11.   But the contours of that plan were hammered out last week by a fractious Republican caucus that often pulled Lott in opposite directions.

12.   Callahan said that the speaker denied the accusations to him but that skepticism was widespread in the Republican caucus.

13.   Democrats now meet in the Republican caucus room, a cramped alcove whose door is half blocked by a particularly ugly coat rack.

14.   Dole won the Republican caucuses, but he was followed closely by Pat Buchanan, who then triumphed in New Hampshire but lost the nomination to Dole.

15.   Duncan was in a Republican caucus on Tuesday afternoon and not available to comment, a spokesman said.

16.   Earlier this year, Orange County right-wingers Rob Hurtt and Curt Pringle took control of the Republican caucuses in the state Senate and the Assembly, respectively.

17.   Experts here say that as many as one-third of the participants in the Republican caucuses will be fundamentalist or evangelical Christians.

18.   For his part, Dole acknowledged the strains within the Republican caucus.

19.   Gingrich demonstrated his power over his chairmen early on by overruling seniority on some important committees and pushing through his own choices, backed by a loyal Republican caucus.

20.   He came to the rally with his brother-in-law, a former Democrat who will go to his first Republican caucus next Monday to support Buchanan.