PEROT BACKER EXPECTS AMPLE SIGNATURES

The 8th congressional district coordinator of an effort to place the name of Texas billionaire H. Ross Perot on the presidential ballot says he doesn't anticipate any difficulty garnering sufficient signatures in this area.

"I've been calling around to the different counties and I'm finding pockets of support everywhere," said Mike Ponder, a Cape Girardeau attorney. "It's been incredible. The groundswell of support has just been phenomenal."

Ponder agreed to coordinate the Perot effort in this district last Thursday. An attorney at a Jefferson City law firm where Ponder formerly worked is coordinating the 4th district and asked if he was interested in leading the effort here.

Ponder said he was interested and is now working hard to organize counties in the 8th district to not only get Perot's name on the ballot in Missouri, but also to urge voters to support him for president.

Perot has offered himself as an alternative candidate and promised to spend up to $100 million of his own money on a campaign if he could get on the ballot in all 50 states as an independent candidate.

Missouri requires signatures from 2 percent of the number that voted in the last gubernatorial election in five of the state's nine congressional districts. In the 8th district that will take about 4,000 signatures.

"I think we're going to do that walking in our sleep," said Ponder, adding that he hopes to secure at least 5,000 signatures by June.

He already has found county coordinators in Butler, Bollinger, Scott, Cape Girardeau, Oregon, Mississippi, and Dunklin counties.

Ponder said he has been a Republican all his life, but like many Americans is unhappy with the presidential choices in 1992.

"It's time to try something different," he declared. "I'm ready to get in there and start swinging to get things done. Right now, I'm just interested in providing voters of this district with another choice."

Ponder believes Perot's message of challenging people to take hold of their government is an appealing one that will lead voters to consider him in 1992.

Ponder said a wide variety of people, from all walks of life, are interested in helping Perot. At this point he has seen more interest from Democrats than Republicans.

"I've been a very conservative Republican up until now," Ponder said. "But a lot of what Mr. Perot says falls in line with traditional Republican philosophy.

"He presents a conservative alternative to what we have now a chance to try something different."

Ponder said Perot is a viable alternative to others now in the race and not just a token candidate.

Although Perot has indicated he will spend millions of personal dollars on a campaign, Ponder said there currently are no funds available for coordinating the effort. He hopes to raise money through donations and by amassing a large volunteer effort.

One idea to share information without much expense will be to have information about Perot and his ideas at businesses that provide copier services. Potential supporters can then pay to have copies made of the literature.

Ponder is hoping to schedule a meeting next week for potential supporters to get the petition drive underway. In the meantime, he said, anyone interested in helping with the effort can contact him at his office at 335-8278.