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Health-care coverage and prescription drug costs have become a dominant election-year issue, and Michigan's key Senate race exemplifies how that debate is playing out at the state level.

The campaign between incumbent Sen. Spencer Abraham (R) and Democratic challenger Debbie Stabenow is being dominated by health care, and not just from an issue-specific standpoint. The health care and insurance industries have dumped almost $600,000 into the race — with three-quarters of that money going to Abraham — in an effort to affect influence in the inevitable policy debate on the horizon.
• Health Care Issues Dominate Contest for Michigan's U.S. Senate Seat (The Detroit News, 09/24/00)
• Senate Ads Baffle Seniors (Detroit Free Press, 09/21/00)
• Medical Group Fails to Give Endorsement (The Detroit News, 09/24/00)
• More Coverage: Mich. Senate Race

Though the race has long been pegged as one of the tightest in the country, recent poll numbers indicate Abraham may be pulling away from Stabenow.
• Stabenow's Support Shrinks (Detroit Free Press, 09/19/00)
• Abraham Pulling Away (The Detroit News, 09/19/00)

N.Y. Senate: First Lady Slow to Accept Ban

Both the Rick Lazio (R) and Hillary Clinton (D) campaigns are trying to take credit for the pact reached over the weekend to ban "soft money" ads in their Senate race, though Clinton's awkward and hesitant response to Lazio's challenge gave the Republican an edge in the issue debate.
• Costly Delay by First Lady on Use of Soft Money (The New York Times, 09/25/00)
• Rivals Take Credit for Ban (Albany Times Union, 09/25/00)
• Lazio: I Made Hillary Face Facts (New York Daily News, 09/25/00)
• Clinton, Lazio Agree to Ban 'Soft Money' Ads (The Washington Post, 09/25/00)
• More Coverage: N.Y. Senate Race

Conn. Senate: Voters Unsure of Lieberman's Dual Candidacy

Vice presidential candidate Sen. Joseph Lieberman (D-Conn.), who will spend Monday in his home state raising money and campaigning for Democratic House candidates, continues to hold a commanding lead in his other race — a bid for a third U.S. Senate term. And though voters still support him, a large number do not approve of his simultaneous campaigns.
• Lieberman to Stump in State for Friends, Cash (New Haven Register, 09/23/00)
• A Split Vote on Lieberman's Dual Campaigns (Hartford Courant, 09/22/00)
• More Coverage: Conn. Senate Race

Mo. Governor: Candidates Keep Campaign Clean

Though their race remains too close to call just six weeks before Election Day, both Rep. Jim Talent (R) and Bob Holden (D) are resisting pressure to go negative in their gubernatorial campaigns.
• Candidates Aren't Going Down the Low Road (St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 09/25/00)
• More Coverage: Mo. Governor's Race

Miss. 4th District: Hastert Comes Calling for GOP Challenger

On a multi-state trip to boost Republican congressional candidates, House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) swung through Mississippi to stump for Dunn Lampton, who is attempting to unseat first-term Democratic Rep. Ronnie Shows.
• Hastert Knocks on Doors for Lampton (The Clarion-Ledger, 09/25/00)
• More Coverage: Miss. 4th District Race

"Lieberman is absolutely right. ...A lot of what we do has very little to do with art. It has to do with sleaze and gratuitous sex and unnecessary violence." – Actor and Democratic Party activist Martin Sheen, who portrays the president of the United States on NBC's "The West Wing."
• Sheen Agrees With Film Criticisms
(Associated Press, 09/25/00)

Jason Thompson can be reached at jason.thompson@washingtonpost.com. Early Returns runs Monday-Thursday.