National Affairs: Campaign by Sponsor

Georgia’s ex-Governor Herman Talmadge averages four speeches a week to civic and business groups, makes countless public appearances as president of the politically potent University of Georgia alumni association, conducts a weekly TV panel show. Georgia Spotlight, under a local tire company’s sponsorship. But for all his activity. Talmadge has been uncommonly coy about making his long-expected announcement of candidacy for the U.S. Senate against Walter F. George. Some Georgians, in fact, have begun to ask if Herman really means to run.

The answer is yes. His reasons for delay are partly financial; as an avowed candidate, Talmadge would have to meet expenses for setting up headquarters, hiring a secretarial staff—and buying his own television time. But Talmadge is in the race to the finish. During a recent speaking trip to South Carolina’s Clemson Agricultural College, he confided to a small group: “I’ve been running for the last six months.”