51.   Democrats hope Mrs. McCarthy will formally switch her registration to their side.

52.   Democrats hope that provision will give them some wiggle room to avoid deep cuts.

53.   Democrats hope the first lady will decide soon so that if she refuses to run, Lowey or any other prospective candidate can move quickly.

54.   Democrats hope the Illinois race will mirror what happened in a recent California race to fill the seat of the late Rep. Walter Capps, a Democrat.

55.   Democrats hope the president can still help in Minnesota and in Michigan.

56.   Democrats hope to utilize a somewhat esoteric, but generally accepted economic dynamic that suggests long-term interest rates go up when the federal government runs deficits.

57.   Democrats also hope to close the gap in hard money fund-raising.

58.   Democrats are hoping for a sign of bipartisanship on federal school-repair funding.

59.   Democrats are still hoping to entice strong challengers into the race against veteran GOP incumbents in Vermont and Delaware.