71.  He was buoyed by a new poll indicating that he has edged ahead of Democratic opponent Al Gore in this key state.

72.  His campaign spent millions on political ads in California, cutting back on the number shown in other key states.

73.  His brother, Jeb, reigns as governor of Florida, a key state in the presidential election.

74.  His losses in key Democratic states and his failure to carry his home state of Tennessee have raised questions about his electability in the future.

75.  However, Kennedy also said the campaign will be beefing up its Iowa operation in the hopes of breaking through in that key primary state.

76.  Hopes of slower inflation were boosted by consumer price reports from three key German states.

77.  If Mayor Rudolph Giuliani is even fantasizing about presidential politics, he already may have lost two key states in the last week.

78.  If Powell enters the race, he said, Arizona would be a key state.

79.  Important allies of Cardoso are lagging behind in three key states, and despite the government promises, market analysts did not expect an announcement until after the elections.

80.  In an interview, Quayle said he plans to begin campaigning full-time next week, traveling to key early primary states of Iowa and New Hampshire.