Show Under The Capitol Dome By Harry Marlowe 1 Not too much noticed amid the pre election Democratic- Democratic Republican battle for control of the United States Congress is isan isan isan an equally determined battle of the parties for control of the Utah State Legislature Democrats would like nothing better than to wrest control oCI of oC I the state legislative halls from the Republicans and the pre pre- election chances they will do so range from fair to good Most 1 political pundits say the Democrats will have the best chance in the House with dim chances in the Senate They base these estimates on the fact that in the House races both parties are starting from rom scratch while in the Senate the Republicans start out with a 9 D to 3 edge in holdover Senators This would appear to give the Republicans a safe edge for all they have to do is clinch three of the 11 seats at stake to win at least a 12 11 majority But the Democrats arent aren't about about a- a bout to concede defeat They have only to pick up four scats seat along with holding the ones they now control to hold that same 12 11 margin They arc are sure of 2 of the 5 seats they now occupy which are on the ballot ballotin in November Neither Sen Alonzo Alonzo Alonzo A- A lonzo F F. Hopkin of Woodruff nor Sen Francis Fowles of Ogden has any opposition The Democrats arc are basing their battle for control on a campaign aimed at swinging the big three counties Salt I Lake Ve Weber b er and Utah into their camp They are sure of Webers Weber's sen sen- ator They are sure of four of the five representatives Aftel After After Af Af- Af- Af ter tel all none of f these four have gone Republican since Hector was a pup They are e hopeful of knocking off the lone Republican Republican Republican Re Re- publican in the House contingent contingent contingent contin contin- gent from Weber In Utah County Democratic strategists think they can ean pick pickup pickup pickup up one of the two Senate posts both now held by Republicans They hope for at least two of the fire House seats In Salt Lake Democrats point out that very seldom is there therean an election year split in the Senate contingent to be elected This year two Republicans and andone andone andone one Democrat put their seats on the line Democrats are quietly predicting they will win all three seats scats in the Senate They are I also predicting t they ey will take 14 to the 19 House Seats That alone would give them a areal areal areal real springboard on their way to possible Legislature control This picture particularly in Salt Lake County is not a pleasant pleasant pleasant plea plea- sant one to Republicans a and n d particularly to Republicans in counties other than the self- self styled Big Three There has always been a considerable considerable considerable con con- tendency among Salt Sal Lake County legislators to regard regard regard re re- re- re gard anything outside of Salas Salt Sal t Lake as unimportant It has been the experience of this writer that some of th the e pro labor Democrats in the Legislature Legislature Legislature Leg Leg- have been more pronto prone pron e I to hold this attitude than havethe havethe have havethe the Republicans although this unfair and unfounded feeling i inot is s not confined to politicians o of one party A good many Salt Lake citizens who should know better also seem to hold this idea The general consensus under the Dome is that Republicans can hold control of the Legislature Legislature Legislature Legis Legis- lature but not without an out all-out battle against the re resurgent resurgent resurgent re- re Democrats |