41.   Annan and Essy are considered the strongest candidates.

42.   Annan and Essy were believed to be the strongest candidates.

43.   At the time, the governor called for Republicans to support the mayor as the strongest GOP candidate.

44.   Bush frequently tries to make the case that he is the strongest candidate for the GOP in November, and for months the polls supported that.

45.   But incumbent President Ion Iliescu, a former Communist minister who is seen as a father figure and guarantee of stability, is considered the strongest candidate.

46.   Chan Kam-lam and Yeung Yiu-chung, both of the DAB, are believed to be the strongest candidates.

47.   Cape Town, Rome and possibly Beijing are considered the strongest candidates to win the bid.

48.   During two secret, unofficial ballotings Tuesday, the chief of U.N. peacekeeping operations, Kofi Annan of Ghana, emerged as the strongest candidate.

49.   Estrada is generally considered by far the strongest candidate to succeed Ramos.

50.   --It is impossible to judge whether Sen. John McCain or Texas Gov. George W. Bush would be the strongest Republican candidate for the presidential race.