Into the Mud

Cleveland's mayoralty race had every prospect of being a model campaign. Democrat Carl B. Stokes, a Negro and son of a laundry worker, and Republican Seth Taft, scion of a distinguished political dynasty, are candidates of demonstrable ability and goodwill. Moreover, both had seemed determined to keep the campaign out of the mud. But by last week the race had descended from issues to insults.

The turning point came a fortnight ago when Stokes openly introduced the issue of race. Making the tortuous claim that Taft was subtly trying to capitalize on racist hatred by urging voters to ignore the candidates' color, Stokes declared: "The personal analysis of Seth Taft--and of many competent political analysts--is that Seth Taft may win the Nov. 7 election, but for only one reason. That reason is that his skin happens to be white."

The integrated crowd of 1,100, gathered to hear the candidates debate, greeted the charge with boos and derision. State Representative Stokes, 40, was visibly shaken by the reaction. Attorney Taft was hopping mad. "Well, well, well," gritted Taft, 44. "It seems the race issue is with us."

Stokes, who had played down race during his primary campaign, has already lost potential votes by his switch in tactics. "My family is Republican, but they were sold on Stokes until they heard him say that," said Chuck Christian, 29, a white plant timekeeper. "Now forget it." Added a Negro politician: "Stokes had it in a runaway. Now it's anybody's horse race."

Surprising Guts. The campaign meanwhile has been slipping farther into irrelevance. While Stokes gibes at Taft for his monied background, Taft has hardly uplifted the campaign by harping on "carpetbagger" donations to Stokes from "people like Sammy Davis Jr." Nevertheless, the guttersniping has rebounded in Taft's favor, unstarching his early do-gooder image and unlimbering his political muscle. His record as a civil rights advocate is well known, and the unexpected vigor of his campaign has been impressive. "I think Stokes pushed him too far," said a Negro. "Taft has surprising guts."

Even so, Stokes has retained widespread support among Cleveland's establishment. The Plain Dealer strongly reaffirmed its earlier endorsement of him as "the skilled professional" against Taft "the pleasant amateur." The Democratic Party has given Stokes enthusiastic backing, the A.F.L.-C.I.O. and the Teamsters Union are for him, and he continues to enjoy overwhelming popularity among the city's 120,000 registered Negroes (v. 200,000 whites). "I can lose the election only if I make a big mistake," says Stokes. Some of his supporters are worried that he already has.

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