51.   But experts in campaign finance issues said they had a different view of the law on the contributions to party committees, known as soft money.

52.   But in recent days, Reno has appeared to soften in her resolve to avoid an outside inquiry into campaign finance issues.

53.   But in siding with the conservative wing of his party, some moderate Republicans say, Bush might have handed Democrats a potent campaign issue.

54.   But in the final analysis, Democrats and Republicans seemed more interested in campaign issues than in legislation.

55.   But many liberal Democrats oppose any move to create privatized Social Security accounts, with strategists promising that such plans would be seized upon as a campaign issue.

56.   But Morales said education would be his main campaign issue.

57.   But many Democrats and Republicans seem less interested in compromise than a campaign issue this fall, and both versions could easily die in a congressional stalemate.

58.   But national Democratic leaders did not aggressively support Worley because they had previously agreed not to make the salary increase, which they also backed, a campaign issue.

59.   But Republican Party officials said gun control has paled as a campaign issue in recent years as the crime rate has fallen nationwide.

60.   But Republicans said the White House and congressional Democratic leaders were refusing to compromise in order to use gun control as a campaign issue next year.