U. graduate Fattah sweeps through bid for re-election

and LUCY OH Newly re-elected State Senator Chaka Fattah left President Bill Clinton's Philadelphia election party to follow the results of his own polls. The University alumnus and other Clinton supporters declared the presidential election a "landslide" before retreating to his private suite with his supporters and staff after the polls had closed. The atmosphere in the suite was relaxed, since everyone there had expected a big victory for Fattah. His supporters said they were positive that he would win by a landslide. "It's going to be a slam dunk," said Reverend Porterfield from the Antioch Ministry in Philadelphia. And their expectations were rewarded. Fattah took 81 percent of the vote, while Republican candidate Lawrence Watson had 19 percent with 98 percent of precincts reporting. Even though Fattah was expected to be victorious, the volunteers and staff had put many hours into the campaign. "The work has been long, long hours, but a lot of fun," volunteer Charles Gibson said. Gibson worked for roughly three hours a day as a volunteer driver. He said he supported Fattah primarily because of his emphasis on education and the community. "He's a good man for the job," Gibson added. Sandra McArthur, Fattah's campaign manager and chief of staff, said that there have been no complaints from the volunteers and that everything has been "up beat." She added that everyone enjoys working for him because they believe he is the right man for the job and that, "he keeps in mind who he is working for." Many of Fattah's supporters said that they back him because of his policies on education and minority communities. "The senator is an education state senator," said Raymond Jones, Fattah's press secretary. "I support State Senator Fattah because he is very much pro-education," Jones said. "He is very pro-low income and very pro-coalition." "Senator Fattah will do a lot for West Philadelphia -- especially for the minorities," Fattah supporter Kevin Hardy said. Fattah also "has a lot to offer internationally," Porterfield said. Earlier on election day, a group of 200 volunteers from the West Philadelphia area knocked on doors and encouraged people to get out and vote, Jones said. "It is mandatory that everyone who wants to have a stake in this country comes out to vote," Jones said. He could not stress enough the importance of voting and being able to take control of the elections. "I think it is really challenging to get people to realize that they are actually in control," Jones said. "For the last couple years, politics has been an animal in and of itself." Some supporters in Fattah's suite were still disappointed about Fattah's loss last year to Blackwell for the seat in U.S. Congress. It would have been nice to have a "rising star" in Congress, said Fattah supporter Michael Rosenthal, a 1983 University graduate. Fattah said that he will begin his third term as State Senator by sponsoring a drug treatment forum at the International House this Saturday. "We are well on our way to focusing on some of the issues," that he and his administration had planned, Fattah said.