Wednesday, November 4, 1992    

Local reaction to the presidential race was mixed last night as supporters of the three candidates watched Bill Clinton pummel President George Bush and Texas billionaire Ross Perot.

Jim Toevs, who lost in his bid to knock off U.S. Rep. Jim Kolbe in the District 5 House race, said he was hopeful for the upcoming Clinton administration and had no doubt that the Arkansas governor would fulfill his campaign promises.

“”Hope and change won today. Clinton’s campaign was about hope and change,”” Toevs said.

Geoff Verderosa, the chairman of students for Clinton/Gore, said the Republicans took the campus for granted.

“”It’s just incredible to win one,”” Verderosa said. “”Students do care an we can make a differences, that’s why Clinton is the next president of the United States.””

Kolbe said Clinton should have no excuses because he will be working with a Democratic Congress.

“”There’s no excuse for Bill not accomplishing what he set out to do in the next four years,”” Kolbe said. “”There has been a remarkable amount of bad press for George Bush.””

“”I’m extremely disappointed he didn’t win,”” Kolbe said. “”I will work with Clinton as I had at the Arizona Democratic Senate. I know what it takes as a minority to work with the other party.””

As of midnight in Arizona, Clinton led Bush by a 41 to 38 percent margin with 29 percent of the vote in, according to Associated Press wire reports. The last time Arizona voted for a Democratic presidential candidate was in 1948.

Tom Jagielski, a general studies senior at the UA and Perot supporter, said he believed his candidate will run for president again.

“”He woke a lot of Americans up. The elections  The elections may be over but the people’s responsibilities are not.””

Judy Amidon, a volunteer at the Perot headquarters in Tucson, said Perot challenged the establishment.

“”He brought a lot of people to the polls and showed that he was a strong contender. Now we all have to ban together, we all have to be watchdogs,”” she said.

Linda Barber, the Pima County Republican chairwoman said her party will start working tomorrow for 1996.

“”We haven’t lost hope because we have a great country,”” Barber said. “” We will go start tomorrow on 1996.

“”I resent the fact they (Democrats) had our country on its back and out of the race,”” she said. “” The economy is not as bad as they say it was.””

Kayo Conner, the southwest coordinator of Bush/Quayle, said “”The only thing that is predictable about Clinton is his unpredictability.””

On Bush’s concession speech, Conner said “”I think his speech was upholding the finest tradition of the presidency. Bush is really concerned with the nation. We will return in ’96 with a vengeance.””

Trish Morgan, a Pima Community College Student watching the election results was pleased with the presidential outcome.

“”I am happy with it. They are not going to be able to turn the country around in four years, but at least they may be able to make a dent in it,”” she said.

UA psychology sophomore Pamela Plummer said the election of Clinton will eliminate gridlock.

“”I think it is wonderful,”” he said. “” I think we can get a lot more done with a Democrat being in the office of president with a Democratic congress.””