Roosevelt Wins Primary; Romney to Face Kennedy

BOSTON--Declaring that Massachusetts needs "a change and a new direction," W. Mitt Romney last night accepted the Republican nomination to face U.S. Sen. Edward M. Kennedy '54-'56 in November's general election.

"And now we ignite the final stage of this rocket, the next stop is going to be the United States Senate," Romney told a crowd of cheering supporters at the Boston Sheraton in the Back Bay.

With 91 percent of the state's precincts reporting, Romney held 173,153 votes or 82 percent of the electorate, while fellow GOP opponent John R. Lakian garnered a mere 37,512 votes or 18 percent.

Romney will now face Kennedy November 8 in what is expected to be a close, highly publicized and expensive race.

A survey this month conducted by a Cambridge polling firm showed Romney and Kennedy running virtually dead even, with 43 and 42 percent of the vote respectively.

In last night's victory speech, Romney emphasized that Kennedy's proposals and solutions to problems are out-of-date and in need of change.

"I was 15 when Ted was elected for the first time ...The answers of the past just are not working anymore," Romney said.

Romney, a self-made millionaire and chief executive officer of venture capital firm, Bain Capital, said his experience in the private sector will prove more valuable than his opponent's 32 years in office.

"My experience is not in Washington as a politician, but in creating new jobs," Romney said. "There is too much talk, finger-pointing in Washington...all the talk has got to stop, it's time to take action."

Romney, who resides in Belmont, attacked Kennedy's solutions to several social problems, especially poverty and crime.

"It's time for us to bring work back into welfare," Romney said.

Romney supports gun control and advocates the death penalty for criminals who kill police officers and for those citizens who "murder in cold-blood."

"It is time for us to get tough on criminals and not the other way around," Romney said yesterday.

With speculation mounting yesterday that Kennedy plans to air a set of negative ads beginning this morning at 5 a.m., Romney emphasized last night that he will not participate in any form of mud-slinging during the general campaign.

"We're focusing on issues, we're going to attack Ted Kennedy's record," Romney said. "We're not going to distort his record."

Although Lakian picked up some momentum this month with a last minute ad campaign promoting his proposed 17 percent flat tax, the Woods Hole resident last night conceded the race to Romney at about 9:45 p.m.

Lakian told his supporters gathered at the Computer Museum in Boston to support Romney and implored his well-wishers to keep the flat-tax proposal alive.

"The tax issue is not going to go away. It's idea whose time has come," Lakian said.

Romney campaign workers said they will enjoy winning yesterday's primary, but they realize that a much tougher race looms ahead beginning today.

"It will be a true horse race and most of the polls show as dead even," said Christopher R. DeVany, Romney's mid-state co-coordinator.

"But we're also aware of the political reality that Democrats outnumber Republicans three to one [in Massachusetts]," DeVany added.

Romney has both the funds and organization to challenge Kennedy in a race which promises to be both highly publicized and costly, DeVany said.

In the seven weeks leading up to election day, Romney plans to raise an additional $4 million to more than double his campaign funds. And the Republican nominee expects prominent members of his party to campaign for him in the Bay State, DeVany added.

State treasurer Joseph D. Malone '78 introduced Romney last night and the GOP nominee was joined on stage by his parents, and his five sons and one daughter in Law.

Romney comes from a distinguished political family in his native Michigan. His father, George, was governor of the state from 1962-68 and his mother, Lenore, ran unsuccessfully for a U.S. Senate seat in Michigan in 1970.

The Associated Press contributed to the reporting of this article.Crimson Suresh M. MaggeMARK ROOSEVELT '78 (right) celebrates his primary victory with Rep. JOSEPH P. KENNEDY at Parker House in Boston last night.

With speculation mounting yesterday that Kennedy plans to air a set of negative ads beginning this morning at 5 a.m., Romney emphasized last night that he will not participate in any form of mud-slinging during the general campaign.

"We're focusing on issues, we're going to attack Ted Kennedy's record," Romney said. "We're not going to distort his record."

Although Lakian picked up some momentum this month with a last minute ad campaign promoting his proposed 17 percent flat tax, the Woods Hole resident last night conceded the race to Romney at about 9:45 p.m.

Lakian told his supporters gathered at the Computer Museum in Boston to support Romney and implored his well-wishers to keep the flat-tax proposal alive.

"The tax issue is not going to go away. It's idea whose time has come," Lakian said.

Romney campaign workers said they will enjoy winning yesterday's primary, but they realize that a much tougher race looms ahead beginning today.

"It will be a true horse race and most of the polls show as dead even," said Christopher R. DeVany, Romney's mid-state co-coordinator.

"But we're also aware of the political reality that Democrats outnumber Republicans three to one [in Massachusetts]," DeVany added.

Romney has both the funds and organization to challenge Kennedy in a race which promises to be both highly publicized and costly, DeVany said.

In the seven weeks leading up to election day, Romney plans to raise an additional $4 million to more than double his campaign funds. And the Republican nominee expects prominent members of his party to campaign for him in the Bay State, DeVany added.

State treasurer Joseph D. Malone '78 introduced Romney last night and the GOP nominee was joined on stage by his parents, and his five sons and one daughter in Law.

Romney comes from a distinguished political family in his native Michigan. His father, George, was governor of the state from 1962-68 and his mother, Lenore, ran unsuccessfully for a U.S. Senate seat in Michigan in 1970.

The Associated Press contributed to the reporting of this article.Crimson Suresh M. MaggeMARK ROOSEVELT '78 (right) celebrates his primary victory with Rep. JOSEPH P. KENNEDY at Parker House in Boston last night.