A SPICY SET OF STATE RACES

Many have been running as long and as hard as Jimmy Carter and Gerald Ford. They are the men and women who want to sit in Congress or a Governor's chair rather than the White House--at least for now. Contests to watch:

SENATE

ARIZONA. Dennis DeConcini (D) v. Sam Steiger (R): a labor-backed Democrat winning on Barry Goldwater's turf? Could happen.

CALIFORNIA. Incumbent John Tunney (D) v. S.I. Hayakawa (R): like Dad, Tunney may win the decision. INDIANA. Vance Hartke (D) v. Richard Lugar (R): Lugar lost a 1974 Senate race; may well make it this time. MICHIGAN. Don Riegle (D) v. Marvin Esch (R): the Democrat seemed a shoo-in until the Detroit News published tapes about Riegle's trysts with a staff member. The race is a squeaker. MISSOURI. Warren Hearnes (D) v. John Danforth (R): ex-Governor Hearnes bears many political scars. NEW YORK. Daniel Patrick Moynihan (D) v. Incumbent James Buckley (R-Conservative): the flamboyant Pat leads but the gap is narrowing. PENNSYLVANIA. William Green (D) v. H. John Heinz III (R): the race is still very close.

RHODE ISLAND. Richard Lorber (D) v. John Chafee (R): Auto Dealer Lorber faces a popular ex-Governor. TENNESSEE. James Sasser (D) v. Incumbent Bill Brock (R): Brock could go on to bigger things--but he has to beat Sasser first and is trailing. VIRGINIA. Elmo Zumwalt (D) v. Incumbent Harry Byrd (Independent): Admiral Zumwalt is a tough salt, but this perch has been for the Byrds since 1933.

HOUSE

ARIZONA. First Congressional District --Pat Fullinwider (D) v. Incumbent John Rhodes (R): Minority Leader Rhodes narrowly defeated Pat in 1974, is now running scared. CALIFORNIA. Twelfth District--David Harris (D) v. Incumbent Paul McCloskey (R): an antiwar protester and Singer Joan Baez's ex faces McCloskey, a four-term liberal, in a close one. FLORIDA. Fifth District--JoAnn Saunders (D) v. Incumbent Richard Kelly (R): Saunders offers money back if she wins and contributors dislike her stands. Her money should be safe. ILLINOIS. Tenth District--Incumbent Abner Mikva (D) v. Samuel Young (R): in the third match-up between two rivals who split the previous encounters. Mikva has an edge.

KANSAS. Second District--Incumbent Martha Keys (D) v. Ross Freeman (R): because of her divorce and remarriage. Keys could be unseated. New Husband Andy Jacobs Jr., Democratic Congressman from Indiana, is in less trouble.

MASSACHUSETTS. Fourth Congressional District--Incumbent Robert Drinan (D) v. Arthur Mason (R): Jesuit Priest Drinan expected to win--narrowly.

NEW YORK. Second District--Incumbent Thomas Downey (D) v. Peter Co-halan (R-Conservative): Downey, 27. youngest member of Congress, is aging fast. Fifth District--Allard Lowenstein (D-Liberal) v. Incumbent John Wydler (R-Conservative): Lowenstein is a long-shot in this Republican stronghold.

UTAH. Second District--Incumbent Allan Howe (D) v. Dan Marriott (R): after sex conviction Howe may hurt entire Democratic ticket.

WEST VIRGINIA. Fourth District--Incumbent Ken Hechler (D) v. Nick Joe Rahall (D) and E.S. Goodman (R): after losing gubernatorial bid, Hechler faces tough three-way fight as a write-in.

GOVERNORS

DELAWARE. Incumbent Sherman Tribbitt (D) v. Pierre Du Pont (R): the Du Fonts already control much of the state.

ILLINOIS. Michael Hewlett (D) v. James Thompson (R): though Daley-man Hewlett beat Incumbent Governor Daniel Walker in the Democratic primary, "Big Jim" may demolish him.

NORTH CAROLINA. James Hunt Jr. (D) v. David Flaherty (R): in 1972, James Holshouser became the first Republican Governor here in 72 years. Hunt is expected to rectify that slip.

VERMONT. Stella Hackel (D) v. Richard Snelling (R): with Democratic Governor Thomas Salmon seeking a Senate seat, two conservatives are after his chair. Republican Snelling leads in close race.

WASHINGTON. Dixy Lee Ray (D) v. John Spellman (R): ex-chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission. Dixy Lee Ray is slightly favored to fill the seat of Republican Daniel Evans.

WEST VIRGINIA. John D. Rockefeller IV (D) v. Cecil Underwood (R): with Republican Arch Moore stepping down. Jay Rockefeller is favored to trounce ex-Governor Underwood.

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