FLAMING :

Character takes center stage in New Jersey race for Senate (Liz Trotta, June 10, 2002, THE WASHINGTON TIMES)

The cloud over the senator hangs so heavily that New Jersey's retired Sen. Frank Lautenberg, who had a rocky relationship with his former colleague, went on television to offer some advice on how to clear up the ethical questions: Take a lie-detector test. [...]

A poll conducted by the National Republican Senatorial Committee shows Mr. Torricelli with a five-point lead over Mr. Forrester, at 44 percent to 39 percent. Half of those polled said they would prefer a new senator.

But [David Rebovich of the Rider Institute for New Jersey Politics] doubts that such sentiments will be enough.

"It will really be tough to unseat Torricelli," Mr. Rebovich said. "New Jerseyans have become reconciled to his legal problems. It's a rough-and-tumble state, and voters may think it's just more of the same."

New Jersey has become increasingly Democratic in recent years — Republicans have not won a U.S. Senate race since 1972 — and Mr. Torricelli is hoping to make party control of the Senate a central issue of his campaign.

This is a perfect example (Paul Wellstone in MN and Lary Landrieu in LA would be others) of one of those races where if historical form for midterm elections holds Mr. Toricelli will sneak through, but if President Bush nationalizes the elections it will be a GOP upset. Posted by Orrin Judd at June 10, 2002 7:22 AM