CAMPAIGN ’88 : Glenn Leads VP Poll

Ohio Sen. John Glenn would be the strongest Democratic candidate for vice president and the Rev. Jesse Jackson would do the ticket the most harm, according to results of a Newsweek/Gallup poll of leading Democrats, released Sunday.

Most of the 300 Democrats polled said they thought Jackson would help Dukakis by campaigning for the ticket, Newsweek said.

Of those interviewed, 78% saw Glenn and New Jersey Sen. Bill Bradley as potentially able to help Dukakis either “a lot” or “a little.”

They said Glenn was stronger than Bradley in the South and Georgia Sen. Sam Nunn (63%) or Tennessee Sen. Albert Gore Jr. (61%) in the East and Midwest.

And 68% thought Jackson’s name on the ticket would hurt the party’s chances in their states.

On the other hand, 79% said Jackson would help the Democrats by campaigning for the ticket; 64% said giving Jackson a major campaign post would help Dukakis; and 41% said that promising him a Cabinet or other Administration post would help the Democrats’ presidential bid.

Among those polled as recently as Friday were 37 members of Congress, seven governors, 100 state and local officials and 21 members of national or state Democratic Party committees.