What's in a Name?

"I'm just running for fun," Robert C. Johnson. 48, explained to friends who asked him why he got into a hopeless election contest. On a dare, Johnson, a political unknown, operator of a small Jacksonville clothing factory specializing in policeman and fireman uniforms, had entered Florida's Democratic primary as a candidate for the unpaid but influential party post of national committeeman.

But Johnson did not really run, or even shuffle. Defying every known rule for winning elections, he made no speeches, attended no rallies, appeared on no radio or TV programs, had no posters printed, placed no ads, shook no hands, kissed no babies. All he did. in fact, was pay his $100 qualifying fee to get on the ballot. Then he sat back and waited for election day. With four opponents--two of them veteran politicians--running for the post (the incumbent is retiring), it looked as if "fun" was all that Johnson was going to get for his $roo.

But in last week's primary, "Bob Johnson," as he was listed on the ballot, won in a walk with 119,000 votes, trouncing the runner-up, Democratic State Chairman James M. Milligan Jr., by 22,000. Astonished but happy. Winner Johnson announced that he would bow to the will of the people and serve as Florida's only male representative on the 108-member Democratic National Committee (one man and one woman from each state, district and territory).

Dazed Florida politicians decided on two possible explanations for the upset: 1) the five contenders were listed on the ballot in alphabetical order, with Johnson first, and a lot of voters just settled for the top name; 2) many a voter confused "Bob Johnson" with a popular Tampa city judge of the same name.

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