The winner of the Sept. 19 primary will face Republican Sen. Slade Gorton. It was bound to happen. At a late night rally in downtown Portland, Ore., Al Gore and Joe Lieberman were greeted by supporters waving placards that spelled out Gore-Lieberman in Hebrew letters. The love affair between the Green Bay Packers and their fans faces the ultimate pocketbook test the week after next. The answer is not a sure thing heading into a Sept. 12 referendum in which about 170,000 Brown County, Wis., residents will decide the tax's fate.
Emotions are strong on both sides, and a recent poll had the election a virtual tossup.
Only 11 states are holding elections for governor in November. By all accounts most of the races are too close to call, but the biggest swing that either party realistically envisions is two or three seats. The real test of the parties' struggle for the nation's statehouses is not likely to come until the off-year elections of 2002, with governors' races in 36 states. In 1994, two years into President Clinton 's first term, voters reversed the Democrats' 30-18 advantage in governorships. The Republican Party now has 30-18 advantage in governorships.