1.   This will be a closely fought race.

2.   But one of the many surprises of this tightly fought race has been how Lagos has run to the right and Lavin has run to the left.

3.   Newcomer John Edwards ousted Republican Lauch Faircloth in a fiercely fought U.S. Senate race marked by Clinton-bashing that backfired on Republicans.

4.   Results in four closely fought races may give a clue to the national trend.

5.   With just eight days remaining in the hard fought race, Fong had hoped to portray Boxer as too divisive and too liberal to be effective in the Senate.

6.   His bitterly fought race to unseat Ashcroft in the Senate had been a virtual tie for months.