document: THE FIGHT over the North American Free Trade Agreement yesterday shifted outside Washington to the Congressional districts of members , sampling public opinion at home during this Veterans ' Day holiday weekend . The pro-Nafta forces , exulting over the debate victory of Vice President Al Gore over Texan billionaire Ross Perot , hoped they had finally captured the elusive momentum necessary to carry them to victory in the House vote next Wednesday . A USA Today/CNN poll of debate watchers found support for the trade pact between the US , Canada and Mexico had shot up from 34 per cent before the debate to 57 per cent after it . Arthur Andersen & Company yesterday released a survey , by its tax and business advisory service , which found that large majorities of executives of medium-sized companies in Canada , Mexico and the US strongly support Nafta . Meanwhile in Mexico the country 's Congress launched a fierce attack on Mr Perot and other critics of its political system yesterday , in a furious response to Mr Perot 's comments in the debate . Mr Perot claimed Mexicans were treated worse than animals and livestock in the US , were oppressed by the government , and enjoyed few if any labour and democratic rights . He said just 34 families owned half the country , and some 85m others lived in poverty . The Mexican Congress issued a statement , supported by most political parties , which said : ` We can not ignore however , that certain judgments expressed , apart from showing a serious ignorance for our country , attack and offend Mexicans . We condemn them as inadmissible and without foundation . ' US opponents of Nafta believe that fear of job and investment losses to Mexico will outweigh any new-found enthusiasm for the pact . ` The only thing that matters is the economy , ' said Mr Christopher Whalen , a Washington trade consultant . ` The political equation still is going to be that congressmen who vote for Nafta will have to look for other employment next year . ' Trying to blunt any momentum for the administration , Congressman David Bonior , an anti-Nafta whip , on Wednesday announced that he had 219 of 434 members pledged to vote against the pact . However , he needs at least 10-12 votes more than the majority to prevent last-minute switches , as the Administration increases its pressure . The Administration this week has picked up 10 public endorsement votes , and claims to have a total of 192 . It is publishing a free 800 telephone number with the offer to voters to send , free of charge , pro-Nafta telegrams to their congressman . Around the country , the opposition troops are planning rallies , marches , town hall meetings and ` accountability meetings ' with congressmen . Ms Lori Wallach , an anti-Nafta leader , said Nafta would be won or lost in the congressmen 's home districts . Washington will not be bereft of activity over the long weekend . The anti-Nafta Citizens ' Trade Campaign is bringing ` Nafta Claus ' to the Capitol to distribute gifts in a parody of the president 's effort to sell Nafta to a reluctant Congress .
extractive_keyphrases: north american free trade agreement public opinion debate victory house vote trade pact trade campaign congressional districts mexican congress
abstractive_keyphrases: pro-nafta forces anti-nafta whip