Kennedy Wins in a Landslide; Volunteers Jam Headquarters

BOSTON--Surrounded by about a dozen relatives, several hundred volunteers, photographers and reporters, Sen. Edward M. Kennedy '54 last night celebrated a victory that was never in doubt.

Kennedy took 71 per cent of the vote in winning re-election to a third full term, burying his Republican opponent, Michael S. Robertson '57.

Kennedy delivered his brief victory speech in one room of a fifth-floor suite of offices in downtown Boston that served as his campaign headquarters.

Snapping Photographs

With no podium and only a backdrop of blue and white election posters, Kennedy was mobbed on all sides by furiously snapping photographers as he congratulated his nephew Joseph P. Kennedy III on managing the winning campaign.

The Senator said he has yet to remind his nephew that in 1958, when he ran the Senate campaign of his brother John F. Kennedy '40, they "did a little better."

In his speech and in later interviews, Kennedy said repeatedly that his first goal under a Carter-Mondale administration is "restoring the economy," by creating more jobs.

Kennedy said he also expected the passage of a national health care insurance bill during the next session of Congress.

At about 10:45 p.m. Kennedy's advance men opened a narrow corridor through the crowd, and Kennedy entered, followed by Gov. Michael S. Dukakis--who sported a gold Jimmy Carter "Peanut Pin"--and his wife, as well as Ethel Kennedy, the Senator's wife Joan, and assorted Kennedy children.

Robertson Concedes

After his speech, Kennedy slowly moved through the press of mostly young autograph-seeking volunteers, stopped for several television and radio interviews, and then watched Robertson's concession speech on an office television set.

Robertson, addressing a small group of supporters at the Sheraton Boston Hotel, conceded defeat at 11 p.m. last night, saying that although his effort was a longshot. "I hope the issues we brought up in the campaign will have influence on the political positions Kennedy makes in office."

Members of the well-dressed, martinisipping group applauded sympathetically when Robertson said he had worked hard and had no regrets. After he finished speaking a four-piece Dixie band struck up a rendition of "He's A Jolly Good Fellow" and "Hail, Hail The Gang's All Here."