1.   At the start of a midterm election year, party leaders here had wanted to rally the faithful and attack President Clinton.

2.   Bush was one of the first out of the gate in a midterm election year with the latest in administration math.

3.   But if party members approve the resolution, it would be an important sign that opponents of abortion are prevailing at the start of a midterm election year.

4.   He is now the principal Democrat that his party turns to in developing themes in this crucial midterm election year.

5.   He has committed to appear at dozens of fund-raisers and other political events for Republican candidates across the country in this midterm election year.

6.   In fact, Republican congressional candidates begin this midterm election year with the albatross of being considered far more tied to Enron than their Democratic rivals.

7.   In this midterm election year, Cheney has become not only a marquee attraction but a critical behind-the-scenes player in Republican electoral politics.

8.   The speech gave the president perhaps his best opportunity to reach out beyond Washington and lobby Americans to support his agenda in this midterm election year.

9.   Whether Bush has the clout to push a plan through Congress next year, a midterm election year, is the subject of much debate.

10.   Yet if Republicans intend to discourage Gore from his quest for contributions in this midterm election year, they have failed miserably.