The final week of the campaigns has found the two candidates locked in an extremely close race. According to a Mason-Dixon poll released Wednesday, Erskine Bowles trailed Elizabeth Dole by 6 percentage points, with 42 percent of votes compared to her 48 percent. The Carolina Poll, released Friday, shows a split of 7 percentage points, with Dole leading Bowles 47 percent to 40 percent.
But national party leaders still consider the race a dead heat, leading both candidates to intensify activities as they reaffirmed their platforms on the final day before the general election. Combined, the two candidates have spent about $22 million on the election, making it the most expensive and one of the most closely watched Senate contests in the nation.
The two candidates have had national figures -- including President Bush for Dole and former President Clinton for Bowles -- campaign on their behalves.
Both parties have targeted the race because it is one of a handful that could decide which party controls the Senate when lawmakers take office in January. The 2001-02 Senate was composed of 50 Democrats, 49
Republicans
Dole spent her time Monday crisscrossing the state by plane and greeting voters in six N.C. cities. Dole spokesman Jack Cox said this final push was Dole's last effort to reach as many voters across the state as possible.
He said each stop brought large crowds of enthusiastic voters eager to rally for Dole. "They were fired up and ready to bring friends to the polls," Cox said.
In contrast, Bowles' final day centered on a large rally in Raleigh supporting all of the state's Democratic candidates.
About 250 Democrat supporters convened Monday on Fayetteville Street Mall in Raleigh to show support for candidates in today's election, including U.S. Senate hopeful Erskine Bowles.
The crowd reserved its loudest cheers for Bowles and U.S. Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C. Prior to introducing Bowles, Edwards criticized Bush's administration, challenging Republican social and economic policies.
"The Republicans don't come from real America," he said. "They don't understand real America. They don't have an economic plan. They don't even see that there is a problem."
Edwards said he needs Bowles in the Senate. "Deliver me Erskine Bowles to Congress," he shouted, which prompted the crowd to respond with chants of "Erskine, Erskine, Erskine ..." as the candidate stepped up to the microphone.
Bowles said his Senate candidacy is a privilege and promised that if he wins, he will remain true to constituents. "If I am elected, I'm going to be waking up every morning thinking of you."
Other politicians affirmed his qualifications. "It is more important to be right on the issues effecting women than to be a woman whose name is on the ballot," said N.C. Secretary of State Elaine Marshall.
Dole visited Asheville, Charlotte, Greensboro, the Triangle, Greenville and Wilmington via plane Monday to cover North Carolina's geographically diverse voting population.
Cox said flying was necessary to efficiently cover the massive state, adding that he thinks Dole reached more voters than Bowles by using that method.
The crowds drawn at each stop were diverse and included many young families, senior citizens and vocal college students, he said. "The campaign has motivated many first-time voters to come out to the polls."
Cox added that Dole used her six-city tour to restate her platform and messages and to stress the need for North Carolinians to get out and vote.
Polling sites will be open across Orange County from 6:30 a.m. until 7:30 p.m. today.
The State & National Editor can be reached at stntdesk@unc.edu.
