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Connally, Carr, and SmithA Slate, ‘Arm-in-Arm,’ or Not? on poverty and opposing the repeal of 14-B now seem less conservative in Texas because the Democratic governor does both. Tower opposes home rule for Washington, D.C. He’s going to Viet Nam Thanksgiving. Tower is genuinely enjoying the Democrats’ senatorial dilemma, but he declines to be drawn into the “brawl,” as he calls it. He looks relaxed and happy, not the least bit worried. Obviously he is pleased by two potential variables: if his opponent is Carr, liberal Democratic defections similar to those from Bill Blakley’s candidacy in 1961; if his opponent is Cong. Jim Wright, conservative Democrats’ defecting over 14-B. He has plenty of room for broken-field running and knows it. V When Joe Belden takes a poll, politi cians can pay him to have him ask some extra questions for them. .He gives them the returns, does not include them in his published Texas Poll. Recently Tower paid $500 to have Belden ask how voters regard Tower and Yarborough, and the poll showed 59% approve of Tower and 58% of Yarborough, people close to Tower say. Latin-American and Negro voters were disapproving of Tower about 2-to-1, but his strategists take this as an indication that he might be able to dilute the often solid minority voting for the Democrat. \(Of course Tower’s record is anti-civil joir Tower says his support of Goldwater won’t hurtthe voters didn’t hold Yarborough’s support of Stevenson against Yarborough, Tower argues. In this connection, however, there’s a fly in Tower’s ointment. The Dallas Times-Herald in Washington discovered, in records of the House clerk, that the national Citizens for Goldwater-Miller group that raised funds for Goldwater in 1964 is still dispensing leftover funds and has just contributed $5,000 to the “Friends of John Tower,” obviously for Tower’s re-election kitty. \(That kitty was sweetened by roughly $40,000 at the $100 a plate dinner for Tower in Houston V Whether Tower’s “image” is anti Birch or tolerant of Birchers is not yet clear. Jim Mayor, Houston GOP chairman, has pointed to Tower’s introduction of Wm. Buckley’s anti-Birch articles into the Congressional Record. Tower and George Bush threw in with Mayor against right-wingers in Houston recently. But when national GOP leaders advocated throwing Birchers out of the GOP, Tower, asked about this in Houston, said he didn’t know that they were infiltrating, the GOP, and that they’re in the Democratic as well as the Republican parties. V Tower’s most vulnerable immod eration since he crusaded for Goldwater is a little letter he wrote to the Houston Tribune last month saying that one-year-old Houston newspaper is “a responsible, competent publication” and “a newspaper fully in the Texas tradition of fearless, forthright, and patriotic journalism.” The Tribune is the most right-wing newspaper in Texas, except for the one in Borger. Vr Carr took only one policy position when he announced for the U.S. Senate race next yearthat he is against repeal of 14-B. He allowed as how Cong. Jim Wright probably hurt himself with Texas voters when Wright voted for that repeal. Except for 14-B, Carr still has most of his policy statements on federal issues ahead of him. Carr timed his announcement to have it reported along with Connally’s, and when asked if Connally was for him, said he’d talked to the governor, but reporters should ask Connally. The governor had no comment just then. Carr said he had not talked over his announcement with President Johnson but hoped for his support. V Who will President Johnson be for? Not Carr that’s the consensus. Wright told supporters who met with him in Fort Worth recently that the President is for him, but won’t publicly endorse him. While the Houston Tribune’s report that Connally is for Carr and Johnson is for Wright is too flat-footed, it does describe the tendencies in the situation. Wright has found it needful to say that he would be surprised if Connally “would presume” to influence the Senate primary. Wright continues to be worried about his vulnerability on the left because of his vote against the 1964 civil rights bill. Negroes recently walked out of a meeting on his candidacy in Houston when this vote came up. Some of Wright’s supporters are trying to get him to make a statement that he’s all for the 1964 law, now that it’s’ law. V The blue-ribbon sponsorship of the Oct. 23 appreciation dinner for Wright in Fort Worth doesn’t mean much, because his role in getting the Trinity River project passed has created an obligation-in-self-interest that the leaders of the area power structure attend this function. As to how Wright’s fund raising is going, first we hear it’s tough, then that it’s going well. The News reports that Wright may run for lieutenant governor. V Although he may deny it, Sen. Frank lin Spears of San Antonio, announced along with Crawford Martin for attorney general, is bucking the Connally syndrome, just as Wright is. Connally sent thanks to Spears, \(during the senator’s successful appreciation dinner in San Antonio last “fine support of my recommendations.” But when Martin announced, Martin said he had talked it over with Connally three hours, and that since Connally had ap pointed him secretary of state, he hoped Connally would vote for him. Spears hotly told the press Connally is already governor and Speaker of the House and that surely he doesn’t want to be attorney general, too; Spears couldn’t believe that Connally would be “that presumptuous.” Speaker Ben Barnes said during a reception in his honor in San Antonio that Spears came by and apologized for the remark; when Spears announced, he said he has been a October 15, 1965