21.   Democrats can only hope that this pledge does not apply to the rest of the campaign once his speech is over.

22.   Democrats can only hope they try.

23.   Democrats had hoped Mr. Fitzgerald would win the primary because they believed his conservative views would make him easier to defeat.

24.   Democrats had hoped Republicans would be too afraid to vote against money needed to secure the homeland.

25.   Democrats have hoped that that finding would mean the beginning of the end of the campaign finance issue.

26.   Democrats hope such appeals carry weight among moderate Republicans in the Northeast, like Sens. Olympia J. Snowe and Susan Collins of Maine and Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island.

27.   Democrats hope that Insurance Commissioner Kathleen Sebelius jumps in.

28.   Democrats hope to persuade some moderate Republicans to join them.

29.   Democrats hope to pick up at least three seats this fall, with some optimists in the party even hoping to regain control.

30.   Democrats hope to pick up three or four seats there.