CAMPAIGN '74: Democrats: Now the Morning After

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Turnouts were generally low—an estimated national average of 38%, the lowest since 1946—but voters were not necessarily apathetic about the issues. Explains Yankelovich: "No choices of action on the issues were offered them, so many said: Why bother? What difference does it make?" But even though about three-fifths of the registered voters stayed home, there were some noteworthy trends. In the Northeast, the old Democratic coalition of blue-collar ethnics, white-collar liberals and minorities helped elect three Governors: Hugh Carey in New York, Ella Grasso in Connecticut and Michael S. Dukakis in Massachusetts. In the South, a new breed of moderate Democrats ended a decade of growth by Republicans. In the Midwest, big Democratic victories for state offices made it definite that formerly overwhelmingly Republican bastions like Iowa are now two-party states and states like Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois are becoming Democratic strongholds.

Some Republicans feared that the defeat portended the eventual end of their party. They noted that only 23% of U.S. adults classify themselves as Republican, down five points since 1972. A decade ago, the party bounced back from the Goldwater debacle and was victorious in the mid-term elections of 1966. But G.O.P. Leader Rita E. Hauser of New York City fears that Republicans may not be able to do so now. She explains: "Six years of Nixon-Agnew-Ford have pushed the party too far to the right. The party has become too narrowly based."

Still, many state-level Republicans shook off the dust of defeat and began trying to rebuild. In Illinois, for example, the party in recent years had fallen under the control of conservatives, who alienated moderates. "We'd better get the message," declared Senator Charles Percy, as he called for a strategy meeting next week of the Illinois party's county chairmen and other officials.

Looking ahead to 1976, some public opinion analysts believe that the Republican defeat did not damage Ford's standing with the American public. Says Pollster William R. Hamilton, whose Washington, D.C.-based firm works almost exclusively for Democrats: "Our studies show that he is still a moderately popular President. What matters for Ford is how he handles the presidency in the next two years."

The election results vastly unproved the Democrats' position in the race for the White House in 1976. In particular, the victories enhanced the potential presidential candidacies of three Senators who campaigned widely for the party: Mondale, Lloyd M. Bentsen of Texas and Henry M. Jackson of Washington. Others from Congress who will be looked on as possibilities include Representative Morris K. Udall of Arizona, Senator Birch Bayh of Indiana and Senators-elect John Glenn of Ohio and Dale Bumpers of Arkansas. Several present and newly elected Governors will also be talked about as potential candidates, among them Brown, Carey, Daniel Walker of Illinois and George Wallace of Alabama.