ELECTION '90

Faxon Up Late,
Alexander Out

Close battles occurred
below the top of the ticket. And
Jack Faxon won his tightest race
to keep his state Senate seat.

PHIL JACOBS and KIMBERLY LIFTON

ack Faxon talked like
a man who was up way
past his election night
bedtime. In his five previous
successful state Senate cam-
paigns, the results were in,
the confetti was cleaned up
and everyone was home at a
reasonable hour.
But here it was 11 p.m. on
the night of what would be
his sixth win, and the 15th-
district state senator was
saying that he fully
"expected to win," but he
wasn't sure. His Republican
opponent, Denise Alexander,
a Southfield City Council
member, had, he admitted,
given him his toughest fight.
It wasn't until 2 a.m. that
Ms. Alexander called to con-
cede the victory to Mr. Fax-
on. The incumbent won with
43,356 votes compared to
38,596 for the challenger.
The Faxon camp knew
that it was the organization
which did the legwork
necessary to win. But with a
small television set on most
of the night spreading the
shocking doom of the Dem-
ocratic governor, as well as
an air of anti-incumbency
around the country, Mr.
Faxon — for the first time in
his career
was forced to
watch the numbers. Each
time the telephone rang, he
jumped up, hoping that a
poll watcher was calling in a
result.
Finally, late in the night
when a frigid breeze was
blowing snow flurries out-
side of his Northwestern
Highway campaign head-
quarters, Mr. Faxon heard
the breakthrough results,
resounding wins in Oak
Park and Sou_thfield. With
the good news came the hugs
and the shouts of supporters
and campaign workers who
.stayed through the night.

j

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34

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 1990

"This was the first time I
ever had a serious
challenge," he said. "The
Republicans threw every-
thing they could at me in
this one. But the people in
my district know me and
they support me."
Ms. Alexander said there
was nothing else she felt she
could have done to defeat the
incumbent. She ran as hard
as she could, knocking on
doors and doing everything
possible to introduce herself
to the district.
"It's hard to say why I
lost," she said. "I think
there was probably some
backlash from the Repub-
lican administration. I do
know, though, that this was
the closest race he's ever
run, so I really don't think
there's anything different I
could have done. Now, I'm a
very happy city council
woman in Southfield. We'll
see what tomorrow brings."
Both Mr. Faxon and Ms.
Alexander had among their

The breakthrough
results were
resounding wins
in Oak Park and
Southfield.

guests, politicians who won
with little opposition. In-
deed, newly elected state
senator David Honigman
strolled into the Alexander
La Mirage campaign head-
quarters in blue jeans and
sneakers. Mr. Honigman did
not hold a victory party, so
confident was he in winning.
Mr. Honig- man collected
57,531 votes to 28,194 for
Democratic opponent
William Foley.

State Senator Jack Faxon won by 4,000 votes.

Over at the Faxon head-
quarters, Rep. Sander Levin
stopped in after leaving his
brother, Sen. Carl Levin,
who celebrated his victory at
the Westin downtown. Rep.
Levin easily defeated
challenger Blaine L.
Lankford.

The congressman seemed
to be spending more time
keeping tabs on other races
than his own. He even gave
a telephone pep talk to
Walter Briggs IV, who ran
unsuccessfully in his bid to
upset GOP incumbent Rep.
William Broomfield in the
18th district. But most of all,
Rep. Levin was watching the
gubernatorial race.
"I'm sorry it was even
close between the two," Rep.
Levin said. "We'll just have
to wait and see."
Waiting around for results
that were largely un-

favorable created a tense
election night mood at the
International Center in
Greektown where thousands
of well wishers dropped by
with intentions of dining,
dancing and cheering on
Gov. James Blanchard, who
was expected to easily win a
third term.
Even former commerce di-
rector Doug Ross flew into
town this week from Wash-
ington to show support for
his friend, Mr. Blanchard.
But Mr. Ross, who now
heads a Washing-ton-based
think tank, bailed out about
10 p.m. when the race
against Republican John
Engler was too close to call.
Blanchard -Host Com-
mittee Member Bunny
Goldman, a Democratic Par-
ty activist who is executive
director for the Michigan
Council of the Arts, was a
nervous partygoer. "Amidst

live music, gourmet hors
d'oeuvres, complimentary
drinks and confetti, were
other gloomy fans. Among
them were businessman
Marvin Daitch and his
daughter, Karen.
"Do you think he's going
to do it?" asked one
dismayed supporter in the
elevator to the lobby. The
question was followed by si-
lence.
Across the street at the
Westin, nearly 400 sup-
porters of Sen. Levin —some
sporting green Levin T-
shirts and others carrying
blue and gold Levin signs —
chatted while a blues and
rock-n-roll band entertained
the crowd. The dance floor
was filled with fans; yet no
one danced.
Staffers sold those green T-
shirts for $8 a piece,
displayed atop a baby grand
piano. Also for sale were