PEROT PETITION DRIVE STARTS AGAIN WITH NEW COORDINATOR

Area supporters of Ross Perot's effort to get on the presidential ballot in Missouri have vowed to start all over collecting signatures, after a conflict at the state level of the Perot organization led to a decision to not file the petitions that had already been collected.

Gil Degenhardt, who is the new 8th district coordinator of the Perot campaign, said Saturday he does not think gathering new signatures will be a big problem.

"I think our effort is in good shape and it might turnout to be beneficial in raising the consciousness of our campaign," said Degenhardt.

He spent the day Saturday talking with coordinators in other congressional districts and with county coordinators in the 8th district about starting the petition drive over.

Degenhardt admitted that starting over is a concern, and that there is some confusion over what caused the need for new petitions. But he believes Perot supporters are more committed than ever.

At least 10 people stopped by the headquarters at 900 North Kingshighway in Cape Girardeau Saturday because they had heard new petitions needed to be signed.

"It is gratifying to know some people are interested in signing petitions on their own initiative," he said.

New petitions were being taken to Poplar Bluff last night for a Perot rally there, and an all out effort to collect more signatures in Cape County is planned for Saturday.

Mike Ponder, a local attorney who had been the Perot coordinator in the 8th district, stepped down from his position last Tuesday but stressed it had nothing to do with problems at the state level. With the demands of his law practice, Ponder said he simply did not have time to coordinate the district.

"It was time for me to bow out and have someone else with more time do it," said Ponder Saturday.

In talking with Kevin Laughlin on Tuesday, who at the time was statewide coordinator for Perot, Ponder said he had no idea there was a problem. But on Friday, Sandy McClure, who had been coordinating the 7th district in Southwest Missouri, emerged as the new statewide coordinator.

McClure announced the new petition drive and said it would include the names of some new presidential electors who they are certain would be "100 percent committed to Mr. Perot."

Seven of the 11 electors who were on the back of the first petition have been changed. Two of those remaining are McClure and Ponder.

Ponder said he knew that Laughlin and McClure were not getting along, but noted, "This is as much of a surprise to me as anybody. I hope this divisiveness will not detract from our overall effort which is to get Ross Perot on the ballot.

"My last conversation with Kevin Laughlin did not lead me to believe this was going to happen. I certainly don't think we are looking at the end of the petition drive in Missouri; this is more of an inconvenience. But Perot will be on the ballot in Missouri."

In the 8th district, 4,048 signatures were needed from registered voters and Ponder said nearly 10,000 had been gathered. Statewide, far more than the 22,000 needed signatures have been gathered on the first petition.

Ponder said he is a little frustrated and disappointed that things have to start over.

"I think a little adversity will go a long way to getting us together," said Ponder.

Even though nearly 10,000 signatures were collected in the 8th district, Degenhardt said that many of those came from Cape Girardeau, Scott, Mississippi and Butler counties.

"One thing that will help us is that the campaign in some counties of the 8th district is just now gearing up," he noted.

Degenhardt added that people who had signed the first petition can sign the new one. The new petitions are identified by a large "2" printed on the back.

Degenhardt views the conflict last week as a clear indication of the fact that Perot's campaign is truly a grassroots effort.

"When there are successes in the offing, this is to be expected. Everyone wants in on the act," he observed.

During the last two months, more than 50,000 signatures had been gathered. The petitions also include the name of the electors who would participate in the Electoral College when it selects the president after the Nov. 3 general election.

"We owe it to Mr. Perot and all the volunteers who have worked hard in his behalf to be sure that electors will carry out all the wishes of the volunteers," said McClure.

"We want people to understand that this is a new petition with a new set of electors, 100 percent committed to Mr. Perot. We have Mr. Perot's blessing and encouragement in this effort to get 21,000 new signatures by Aug. 3."

Degenhardt said he will spend the week getting new petition drives started around the district. On Saturday, there will be three places to sign petitions from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. Petitions will be at K-Mart in Cape Girardeau, at Estes Deli in Jackson, and outside the Perot headquarters in Cape.