RUNOFF TO BE HELD FOR LOUISIANA GOVERNORSHIP

Ex-Ku Klux Klan Grand Wizard David Duke and former Gov. Edwin Edwards Saturday were thrust into a runoff election for the Louisiana governorship after outpolling incumbent Buddy Roemer.With 92 percent of the vote counted, Mr. Edwards led with 480,229 votes, or 34 percent. Mr. Duke had 452,827 votes, or 32 percent, and Mr. Roemer had 387,778 votes, or 27 percent. There were 10 other candidates, including US Rep. Clyde Holloway (R). Roemer, a Democrat turned Republican, conceded defeat and said he would not take sides in the runoff between his two challengers. Duke, a Republican who has been repudiated by the Republican Party for his views, tried to downplay the rift as he spoke to supporters: "I think we've got to realize something very clearly, that the Republican Party in this state and soon to be in this country is becoming the voice of the working people of Louisiana." Duke also predicted backers of Roemer will support him in the runoff Nov. 16. Edwards, a Southern populist Democrat who forged an alliance of Cajuns, blacks and organized labor to win his first term as governor in 1971, thanked supporters for "giving me another chance." "The reason that I'm running ... [is that] I think the people are beginning to realize ... this is not a boy's job. This is a tough, serious business," Edwards said. Under state election law, there are no party primaries in Louisiana. All candidates run in one race regardless of their affiliation. The candidate who gets the most votes wins - provided that candidate's share exceeds 50 percent. If no one garners more than 50 percent, a runoff is scheduled pitting the two top vote-getters.