Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 5, 1986)
Wednesday WEATHER: Wednesday, mostly sunny and warmer. High 55 to 60. South wind 5 to 10 mph. Wednes day night, partly cloudy. Low in the mid-30s. Thursday, mostly cloudy. High 50 to 55. NU volleyball team defeats Wildcats Sports, Page 5 The inimitable genius of 'The World of Quino' Arts and Entertainment, Page 6 November 5, 1986 University of Nebraska-Lincoln Vol.86 No.52 Out defeats IBtos&Ms in Motoric raee Ready Orr not, here she comes; Nebraska gets its First Gentleman By Jen Deselms and Kevin Freadhoff Staff Reporters At 8:05 p.m. Tuesday night, Kay Orr supporters first heard their candidate was projected a winner by CBS news. But it wasn't until four hours later that Democratic opponent Helen Boo salis formally acknowledged defeat, sealed with a concession speech from her party across town in the Corn husker Hotel. Early Wednesday morning, with 91 percent of the votes counted, Orr had 263,727 votes, 52 percent, and Boosalis 241,623 or 48 percent. At 8:05 p.m. Barry Kennedy, Media Coordinator for the Orr Campaign said Orr was running ahead in Omaha, slightly behind in Lincoln, and the numbers in the third district were really good. "We're coasting now to victory I believe," Kennedy said. The ages of the supporters varied jis proclaimed the race to still be "a from the old to the very young. One SqUeaker" a 10:55. child ran across the floor carrying a During Boosalis' concession an- baby bottle. nouncement at 12:20 a.m. someone Heath Smith, a 9-year-old third grader yelled "just say it" and one woman from Ithaca, predicted Orr as the winner explained what conceding meant to a J At- -A A - 1 1 A - r ... irom me siari oi ner race agamsi boo- young boy next to her. he was going to do as first man of the state. He said, "Cook." Bill Orr later proved he was serious about cooking by showing the covers for the famous Bill Orr's cookbook. He said he had been threatening to pub lish a first gentleman's cookbook for some time but hadn't compiled any recipes yet. He said he could make good chicken salad, and that would probably be the first recipe in his book. Bill Orr said he and his wife had plans for a vacation, and the place they plan to go to is "five hours from Puerto Rico by phone." When Orr, 47, first addressed the crowd from her platform at around 9:30 p.m. she said, "We haven't done it yet. There is good news, wonderful to watch that television set, hear those national networks predict that we are going to win this, but it's not over yet." The crowds watching television cov erage of the election cheered through out the nlghf as 'Orr' s lead over 'Boosalis increased, but was silent when Boosa- salis. Heath said he helped his mother, chairwoman of the Orr campaign in Saunders County, pass out stickers during the campaign. He met Orr and saw President Reagan in Omaha, which he said "gave me the goosebumps." Heath said he told Orr she was going to be the next governor and "she would make a nice governor." When Orr and her husband, Bill, greeted the crowd, he was asked what After the Boosalis announcement, the crowd began chanting "Go Kay Orr" and "We Want Kay." Orr appeared about 15 minutes later. Orr said in her victory speech that she stood before the people of Nebraska with a great deal of gratitude. She said that improving Nebraska will be tough, but can be done. Orr said that united Nebraskans can accomplish their goals, and nothing can stop them. School consolidation law repealed; seat belt law retained by voters By The Associated Press amendment to reduce the burden of Nebraska's school consolidation law proof needed to convict a state official, was repealed by voters Tuesday, and An amendment allowing the Legisla te mandatory seat belt law was ture to convene in December to organ retained, ize for its 90-day sessions was on a path Voters approved a constitutional toward passage. 1 ! ! : L ir "it JrA lo 7 v ' ; J I 1 I . Q 'M " , . i i il S Vv J j Paul VondertageDaily Nebraskan Governor-elect Kay Orr and her husband Bill are all smiles after Orr's victory speech early Wednesday morning. The party's over; Boosalis bunch bows in defeat By Michael Hooper Senior Reporter It was shortly after midnight at the Cornhusker Hotel, and the diehard supporters of Helen Boosalis were cheering, clapping and chanting, "We want Helen. We want Helen." Boosalis took the stand and spoke. "It was an open, honest and for thright campaign." she said, in con ceding her defeat to Republican oppo nent Kay Orr. "But my dear friends. . .it has become increasingly apparent as the returns come in that the people of Nebraska" have chosen Orr Boosalis, 67, told the crowd of about 300 to 500 that she hoped they would pledge to help the next governor .through the next four years. The next four years in Nebraska are going to be tough years, she said, and Nebraskans need to work together to survive and solve the state's problems. With 1,741 of 1,912 precincts report ing or 91 percent, Boosalis had 241,623 votes or 48 percent and Orr had 263,727 or 52 percent. Boosalis reminded her supporters that they "answered the call" to help in the campaign and that together "we made one heck of a race." The crowd began to dwindle after the count showed 158,636 for Boosalis and 164,687 for Orr. This count came after most of the 1st and 2nd district votes had been counted and many of the 3rd district had just come in. But Boosalis and her supporters weren't willing to concede so quickly. About 10:45 p.m., when Boosalis was behind in the count, she appeared with Gov. Bob Kerrey and her husband Michael Boosalis, and said she was going to win. Boosalis entered the race not for herself, Kerrey said, but the people of Nebraska. "I believe she still will win," he said, "and be the next governor. " . . .Regardless of the outcome, here was a battle worth fighting, here was a cause worth winning," Kerrey said. Theresa Hayden, a full-time volun teer for Boosalis, said Boosalis taught Nebraskans what government is all about. "My only regret is the lost opportun ity of what Helen would have done for this state," Hayden said, "and the way she would have brought people together." The hundreds of supporters in the room full of red, white and blue bal loons, varied from the elderly to small children, some of them plastered with Boosalis bumper stickers. Seven-year-old Eric McAndrew said he has been a long-standing Boosalis fan. McAndrew said he put stamps on letters, handed out stickers and "little pieces of paper telling about Helen." "I'm just .waiting for the reports to come out to see who wins," McAndrew said around 10:30 p.m. Roger Aden, director of communi cations for Boosalis, said that after nearly a year of campaigning he was "tired." "But at the same time I have this nervous energy,'and that's what keeps me going," he said. "It almost seems unfair to have it all end in one night," Aden said. Although much of the crowd was cheering for Boosalis, many were "bummed" that she lost against Orr. "I'm bummed, real bummed" that Boosalis lost, said Dave Meile, a UNL student. As the Boosalis supporters drank, ate and mingled, or stood in front of the televison watching the results come in, Boosalis supporter Marc Seger said he was unhappy with the outcome. "I thought Helen was going to pull it out," said Seger, a UNL student. "But right now (about 11 p.m.) I don't know." In her closing speech, Helen reminded the crowd that "tonight will probably be the strongest memory of the cam paign." But, she said, the campaign also had its good times, .