Upcoming primaries

Puerto Rico, March 16; Democratic primary only (the Republicans voted Feb. 17 ). President Carter is expected to win the lion's share of the 41 delegate votes at stake. Yet there is unmeasured Kennedy support here -- linked to religion, the senator's liberal image, and the memory of John F. Kennedy.

Illinois, March 18: There are 179 Democratic and 102 Republican convention delegate votes at stake here. But for Edward Kennedy, John Anderson, and George Bush the delegate count will not be nearly as important as the popular vote.On the Democratic side, Senator Kennedy needs to make a respectable showing against President Carter so that the can go into New York with some momentum. Republican Congressman Anderson hopes to slow the Ronald Reagan express and perhaps forestall entry into the race by Gerald Ford by finishing first, or a very strong second, in hsi home state. George Bush can recoup some of his lsot momentum with a strong Illinois showing.

New York, Connecticut, and Wisconsin, March 25: With 282 Democratic delegate votes at stake, the Empire State presents Kennedy with his last opportunity to put the brakes on what threatens to become a Carter runaway. Connecticut (54 delegates) and Wisconsin (75) also present brighter opportunities for Kennedy. On the Republican side, the three primaries on this date -- New York (123 delegate votes), Connecticut (35), and Wisconsin (34) could give the first indication that GOP voters might be looking to Gerald Ford as an alternative nominee to Reagan. If Mr. Ford, as many expect, announces his candidacy after the Illinois primary Republican voters in these primaries could vote for Anderson, Bush, or others in order to hold convention delegates out of the Reagan column.