Popular Demo To Campaign Here
By Herb Sundstrom
April 21, 1960
A tiny shaft of the national limelight will show on Summersville next week with the visit of Senator Hubert Humphrey, Democratic Presidential candidate. Currently locked in a spirited fight with fellow Senator John Kenney for the popularity prize in West Virginia, Humphrey will tour the state by bus with a breakfast stop scheduled for 7:45 a.m. at the Stonewall Jackson Grill.
According to the tentative schedule the Minnesota solon will then visit voters in Summersville before proceeding to Craigsville, Cowen, Webster Springs and Buckhannon. Mr. Robert Barrie, executive director of the Humphrey for President Committee, noted that three full days have been added to Senate [sic] Humphrey's schedule, giving him time to visit every part of the state by special chartered bus. An April 30th visit to Richwood to attend the opening of fishing season and ramp festival is a possibility.
In the recent Wisconsin primary Humphrey made a respectable showing as he trailed Kennedy, current favorite in the Democratic pre-convention polls, by some 100,000 votes. The West Virginia contest is being viewed nationally as the second, and crucial, contest for both entrants. Taking note of talk of a Stop Kennedy Campaign, Humphrey's chairman said that "we're not in this election to stop anybody. We're in it to stop the shameful neglect of West Virginia." He added that the youthful Senator was "going to deal with issues and not personalities- and he was going to talk straight, hard-hitting, Roosevelt - Truman liberalism."
Due to limited space for the breakfast, the meal will be confined to the Humphrey party and members of the county and local Democratic Committees. After the repast townspeople will get an opportunity to see and hear the personable and able candidate for the shot at the nation's highest office. Father of four children, Humphrey is known as a tireless campaigner and fine speaker.
According to West Virginia election laws the winner is not necessarily assured on the convention votes of the state delegation. The delegates are not bound by the result and the contest thus becomes a popularity contest between the two Senators. However, great importance has been attached to the result which could effect both contestants chances at the convention. Preliminary polls show the Minnesota political wonder as having a great chance in West Virginia.
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