Preparing for the vote

ALABAMA:
PRESIDENT (9 electoral votes) - Alabamians have voted Republican
in six straight presidential elections; Bush primed to make it
seven.
SENATE - GOP Sen. Richard Shelby barely touched more than $11
million in his war chest in rolling over little-known black
Democrat, Wayne Sowell.
HOUSE - Current: 5R, 2D. GOP first-term Rep. Mike Rogers faced
close race against Democrat Bill Fuller in 3rd District.
PROPOSITIONS - Measure to repeal segregation-era language from
constitution drew anti-tax foes because it also would remove
phrasing that says there is no right to an education at public
expense. Opponents fear courts would then order state to allocate
more money for public schools.


ALASKA:
PRESIDENT (3) - Only one Democrat has taken Alaska since it
became a state - Lyndon Johnson in 1964. Bush, for sure.
SENATE - Republican Lisa Murkowski in tough race with former
governor Tony Knowles; many Alaskans upset her father, Frank
Murkowski, appointed her to his old job when he became governor in
2002.
HOUSE - Current: 1R. Incumbent Don Young assured of 17th term.
PROPOSITIONS - Ballot measure, fueled by Murkowski controversy,
to eliminate appointments to fill Senate vacancies; others would
legalize marijuana and ban bear baiting.

ARKANSAS:
PRESIDENT (6) - Kerry campaign gave up on state, but indications
of a tighter-than-expected race drew late burst of advertising from
both sides - and visit by recovering heart patient Bill Clinton.
SENATE - Democratic Sen. Blanche Lincoln coasting past
Republican state Sen. Jim Holt, who called liberal federal judges a
bigger threat to the country than terrorists.
HOUSE - 3D, 1R. Republican candidate Marvin Parks, a state
representative, hoped big conservative turnout would help him beat
four-term Democratic Rep. Vic Snyder.
PROPOSITIONS - One measure would ban gay marriage; another would
loosen term-limits law.

ARIZONA:
PRESIDENT (10) - Arizona viewed as battleground early on -
partly because Clinton won here in 1996 - but Kerry pulled
advertising dollars and workers as Bush moved ahead.
SENATE - Popular Republican John McCain, seeking a fourth term,
faced underdog challenge from Democrat Stuart Starky, an
eighth-grade math teacher.
HOUSE - 6R, 2D. Freshman Republican Rick Renzi opposed by
Democrat Paul Babbitt, brother of former Interior Secretary and
ex-Gov. Bruce Babbitt.
PROPOSITIONS - Measure would require people to produce proof of
citizenship to register to vote and proof of legal immigration
status to obtain certain government services.

CALIFORNIA:
PRESIDENT (55) - Biggest pot of electoral votes waiting for
Kerry; Bush lost in 2000 by 12 points.
SENATE - Republican Bill Jones, unable to raise money to air
commercials and receiving little support from Gov. Arnold
Schwarzenegger, offered tepid challenge to incumbent Barbara Boxer.
HOUSE - 33D, 20R. Only one incumbent leaving: Democrat Cal
Dooley; former state Sen. Jim Costa favored over Republican state
Sen. Roy Ashburn to replace him.
PROPOSITIONS - A record 16 ballot issues included two expensive
casino gambling initiatives, both opposed by Schwarzenegger, and
one that would allow the state to sell $3 billion in bonds to pay
for embryonic stem cell research. Another would roll back "three
strikes" sentencing law.

COLORADO:
PRESIDENT (9) - Close race in state that had gone Democratic
just twice in 50 years.
SENATE - Democratic Attorney General Ken Salazar in tossup race
against Republican beer baron Peter Coors for open seat of retiring
GOP Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell.
HOUSE - 5R, 2D. Top race pitted Democrat John Salazar, the
attorney general's brother, against Republican Greg Walcher to
succeed retiring GOP Rep. Scott McInnis.
PROPOSITIONS - Measure to immediately scrap winner-take-all
system of awarding electoral votes and divide them based on popular
vote; if passed, it was expected to inspire lawsuits, and chaos.

CONNECTICUT:
PRESIDENT (7 electoral votes) - Both sides agreed: solid for
Kerry.
SENATE - Democrat incumbent Chris Dodd skating past GOP
challenger Jack Orchulli.
HOUSE - Current: 3R, 2D. Two Republican incumbents, Chris Shays
and Rob Simmons, in dead heats with challengers Diane Farrell and
Jim Sullivan.

DELAWARE:
PRESIDENT (3) - Kerry favored in tiny state where neither
candidate visited during general election campaign.
GOVERNOR - Incumbent Ruth Ann Minner faced surprisingly tough
challenge from Republican Bill Lee, riding widespread criticism of
what some said was her insensitive response to a prison inmate's
abduction and rape of a counselor in July.
HOUSE - 1R. Seventh term assured for Republican Michael Castle,
former governor and longest-serving congressman in state history.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA:
PRESIDENT (3) - John Kerry a shoo-in in a city where
three-quarters of voters are Democrats.
HOUSE - Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton, a Democrat, cruising to
an eighth term. Norton can vote in committee, but not on House
floor.
OTHER - Election marks return of former Mayor Marion Barry, once
caught smoking crack on FBI videotape, now all but certain to be
elected to city council.

FLORIDA:
PRESIDENT (27) - Four years after it took a 36-day recount and
U.S. Supreme Court decision to settle the battle of Florida, state
led by the president's brother appeared headed for another
nailbiter.
SENATE - Republican Mel Martinez and Democrat Betty Castor in a
close one to succeed retiring Democratic Sen. Bob Graham. Martinez
would be state's first Hispanic senator, Castor its second female
Senator.
HOUSE - 18R, 7D. Republican Rep. Katherine Harris, vilified by
Democrats while she served as secretary of state during 2000
recount, in rematch with Sarasota attorney Jan Schneider.
Republican Connie Mack IV, son of the ex senator, favored for seat
given up by new CIA director Porter Goss.
PROPOSITIONS - Initiative to limit privacy rights of girls under
age 18, so that law could be changed to require parental notice if
minors seek abortions.

GEORGIA:
PRESIDENT (15) - Bush, handily.
SENATE - GOP Rep. Johnny Isakson favored to take seat of
retiring Bush-backing Democrat Zell Miller; polls showed wide lead
over Rep. Denise Majette, state's first black Senate candidate.
HOUSE - 8R, 5D. National parties each took aim at one incumbent
- Republicans sought to dislodge Jim Marshall, Democrats targeted
Max Burns. Cynthia McKinney, controversial former congresswoman
beaten by Majette two years ago, making triumphant return.
PROPOSITIONS - Proposed ban on gay marriages also would prohibit
legal recognition of civil unions and declares that courts would
have no jurisdiction to settle property division disputes arising
from same-sex unions.


HAWAII:
PRESIDENT (4) - Surprise, surprise: Hawaii, in Democratic corner
every election but two since gaining statehood, became a
battleground at end of campaign.
SENATE - Veteran Sen. Daniel Inouye, 80, in lopsided race
against Republican Cam Cavasso, a former state legislator.
HOUSE - 2D. Reps. Neil Abercrombie and Ed Case breezing to
re-election.
PROPOSITIONS - Four constitutional amendments on ballot, all
relating to crime and criminal prosecution. State attorney general
and the Honolulu prosecutor backed them; opponents said they would
infringe on civil rights.


IDAHO:
PRESIDENT (4) - Republicans confident of Bush victory in solid
GOP state.
SENATE - No Democrat on ballot to challenge incumbent Michael
Crapo in nation's only uncontested Senate race; businessman Scott
McClure running as write-in.
HOUSE - 2R. Republican incumbent Butch Otter widely seen as
using re-election campaign as tuneup for 2006 run for governor.



ILLINOIS:
PRESIDENT (21 electoral votes) - Kerry supporters so confident
they left Illinois and campaigned in battleground states.
SENATE - State Sen. Barack Obama, keynote speaker at Democratic
convention, overwhelming favorite over Republican Alan Keyes in
race for seat of retiring GOP Sen. Peter Fitzgerald. Keyes moved
from Maryland after sex scandal forced primary winner Jack Ryan
out, setting up nation's first black-vs.-black Senate race.
HOUSE - Current: 10R, 9D. Phil Crane, 35-year veteran
congressman and most senior Republican in the House, fighting for
political life against Democratic businesswoman Melissa Bean.

INDIANA:
PRESIDENT (11) - Lyndon Johnson last Democrat to win here. Bush
heavy favorite.
SENATE - Sociology professor Marvin Scott in uphill battle
against Democratic incumbent Evan Bayh.
GOVERNOR - In costliest contest in state history, former Bush
budget director Mitch Daniels hoped to unseat Democratic Gov. Joe
Kernan, who took office last year upon death of Gov. Frank
O'Bannon.
HOUSE - 6R, 3D. Both parties poured money into rematch between
Democratic Rep. Baron Hill and trucking company owner Mike Sodrel.
Hill won with 51 percent in 2002.
PROPOSITIONS - Ballot question prompted by 2001 terrorist
attacks would establish succession order for governor if lieutenant
governor could not take his place.

IOWA:
PRESIDENT (7) - State whose caucuses set Kerry on road to
nomination faced tight race.
SENATE - Sen. Charles Grassley, head of the powerful Senate
Finance Committee, unlikely to be toppled by Democrat Art Small, a
lawyer from Iowa City.
HOUSE - 4R, 1D. Rep. Leonard Boswell, lone Democrat in
delegation, faced repeat challenger in Stan Thompson, Des Moines
attorney.

KANSAS:
PRESIDENT (6) - Officials predicted record turnout of 1.29
million. Bush heavily favored.
SENATE - Even state Democratic chairman called railroad engineer
Lee Jones a long shot against Republican incumbent Sam Brownback.
HOUSE - 3R, 1D. Rep. Dennis Moore, delegation's only Democrat,
faced Kris Kobach, a conservative and former Justice Department
official.
PROPOSITIONS - Wichita voters considered proposal to impose a 1
percent sales tax to finance a $185.4 million downtown sports
arena.

KENTUCKY:
PRESIDENT (8) - Candidates mostly ignored a state where Bush was
well ahead.
SENATE - Incumbent Jim Bunning, Hall of Fame baseball pitcher,
tried to halt late slide in race against Democrat Daniel Mongiardo,
a state senator and surgeon from Appalachia who looked to
capitalize on Republican's campaign missteps.
HOUSE - 4R, 2D. Nick Clooney, former TV anchorman and father of
actor George Clooney, running against Republican businessman Geoff
Davis in conservative northern district vacated by retiring
Democrat Ken Lucas.
PROPOSITIONS - Amendment would ban gay marriage and civil
unions.
OTHER - Former Gov. Julian Carroll, a Democrat, and Republican
Harold Fletcher, older brother of the current governor, competed
for a state Senate seat in the Frankfort area.

LOUISIANA:
PRESIDENT (9) - Bush consistently ahead in polls.
SENATE - Republican Rep. David Vitter enjoyed wide lead over two
Democrats, Rep. Chris John and state Treasurer John Kennedy. But
wide enough to win a majority and avoid a Dec. 4 runoff?
HOUSE - 5R, 2D. Billy Tauzin III seeking seat vacated by his
father, retiring chairman of the House Energy and Commerce
Committee.
PROPOSITIONS - Amendment would establish constitutional right to
hunt and fish.


MAINE:
PRESIDENT (4) - Polls suggested lead for Kerry, but Bush hoped
to pick off 1 electoral vote in the north; state allows votes to be
split by congressional district.
HOUSE - 2D. In 1st District, Republican challenger Charlie
Summers took incumbent Tom Allen to task for giving up seat on the
House Armed Services Committee. Maine has two shipyards and a Navy
air base.
PROPOSITIONS - Mainers deciding whether to cap property taxes at
1 percent of assessed value. Also: Should there be ban on using
bait, hounds and traps to hunt bears?


MARYLAND:
PRESIDENT (10) - GOP hoped to hold Kerry to single-digit victory
in a state Gore won by 17 points.
SENATE - Democratic Sen. Barbara Mikulski expected to easily
survive challenge from millionaire state Sen. E.J. Pipkin.
HOUSE - 6D, 2R. All incumbents favored, including No. 2 ranking
Democrat Steny Hoyer, running in a district trending Republican.


MASSACHUSETTS:
PRESIDENT (12) - Massachusetts poised to back Kerry, its
favorite son.
HOUSE - 10D. Incumbents all expected to win re-election handily,
including Rep. James McGovern, who faced Ron Crews, a former
Georgia state lawmaker at the forefront of anti-gay marriage
movement in Massachusetts.



MICHIGAN:
PRESIDENT (17) - Photo finish in state where Kerry made much of
6.8 percent unemployment rate and disappearing manufacturing jobs,
while Bush emphasized cultural values.
HOUSE - 9R, 6D. Former state Sen. John "Joe" Schwarz, a
Republican, favored to win only open seat. He would replace
retiring Rep. Nick Smith, whose son tried to succeed him but lost
in the primary to Schwarz.
PROPOSITIONS - One proposal would change constitution to define
marriage as a union between a man and a woman; another would
require voters to approve new gambling venues.

MINNESOTA:
PRESIDENT (10) - A Bush win in closely fought state would make
him first Republican to carry Minnesota since 1972. Ralph Nader,
who polled 5 percent in 2000, again complicating things.
HOUSE - 4R, 4D. Incumbent Republican Mark Kennedy faced
unexpectedly strong challenge from Patty Wetterling, a missing
children's advocate whose 11-year-old son Jacob was abducted in
1989.

MISSISSIPPI:
PRESIDENT (6) - Mississippi has gone Republican in every
election since Ronald Reagan's first race, and Bush expected to add
another link to the chain.
HOUSE - 2R, 2D. Republican Clinton B. LeSueur in rematch with
Democratic incumbent Bennie Thompson in poor, primarily rural 2nd
District stretching through the Delta into parts of Jackson.
PROPOSITIONS - Gov. Haley Barbour feared voters might be
confused by constitutional amendment banning gay marriage: If
you're against gay marriage, you vote for the amendment.



MISSOURI:
PRESIDENT - Kerry campaign invested heavily but then pulled
back, believing Bush had an insurmountable lead. State picked the
winner in every election but one (1956) in last century.
SENATE - State Treasurer Nancy Farmer struggling against popular
Republican Sen. Kit Bond.
GOVERNOR - Democratic State Auditor Claire McCaskill - who
ousted incumbent Bob Holden in primary - in tussle with Secretary
of State Matt Blunt. She would be state's first female governor.
HOUSE - 5R, 4D. Former Kansas City Mayor Emmanuel Cleaver
battled Republican millionaire Jeanne Patterson for seat vacated by
Democrat Karen McCarthy. Democrat Russ Carnahan, son of former Sen.
Jean Carnahan and the late Gov. Mel Carnahan, was favored for the
3rd District seat of retiring Rep. Dick Gephardt.
OTHER - Another Carnahan, Russ's sister Robin, running for
secretary of state, facing state Rep. Catherine Hanaway.

MONTANA:
PRESIDENT (3) - Bush, handily.
GOVERNOR - Republicans have held the governor's office for 16
years, but polls showed Democrat Brian Schweitzer with slight edge
over Republican Bob Brown.
HOUSE - 1R. Rep. Denny Rehberg held commanding lead over
Democratic challenger Tracy Velazquez.
PROPOSITIONS - Initiative would overturn 6-year-old
voter-approved ban on using cyanide in mining operations. Others
would ban gay marriage and legalize medical marijuana.

NEVADA:
PRESIDENT (5) - Democrats had slight lead in early voting
turnout; Bush won by 3.5 points in 2000.
SENATE - Bets were on Democratic incumbent Harry Reid, Senate
minority whip, to trounce Republican challenger Richard Ziser.
HOUSE - 2R, 1D. Former casino executive Tom Gallagher, a
Democrat, challenged first-term Rep. Jon Porter.
PROPOSITIONS - Dueling efforts to change medical malpractice
laws. Other items would increase public education funding and
minimum wage.

NEW HAMPSHIRE:
PRESIDENT (4) - Both candidates visited in closing days in
razor-close race - a bit of a surprise, since state hasn't voted
against a Republican incumbent since William Taft in the three-way
election of 1912. Bush won by just 7,211 votes in 2000.
SENATE - GOP Sen. Judd Gregg breezing past 94-year-old Doris
"Granny D" Haddock, scrappy but underfunded advocate for campaign
finance reform.
GOVERNOR - Democrat John Lynch neck and neck with GOP incumbent
Craig Benson after hammering at ethical lapses of Benson
appointees. But state has never refused an incumbent a second term
since 1926.
HOUSE - 2R. Five-term GOP Rep. Charles Bass comfortably ahead
despite Democrat Paul Hodes' clever Bass-in-Bush's-pocket ad.

NEW MEXICO:
PRESIDENT (5) - Al Gore won in 2000 by only 366 votes, so both
parties smelled blood - Bush visited New Mexico seven times this
year, Kerry eight.
HOUSE - 2R, 1D. Democrat Richard Romero challenging Rep. Heather
Wilson, for second consecutive time in intensely negative campaign.
PROPOSITIONS - For second time, Albuquerque voters considered
bond issue that included $8.7 million to build a road passing
through Petroglyphs National Monument, site American Indians
consider sacred.

NEBRASKA:
PRESIDENT (5) - Since 1964, Nebraska has backed Republicans
every time.
HOUSE - 2R, 1 vacant. Republican Jeff Fortenberry, Democrat Matt
Connealy and the Green Party's Steve Larrick vied to replace
Republican Rep. Doug Bereuter, who left in 13th term to become head
of the Asia Foundation.
PROPOSITIONS - Competing gambling proposals: One would legalize
two casinos anywhere in the state, the other two casinos in Omaha,
and 4,900 video poker and slot machines around state.

NEW JERSEY:
PRESIDENT (15) - Gore took New Jersey by 16 points, but Bush
made a race of it this year - polls showed only a small margin for
Kerry.
HOUSE - 7D, 6R. Steve Brozak, former Marine challenging
Republican Rep. Mike Ferguson in 7th District, switched parties
last year, saying he was disenchanted by GOP attacks on military
veterans like former Sen. Max Cleland of Georgia.
PROPOSITIONS - Voters upset about high property taxes in town of
Verona mulled seceding from Essex County; if measure passed, the
town would have to join a different county or form its own. No New
Jersey municipality has seceded in 73 years.



NEW YORK:
PRESIDENT (31) - Kerry a foregone conclusion in state that has
five Democrats for every three Republicans.
SENATE - Democrat Charles Schumer, with $26 million war chest,
didn't break a sweat against Republican Howard Mills or
Conservative Marilyn O'Grady in bid for second term.
HOUSE - 19D, 10R. Two Republicans - Jack Quinn and Amo Houghton
- retired, and Democrat Brian Higgins and Republican Nancy Naples
dueled for Quinn's seat.

NORTH CAROLINA:
PRESIDENT (15) - Sen. John Edwards' selection as running mate
boosted Kerry at first, but Bush pulled away in polls after Labor
Day.
SENATE - Rep. Richard Burr and former Clinton aide Erskine
Bowles neck-and-neck for Edwards' old seat, after Republican closed
a Bowles lead with onslaught of television ads.
GOVERNOR - Incumbent Mike Easley favored over GOP challenger
Patrick Ballantine.
HOUSE - 7R, 6D. Democrats touted independent poll showing Patsy
Keever leading seven-term Republican Charles Taylor in western 11th
District.

NORTH DAKOTA:
PRESIDENT (3) - Polls showed Bush cruising in a state where he
got 61 percent of the vote in 2000.
SENATE - Two-term Democratic Sen. Byron Dorgan had substantial
edge over Republican Mike Liffrig, a Mandan attorney and jury
consultant.
GOVERNOR - Republican incumbent John Hoeven given little contest
by Joe Satrom, a travel agency owner and former state senator.
HOUSE - Democratic Rep. Earl Pomeroy, with a history of winning
close races, favored for seventh term over Duane Sand, a motel and
apartment owner and former Navy submarine officer.
PROPOSITIONS - Polls suggested close call for constitutional
amendment preventing recognition of same-sex marriages and civil
unions of gay couples.

OHIO:
PRESIDENT (20) - Bush won by 3.6 points in 2000. Four years
later, it was a battleground - both candidates visited so often
they almost grew buckeyes.
SENATE - Democratic state Sen. Eric Fingerhut given little
chance of stopping Sen. George Voinovich from claiming a second
term.
HOUSE - 12R, 6D. Shopping center heiress Capri Cafaro, a
26-year-old Democrat, expected to spend at least $1.7 million in
money she loaned her campaign against five-term incumbent Steven
LaTourette in northeast Ohio.
PROPOSITIONS - Many businesses opposed proposal to amend state
Constitution to ban gay marriage; they said it would make it more
difficult to hire and retain top talent.

OKLAHOMA:
PRESIDENT (7) - Bush overwhelmingly favored in state that hasn't
voted for a Democratic presidential candidate in four decades.
SENATE - Tight race to replace retiring Republican Don Nickles:
Democratic Rep. Brad Carson against Tom Coburn, fervent
conservative and obstetrician who was accused of sterilizing a
woman without her permission. He denied it.
HOUSE - 4R, 1D. Democratic state Rep. Dan Boren, son of former
Sen. David Boren, favorite for seat vacated by Carson.
PROPOSITIONS - Ballot measures would increase the cigarette tax,
constitutionally ban gay marriage, create a statewide lottery.


OREGON:
PRESIDENT (7) - No voting Tuesday - all ballots by mail; Kerry
seemed to have pulled narrowly ahead.
SENATE - Sen. Ron Wyden heavily favored to beat little-known
Republican newcomer Al King.
HOUSE - 4D, 1R. Republican Goli Ameri quickly focused TV ads on
October newspaper report that Rep. David Wu tried to force a
girlfriend to have sex in the 1970s.
PROPOSITIONS - Foes of proposed constitutional amendment
prohibiting gay marriage claimed they had realistic chance of
defeating measure.


PENNSYLVANIA:
PRESIDENT (21) - President visited 44 times during term -
testament to importance of state he lost by 4.2 points in 2000.
Polls showed a toss-up.
SENATE - Four-term Republican Sen. Arlen Specter, survivor of
tough primary challenge from the right, held comfortable lead over
Rep. Joe Hoeffel.
HOUSE - 12R, 7D. Battle for Hoeffel's seat pitted Democratic
state Sen. Allyson Y. Schwartz against Republican eye surgeon
Melissa Brown - one of 11 woman vs. woman congressional races
nationwide.
OTHER - State Auditor General Robert P. Casey Jr., son of the
late former governor, running for treasurer against Republican Jean
Craige Pepper, a financial consultant from Erie.

RHODE ISLAND:
PRESIDENT (4) - Solidly in Kerry's corner.
HOUSE - 2D. Former Navy SEAL David Rogers tried for second time
to unseat five-term Democratic Rep. Patrick Kennedy.
PROPOSITIONS - Ballot measure would redistribute power in state
government, keeping lawmakers off a host of boards and commissions.


SOUTH CAROLINA:
PRESIDENT (8) - No visits from candidates, no television ads -
South Carolina gave Bush 57 percent of the vote four years ago, and
looked to support him again.
SENATE - Democratic state Education Superintendent Inez
Tenenbaum tried to close gap with Rep. Jim DeMint for seat vacated
by longtime Democratic Sen. Ernest "Fritz" Hollings.
HOUSE - 4R, 2D. DeMint's seat expected to go to Republican Bob
Inglis, who held the post for six years before keeping his promise
to serve only three terms.
PROPOSITIONS - Ballot question would let state do away with
requirement that bars and restaurants serve liquor only from
mini-bottles, like the ones used on airplanes.


SOUTH DAKOTA:
PRESIDENT (3) - Slam dunk for Bush.
SENATE - Titanic struggle between Senate Democratic Leader Tom
Daschle and former Rep. John Thune, who nearly unseated state's
other senator, Tim Johnson, in 2002. Senate's top Republican, Bill
Frist, broke precedent by campaigning against his counterpart
across the aisle.
HOUSE - 1D. Stephanie Herseth won special election in June to
fill seat vacated by former Gov. Bill Janklow after he was
convicted of manslaughter in car crash. She again faced strong
challenge from Republican Larry Diedrich.
PROPOSITIONS - Measure would end sales tax on food.

TENNESSEE:
PRESIDENT (11) - If favorite son Al Gore couldn't beat Bush in
2000, how could a Massachusetts senator compete?
HOUSE - 5D, 4R. Only competitive race: rematch from 2002 between
incumbent Democrat Lincoln Davis and Tullahoma alderwoman Janice
Bowling.

TEXAS:
PRESIDENT (34) - No doubt that Bush, former governor and
favorite son of Crawford, would take nation's second-largest trove
of electoral votes.
HOUSE - 16R, 16D. GOP-led redistricting forced five incumbent
Democrats - Chet Edwards, Martin Frost, Max Sandlin, Nick Lampson
and Charlie Stenholm - into competitive races in Republican-tilted
districts.
PROPOSITIONS - Voters in Arlington, home of the Texas Rangers,
decided whether to raise the taxes to pay half the $650 million
price tag for new Dallas Cowboys stadium.


UTAH:
PRESIDENT (5) - Fewer than one in four Utahns said they
supported Kerry in late poll.
SENATE - Two-term Republican Sen. Bob Bennett heavy favorite
over little-known Democrat.
GOVERNOR - Republican Jon Huntsman Jr., trade official under
President Bush and heir to chemical fortune, faced underdog Scott
Matheson, scion of the state's most prominent Democratic family.
HOUSE - 2R, 1D. Matheson's brother, Rep. Jim Matheson, favored
in rematch against 2002 opponent John Swallow.
PROPOSITIONS - Constitutional amendment would ban gay marriage.
Critics said the law could endanger Utah's common law marriage
statute.
OTHER - Democrat Peter Corroon well-positioned to win Salt Lake
County mayor's office after the fall of incumbent Republican Nancy
Workman, who quit the race amid felony charges of misusing public
money. A late GOP ballot replacement, Ellis Ivory, made it a race.

VERMONT:
PRESIDENT: (3) - Kerry strongly favored in state that has backed
Democrats by no fewer than 10 points in past three elections.
SENATE - Democrat Patrick Leahy, veteran of 30 years in the
Senate, headed to blowout win over challenger Jack McMullen.
GOVERNOR - Republican incumbent James Douglas never lost steady
lead over Democrat Peter Clavelle, the mayor of Burlington; with
four minor party candidates in race, if Douglas failed to win a
majority, the Legislature would choose a winner.
HOUSE - 1 Ind. Rep. Bernie Sanders, House's only independent,
poised to win easy re-election.

VIRGINIA:
PRESIDENT (13) - State has not supported a Democrat for
president in 40 years. Polls gave Bush the edge.
HOUSE - 8R, 3D. GOP state legislator Thelma Drake battled Iraq
War vet David Ashe for seat of Republican Ed Schrock, who retired
after gay Web log reported he used telephone dating service to
solicit men for sex.
PROPOSITIONS - Constitutional amendment would clarify and expand
list of successors to governor in event of an emergency.
OTHER - L. Douglas Wilder, who became America's only black
elected governor 15 years ago, ran for mayor of Richmond, his
hometown.

WASHINGTON:
PRESIDENT (11) - The state last voted Republican for the White
House 20 years ago; John Kerry expected to keep the string going.
SENATE - Two-term Democratic Sen. Patty Murray comfortably ahead
of Republican George Nethercutt, once considered a giant killer
when he ousted then-Speaker Tom Foley a decade ago.
GOVERNOR - In race to succeed Democratic Gov. Gary Locke,
Attorney General Christine Gregoire led Dino Rossi, Republican
businessman and former state senator.
HOUSE - 6D, 3R. Toughest race, for the open 8th, pitted
Republican Dave Reichert, hero sheriff who hunted down the Green
River Killer, versus Democrat Dave Ross, syndicated radio talk show
host.
PROPOSITIONS - Initiative 892 offered a state property tax cut,
financed by vastly expanding electronic slot machines off Indian
reservations.

WEST VIRGINIA:
PRESIDENT (5) - Bush, first non-incumbent Republican to win West
Virginia in more than 70 years, held slight lead in recent polling.
GOVERNOR - Democrat Joe Manchin in three-way race involving
Republican Monty Warner and Mountain Party candidate Jesse Johnson.
Gov. Bob Wise did not seek re-election after admitting extramarital
affair.
HOUSE - 2D, 1R. Shelley Moore Capito, state's lone Republican in
Congress, faced Democrat Erik Wells, former television news anchor
and Naval reservist.
PROPOSITIONS - Measure would authorize state to pay bonuses to
veterans who served in Kosovo, Afghanistan or Iraq.


WISCONSIN:
PRESIDENT (10) - One of the most closely fought states. Ralph
Nader on ballot again; in 2000, he pulled 94,070 votes, in a state
Bush lost by just 5,708.
SENATE - Democrat Russ Feingold appeared safe, though national
Republicans committed $600,000 in final weeks to campaign of
construction company executive Tim Michels.
HOUSE - 4R, 4D. State Sen. Gwen Moore of Milwaukee poised to
become first black House member elected from Wisconsin, replacing
retiring Democratic Rep. Jerry Kleczka.


WYOMING:
PRESIDENT (3) - Bush, no question, in Cheney's home state.
HOUSE - 1R. Barbara Cubin seeking sixth term for Wyoming's lone
seat, faced Democrat Ted Ladd, a political newcomer.
PROPOSITIONS - Should Legislature should put caps on medical
malpractice damage awards?
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