Dem Insiders Mapping Bids for Rosty's Seat

A year ago, it would have been heresy for a Regular Democrat totalk openly about running for Rep. Dan Rostenkowski's congressionalseat.

That was last year.

Now, a gaggle of elected officials with ties to the old Machineare mapping strategy to run for Rostenkowski's seat on the theory hemay be indicted, decide to retire or be so weakened as the target ofa federal corruption investigation that he could be defeated.

Inside the Washington Beltway, President Clinton is relying onthe House Ways and Means Committee chairman to steer his economicpackage through Congress. Back home, lakeshore and bungalow beltaspirants simply smell the meat a-cookin'.

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