A daily dose of online news from beyond the Beltway.

By Ryan Thornburg
Washingtonpost.com Staff
Wednesday, July 1, 1998

Three of the five candidates for governor of Massachusetts said they are not willing to take a proposed test that would be given to the state's teachers. The test, supported by Acting Gov. Paul Cellucci (R), has become a hot political issue.

"It's like Michael Jordan has just come to work for the Democrats." – N.M. gubernatorial nominee Martin Chavez (D) on former senator Fred Harris, who's been recruited to head the state Democratic Party. (The Albuquerque Journal, July 1)

Democrats Patricia McGovern and U.S. Rep. Brian Donnelly were the only candidates willing to take the 8-hour exam. Cellucci, Republican state Treasurer Joseph D. Malone, and Democratic Attorney General Scott Harshbarger were not. Malone said the debate over the test should not be about "embarrassing anyone."

Most Governor Candidates Say No to Taking Test (The Boston Globe, July 1)
Cellucci Sails Into a Storm Over Teacher Testing Issue (The Boston Globe, July 1)

Education Issue Unites Ariz. Candidates
Arizona Democratic gubernatorial candidate Paul Johnson put aside politics Tuesday to urge lawmakers to pass Republican Gov. Jane Hull's education plan. That would avoid a state Supreme Court deadline that could shut down schools. Johnson opposed the plan, but said Tuesday, "We'll have time in the upcoming five months to debate it."
Johnson Endorse's Hull's Plan (The Arizona Republic, July 1)

Ark. Gubernatorial Candidates Debate Youth Services
Arkansas Republican Gov. Mike Huckabee and Democratic rival Bill Bristow spent much of their first debate Tuesday night discussing mismanagement of the state's Youth Services Division, including the physical abuse of delinquents in the state's care.
Bristow Hits Huckabee Management (The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, July 1)

Illinois Gubernatorial Race: More HMO-Bashing
Illinois Republican gubernatorial nominee George Ryan announced Tuesday that he supported a patient "bill of rights" to protect managed health care clients. Ryan's proposal comes two days after Illinois' Democratic U.S. Sens. Carol Moseley-Braun and Richard J. Durbin called for a similar national plan, and seven months after Democratic gubernatorial nominee Glenn Poshard made a pitch for the "bill of rights" at the state level.
Ryan Joins Calls for State HMO Reform (The Chicago Sun-Times, July 1)

Ferraro, Green Pledge Smokeless Senate Campaign
New York Democratic Senate candidate Mark Green on Monday challenged party rival Geraldine Ferraro to return campaign money given to her by the tobacco industry if he would do the same. On Tuesday, Ferraro agreed. She gave up $20,000 and he returned $50.
Democrats Reject Tobacco Money (The Albany Times-Union, July 1)

Wellstone Endorses Freeman in Minn. Gubernatorial Race
Sen. Paul Wellstone (D-Minn.) on Tuesday endorsed Mike Freeman in the Democratic gubernatorial primary election. Freeman completed the trifecta of heavyweight Democratic endorsements after getting the party and AFL-CIO endorsements last month. He still faces five Democrats in the Sept. 15 primary.
Wellstone Endorses Freeman (The Star-Tribune, Minneapolis, July 1)
Direct Access: Wellstone Discusses Gubernatorial Race (washingtonpost.com)

New Abortion Laws Go Into Effect in Two States
New laws restricting abortions in Minnesota and Virginia went into effect today. The Virginia ban on late-term, "partial-birth" abortions went into effect after a federal court overturned a lower court's injunction at 11:46 p.m. Similar laws have been overturned in each of the other 17 states where they have been challenged. Minnesota's law requires new reporting efforts.
Judge Lets Va. Limit Late Abortions (The Washington Post, July 1)
New State Abortion-Reporting Law Formally Takes Effect (The Star-Tribune, Minneapolis, July 1)

Florida's Dantzler Joins MacKay As Running Mate
As expected, Florida Lt. Gov. Buddy MacKay (D) on Tuesday announced that former Democratic state senator Rick Dantzler would drop out of the gubernatorial race and join the campaign as MacKay's running mate.
MacKay's Pick of Running Mate Sets Race in Motion (The Miami Herald, July 1)
Early Returns: Fla. Challenger Becomes Democratic Running Mate (washingtonpost.com, June 30)

Ryan Thornburg can be reached at ryan.thornburg@washingtonpost.com