Texas in Spotlight as GOP Puts Focus on Wright Seat

Last-minute campaigning was the order of the day in Texas Monday for a special election today to fill the House seat left open by Democratic Rep. Jim Wright, one of a smattering of special and primary elections being held in about a half-dozen states.

Other contests on tap include mayoral primary battles in Detroit; Buffalo, N.Y.; St. Paul, Minn.; Toledo, Ohio, and New Haven, Conn.

Republicans focused their efforts on the Texas election in the hope of chipping into the Democrats’ 255-176 edge in the House. Republican Bob Lanier, a television medical commentator, appears to have a slight edge over Democrat Pete Geren in a district where Wright, a former Speaker of the House who left office in an ethics scandal, is extremely popular.

In Detroit, Democratic Mayor Coleman A. Young is trying to brush off challenges to his bid for a record fifth term in office.

His challengers include Rep. John Conyers Jr., a brash 12-term Democratic congressman who says that Young has been in office too long. Conyers, who like Young is black, has benefited from the vocal support of the Rev. Jesse Jackson, who exhorted a crowd on Monday to “keep hope alive” by voting for Conyers.

The top two vote-getters will advance to the Nov. 7 general election.

Nine candidates are battling to succeed St. Paul Mayor George Latimer, who is quitting after 12 years in office to become a law school dean.

Buffalo Mayor James Griffin is assured of appearing on the November ballot. The maverick Democrat, who is being challenged by two other candidates in the Democratic primary, is also running unopposed for both the Republican and Conservative party nominations.

In New Haven, state Sen. John Daniels is trying to become the first black mayor of the mostly white Connecticut city. Daniels is locked in a tough fight with John DeStefano Jr., the hand-picked candidate of Mayor Biagio DiLieto, who is retiring.