Lowery in Trouble
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* Your Feb. 25 article “Election ‘Wake Up’ Call Energizes Lowery” was quite well done. Rep. Bill Lowery’s disdain for his constituents has gone largely unnoticed by the press until now.
Apparently voters are growing tired of his cavalier attitude. His narrow 6% victory indicates that he is in trouble.
What was omitted from the article was the fact that, if a Libertarian had been in the race, more than likely Lowery would have lost. Because of a snafu, Lowery ran without a Libertarian opponent for the first time in a decade.
Consider what happened to Republican Sunny Mojonnier in the 75th State Assembly District, an area that largely overlaps Lowery’s congressional district. Like Lowery, Mojonnier expected to win in her safe, gerrymandered Republican district. But, unlike Lowery, she faced a Libertarian, John Murphy.
When the dust settled, Murphy received a remarkable 11% of the vote in the four-way race (the socialist Peace and Freedom candidate received 2%). The dazed Democrat found herself winning the election with only 46% of the popular vote, and Mojonnier (with 41%) found herself without a job.
Lowery can thank his lucky stars he did not face a Libertarian in 1990, and he can count on the fact that there will be a Libertarian contender in 1992.
BETSY HAYWARD, Treasurer, Libertarian Party of San Diego
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