Presidential Nominee

Sen. Terry Sanford of North Carolina, despondent because his Democrats have lost five of the last six presidential elections, has written Senate colleagues suggesting a conference next year of Democratic representatives and Democratic governors. The conference would cast a straw vote on the presidential hopefuls. He says this would influence the national convention's decision on a presidential nominee. It might, but we doubt it. It is likely that in 1992, as in every presidential year since 1960, this decision will effectively be made by rank-and-file voters before the delegates convene.