The Midwest

The G.O.P. suffered its most painful setbacks in the heartland of Republicanism. Ten Democrats unseated Republicans--three in Illinois, two each in Missouri and Michigan and one each in Indiana, Minnesota and Wisconsin. In addition, an Ohio Democrat defeated Independent Frazier Reams. Republicans managed to take Democratic seats in Ohio and Kansas, for a net loss of eight Midwestern places.

The Midwest produced some interesting new House faces. Among the three Illinois Democrats to unseat Republican incumbents was Charles Boyle, egg-bald at 47, who has eight children and was named Chicago's "Father of the Year" in 1952. In a district never before won by a Democrat, Boyle handily defeated able G.O.P. Incumbent Edgar Jonas. Boyle had little idea of winning; he was really trying to make his name well enough known to run for alderman next year. When he realized he was about to become a Congressman, he called a friend and wailed: "What do I do now? I can't afford to go to Washington!"

Wisconsin Republican Charles Kersten, who had conducted lengthy, well-documented hearings into brutality behind the Iron Curtain, lost to one of the nation's most consistent also-rans. Henry Reuss, 42, an able Milwaukee attorney, played football, basketball and baseball in high school--all on second teams. He went to Harvard Law School, where he failed to fall under the influence of Felix Frankfurter because "he always thought I was fairly stupid." Reuss, as a college editor, even managed to support Herbert Hoover in 1932 (he didn't think the nation should change horses in the middle of a Depression). He has run unsuccessfully for mayor of Milwaukee, state attorney general and U.S. Senator. Last year he managed to win an election for the first time --to a school board. He beat Kersten by 6,000 votes.

In Minnesota, Mrs. Coya (short for Cornelia) Knutson, 42, a blonde housewife and schoolteacher, upset G.O.P. Incumbent Harold Hagen in a district that had gone upwards of 60% Republican in recent elections. Both candidates spoke out against the Benson farm program--but Mrs. Knutson spoke oftener. A former student at New York's Juilliard School of Music, she is credited with visiting every farm in the district, playing the piano and singing, to the tune of Casey Jones, a song called The Saga of Silent Harold, which had some lyrics Cole Porter never wrote. Sample:

Gather round and let us scan

The records of old Silent Harold our

Congressman. When Ezra flexed the farmers Harold

never rose to sight, For Harold's been too busy with [Congress] pensions to worry with our plight.

Ohio's unaffiliated Representative Frazier Reams lost to 31-year-old Lawyer Thomas Ashley, a Democrat. Reams made the mistake of thinking that Republican Candidate Irving Reynolds was his toughest opponent. Reams and Reynolds engaged in a bitter personal campaign, both dismissing the Democrat as "young Ashley." Young Ashley, who had a nervous habit of giggling on television appearances, won by 4,000 votes over Reams and 8,000 over Reynolds.

A couple of expendable Midwestern Republicans also went by the elective boards. Michigan's Representative Kit Clardy, who used to go around Washington muttering about "those Communists in the White House," ran on a platform of "I will vote as I please." Michiganders decided Clardy wouldn't vote at all--at least not in the House. And Illinois' C. W. ("Runt") Bishop was defeated after a 14-year House career marked only by his having been the manager of the Republican House baseball team.

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