11.  For various reasons, this system leads candidates to focus on regional blocs and to lavish attention on smaller states such as Washington or Alabama.

12.  Gore, in turn, has increased his emphasis on Florida and the group of smaller states.

13.  Highly unlikely, he says, is the elimination of the Electoral College, since the smaller states that benefit by it can easily block the necessary constitutional amendment.

14.  In smaller states, the governor is a familiar figure whose blunders and foibles are as well known as his cartoon caricature.

15.  Instead, the plan was to concentrate on smaller states like Indiana and Wisconsin.

16.  It can well ask whether two smaller states would play the distinctive role in global affairs, and in the western alliance, that a united Canada has.

17.  Many far smaller states keep a bigger emergency reserve than New York does.

18.  Puerto Rico would send two senators and up to eight representatives to Congress, weakening the clout of smaller states by the sheer addition of more members.

19.  Saudi Arabia remains the central power in the Gulf Cooperation Council, and its position will ultimately affect the decisions of the smaller states.

20.  Smaller states benefit from the Electoral College system, and would not easily give up that power, she said.