Now and for the future. The voter polling data that political campaigns use turned up some numbers this week that surprised a lot of people in New Jersey. The presumed safe lead for Al Gore over George Bush has shrunk in half to six points. Even more startling was the Quinnipiac University poll showing Jon Corzine just five points ahead of Bob Franks in the U.S. Senate race. These poll numbers have buoyed Republicans and awakened Democrats, both of whom are expected to press even further in their efforts to turn out their party followers on Election Day.
Many unaffiliated voters remain undecided.
Not only is the president's race excruciatingly close, but so also is the expected outcome for the U.S. House and Senate. Some even think the Senate could end up with an equal 50 seats for each party, with perhaps a slight edge to the Republicans. House minority leader Richard Gephart is campaigning as if he will replace Speaker Dennis Hastert. This belies a fear among Democrats that if they do not win in 2000, control of the House gets away from them for the next several elections because of redistricting and imminent retirements among senior Democrats. Quite an election on tap.