21.   This is happening not because of any revival of interest in either of the two major political parties or their preferred candidates.

22.   With the campaign heating up, labor leaders have been bringing up the income gap less frequently, partly because focusing on it might embarrass their preferred candidate.

23.   Yeltsin had vowed to force lawmakers to accept his preferred candidate, former Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin.

24.   Experience in government and central banking as well as his credentials as an inflation hawk have made Trichet a preferred candidate for politicians and investors alike.

25.   However, the president has said he will select a preferred candidate to succeed him.

26.   In a surprise result, the councillors passed over the preferred candidate of President Omar el-Bashir in five provinces.

27.   In Brussels the European Union was celebrating Tuesday that its preferred candidate had now been assured the job.

28.   Instead, voters seemed to feel more comfortable voting with smaller parties as long as they were assured of voting for their preferred prime ministerial candidate.

29.   Lucas has had one interview with Paxson, who has not revealed his list of preferred candidates during the coaching search and was not available for comment on Wednesday.

30.   News that Habibie might be the preferred candidate for the second top post caused a sharp fall in the value of the rupiah last month, news reports said.