• • Jones supports Clements Lame duck's move surprises Central Texas Democrats By MIKE HAILEY Tribune-Herald Central Texas Editor Lame-duck State Rep. Neal T. (Buddy) Jones, D-Hillsboro, who narrowly lost his bid for the 9th Senatorial District seat in May's primary, has thrown his support be- hind Republican Gov. Bill Clements in the Nov. 1 gubernatorial election. "Having served in the Legislature and worked closely with Gov. Clements and 718 WEST 5th ST AUSTIN, TEXAS 78701 47713;5 fribune-Herald Waco, Texas SEP• 24 1982 „Or carried a number of bills in his anti-crime package and a number of planks in his anti- drug program, I think he deserves a second term," Jones, 31, said Thursday. "Under his (Clements') guidance, we passed the largest pay increase for public school teachers enacted in many, many years . . . and he also maintained my phi- losophy of keeping local control of the school systems," added Jones, a Hillsboro attorney. The first indication of Jones' plan to en- dorse the governor came last week, when he appeared in Killeen and Gatesville with Clements' "truth squad" on the same day that Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mark White spoke in both cities. Jones' announcement took many Central Please see JONES, Page 2A Neal T. Jones Jones supports Clements Texas Democrats by surprise, primarily, they said, because he had expressed a desire on several occasions to campaign actively for White and other statewide Democratic candidates. "It (Jones' endorsement of Clements) comes as a complete shock," Hill County Democratic chairman Milton Wright said Thursday. "That's hard to be- lieve." Waco attorney Coke Mills, White's McLennan County campaign coordinator, said Jones visited his office twice and phoned him two other times, vowing to throw his support behind the Democratic nominee. Jones was defeated by Duncanville businessman Chet Edwards in the primary. "He (Jones) promised in great detail to support White — whatever he could do for him," Mills said. "He said as soon as his race was over, he would be ready." The turnabout prompted several political observ- ers to predict that Jones may be gambling away a 0 From Page 1A bright political future. Jones, however, said he has "never been. . . afraid to take a gamble." "I left a safe seat as district attorney in Hill County to run for the House of Representatives in a crowded, four-man field," he said. "I left a safe seat in the House to run for the Senate, so I'm not scared about taking risks. "Any time you support any candidate you are tak- ing risks. But my commitment to a state government that is fiscally sound and conservative goes beyond any risk I might be taking for my own political fu- ture," he added. Jones said he supported White in his 1978 race for attorney general and voted for White in the Demo- cratic primary this year. However, he said he feels that Clements "is the best man of the two." Jones, who is U.S. Sen. Lloyd Bentsen's campaign coordinator in Hill County, said Clements was the only Republican he planned to support in the Novem- ber general election. "I don't think people will fault me for doing some- thing I believe is right," he said. Bill Clements