MEANEST, UGLIEST, NASTIEST YEAR EVER IN POLITICS IS TAKING SHAPE

This may be shaping up as the meanest, ugliest, nastiest year in American political history. Already almost as many incumbent members of Congress have been unseated in the first 10 weeks of 1992 than lost during all 12 months of 1988. Four years ago, 99 percent of House members seeking re-election were returned to office. This year, five incumbents were dumped in the month of March alone; only seven were defeated in all of 1988.

In the Maryland primaries a couple of weeks ago, seven term Representative and noted junketeer Beverly Byron bit the dust. Her late husband had held the seat and before him, her husband's father and mother served in the '40s. The voters decided that near half a century of Byrons was enough. Give someone else a chance.

On Tuesday, four incumbent Illinois representatives were unseated. Two had to go because in two instances, redistricting put incumbents together in the same district. Interestingly, the two losers were the rich, powerful, and entrenched Representatives and the winners were the less well financed, less well entrenched, the less powerful and the less senior.

In the Illinois 3rd District (Chicago), Rep. Mary Russo, protege of Ways and Means Chairman Danny Rostenkowski, was clobbered by Rep. William Lipinski. (Rosty himself won by the smallest margin of his career 57 percent). Russo was a practitioner of insider power insider politics within the omnipotent Ways & Means Committee. Lipinski was a practitioner of working class, ethnic politics. Russo lives in a suburban mansion; Lipinski lives in a modest bungalow, according to one of his TV commercials. Russo countered saying Lipinski drives a little Fiat, while he drives a big American-made car. The little Fiat won. Russo out spent Lipinski 4 to 1, but lost.

In the Illinois 19th District (Decatur), incumbents Terry Bruce and Glenn Poshard faced of. Bruce had more of a home-turf advantage in the new district, as Poshard lost most of his voters to Jerry Costello. Bruce was a household name. He was the veteran officeholder with $700,000 cash on hand by the first of the year. His opponent Poshard was the newcomer with a measly $17,000 cash on hand. Poshard, projecting the fresh and new, crushed Bruce, who was Mr. Old and Stale.

In the Illinois 2nd District (Chicago, South Side) veteran Gus Savage was savaged by challenger Mel Reynolds. What a relief! Savage consistently makes the 10 Worst Congressmen lists and Reynolds was the fresh, professional, Rhodes scholar challenger who twice before had taken a run at Savage. The scholar finally won it this time.

In Illinois 1st District (Chicago, South Side) veteran Charles Hayes was edged out by challenger Bobby Rush, a defused Black Panther now turned moderate. This was Mayor Harold Washington's old congressional seat. Hayes was a high practitioner of Checkgate (alias Rubbergate), having bounced 716 checks drawn on the now infamous House Bank. "People misunderstood," said Hayes. "No we didn't," said the voters.

Taking also into account Sen. Alan Dixon's stunning primary defeat, it is clear that 1992 is not shaping up as the year of the incumbent. Those glory days when 98 percent or 99 percent of sitting legislators could safely be re-elected are gone. We are in the dog days of 1992. Incumbents beware.