31.   The bad news for donors to both candidates is that they are going to be squeezed even harder to give as a tight race will tighten even more.

32.   The debate occurred amid fresh evidence that the race was tightening.

33.   The governor said he always expected the race to tighten this fall.

34.   The race will tighten.

35.   The race has tightened this week, though.

36.   THE TRAVEL LOG A number of new national polls indicate the presidential race may be tightening again.

37.   There were signs that the race was tightening during the week.

38.   Yet those races may have tightened because candidates have filled the airwaves recently with television commercials.

39.   As the race has tightened, it has gotten increasingly nasty, and also attracted increasing attention from national figures.