2006年VOA标准英语-Candidates Push For Support In Final Days Of US

By Jim Malone
Washington
27 October 2006

Candidates from both major U.S. political parties are engaged in a furious last minute push for votes in advance of the November 7 congressional midterm elections. VOA National Correspondent Jim Malone has a preview of some of the notable races for Congress and state governor.

----

Opposition¹ Democrats³ need to gain 15 seats in the House of Representatives and six seats in the Senate to retake control of both chambers⁴ of Congress for the first time since 1994.

Congressional midterm elections usually focus on local issues and candidates. But this year, Democrats are tapping into public discontent over the war in Iraq to fuel a large turnout of voters on November 7.

Senator Joseph Biden  
  
Senator Joe Biden is a Democrat² from (the eastern state of) Delaware.

He said, "And the American people, in my view, have one chance, one chance, to send a clear message on Iraq and they should not be distracted."

All 435 House seats are at stake this year, and 33 of the 100 Senate seats. In addition, 36 states are holding elections for governor.

Public opinion pollster John Zogby says Democrats have the momentum⁵ going into the final days of the election. But Zogby cautions that Republicans could still stage a late rally that might limit Democratic Party gains in Congress.

"The races that we are polling, both in the U.S. Senate and in the House of Representatives, focus mainly on Republican-held seats and we do see Democrats leading in most of those seats. The leads are not substantial and the undecided voters include significant numbers of undecided [voters] among Republican constituencies," he said.

 
George Bush  
  
President Bush is among those urging Republicans to ignore the polls and rally to their party candidates around the country.

He said, "Now, I understand here in Washington people have already determined⁶ the outcome of the election. Like it is over, even before the people actually start voting. That is not what I see when I am on the campaign trail."

Only an estimated 50 or so House races out of 435 are seen as truly competitive. Democrats hope to make gains by picking up vulnerable Republican House seats in Connecticut, Pennsylvania and Ohio.

Several Republican senators are also seen as vulnerable this year, but most analysts⁷ believe Democrats will have a hard time picking up the six seats they need to regain⁸ a majority in the Senate.

Among those Senate elections getting national attention is the race in Tennessee between Democrat Harold Ford⁹ and Republican Bob Corker. Ford is trying to become the first African-American elected to the Senate from a southern state since the post-civil war period in the mid-1800's known as Reconstruction¹⁰.

George Allen  
  
Another prominent race is in Virginia where Republican Senator George Allen is trying to fend¹¹ off a stronger than expected challenge from Democrat Jim Webb.

Other key Senate races are taking place in Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Montana. Republicans believe they have a good chance to win a Senate seat in New Jersey¹² now held by a Democrat.

Democrats are also looking to make inroads in governor's races around the country. Republicans currently hold 28 governorships to 22 for the Democrats. But the polls suggest that ratio could shift dramatically on Election Day.

One bright spot for Republicans is the political resurgence¹³ of California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Schwarzenegger struggled early in his term but his political standing¹⁴ improved after he sought the support of political moderates from both parties.

Stuart Rothenberg publishes a non-partisan political newsletter in Washington.

"It is the quirky nature of American politics. You can have a national trend, a national mood, and yet in an individual race, a Republican may do extremely well," he said.

In addition to the voting for office-holders, voters in many states will be asked to vote on numerous ballot¹⁵ questions on issues ranging from abortion¹⁶ and homosexual marriage to taxes, the minimum wage and limits on public smoking.

1 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

2 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

3 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 chambers   

n.房间( chamber的名词复数 )；（议会的）议院；卧室；会议厅

参考例句：

• The body will be removed into one of the cold storage chambers. 尸体将被移到一个冷冻间里。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Mr Chambers's readable book concentrates on the middle passage: the time Ransome spent in Russia. Chambers先生的这本值得一看的书重点在中间：Ransome在俄国的那几年。 来自互联网

5 momentum   

n.动力，冲力，势头；动量

参考例句：

• We exploit the energy and momentum conservation laws in this way.我们就是这样利用能量和动量守恒定律的。
• The law of momentum conservation could supplant Newton's third law.动量守恒定律可以取代牛顿第三定律。

6 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

7 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

8 regain   

vt.重新获得，收复，恢复

参考例句：

• He is making a bid to regain his World No.1 ranking.他正为重登世界排名第一位而努力。
• The government is desperate to regain credibility with the public.政府急于重新获取公众的信任。

9 Ford   

n.浅滩，水浅可涉处；v.涉水，涉过

参考例句：

• They were guarding the bridge,so we forded the river.他们驻守在那座桥上，所以我们只能涉水过河。
• If you decide to ford a stream,be extremely careful.如果已决定要涉过小溪，必须极度小心。

10 reconstruction   

n.重建，再现，复原

参考例句：

• The country faces a huge task of national reconstruction following the war.战后，该国面临着重建家园的艰巨任务。
• In the period of reconstruction,technique decides everything.在重建时期，技术决定一切。

11 fend   

v.照料（自己），（自己）谋生，挡开，避开

参考例句：

• I've had to fend for myself since I was 14.我从十四岁时起就不得不照料自己。
• He raised his arm up to fend branches from his eyes.他举手将树枝从他眼前挡开。

12 jersey   

n.运动衫

参考例句：

• He wears a cotton jersey when he plays football.他穿运动衫踢足球。
• They were dressed alike in blue jersey and knickers.他们穿着一致，都是蓝色的运动衫和灯笼短裤。

13 resurgence   

n.再起，复活，再现

参考例句：

• A resurgence of his grief swept over Nim.悲痛又涌上了尼姆的心头。
• Police say drugs traffickers are behind the resurgence of violence.警方说毒贩是暴力活动重新抬头的罪魁祸首。

14 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

15 ballot   

n.（不记名）投票，投票总数，投票权；vi.投票

参考例句：

• The members have demanded a ballot.会员们要求投票表决。
• The union said they will ballot members on whether to strike.工会称他们将要求会员投票表决是否罢工。

16 abortion   

n.流产，堕胎

参考例句：

• She had an abortion at the women's health clinic.她在妇女保健医院做了流产手术。
• A number of considerations have led her to have a wilful abortion.多种考虑使她执意堕胎。