont voters nominated Senator Porter H. Dale without opposition due to the withdrawal of onetime (1900-02) Governor William Wallace Stickney (TIME, July 19).

Last week regular Republicans could no longer hope to control the Senate. It is barely possible that the next Senate will show a Democratic majority. But almost certainly the regular Republicans plus the insurgent Republicans will be a majority, thus giving to the latter the balance of power.