A daily dose of online news from beyond the Beltway.
__ More Campaign Coverage __ • Howard Kurtz's Media Notes • CQ Races to Watch

Texas Gov. George W. Bush has gained valuable ground in the presidential race in Michigan, a new poll shows, though the race there is still neck-and-neck.

The survey by The Detroit News showed Bush dead even with Vice President Gore. It's the GOP nominee's strongest showing in months in one of the nation's most important electoral states. Though Bush appears to be on an upswing in the battleground state, observers note the large number of undecideds will still ultimately swing the state's 18 electoral votes.
• Poll Shows Closest Election in 40 Years (The Detroit News, 10/15/00)
• Bush Cuts Margin in Michigan (Detroit Free Press, 10/14/00)
• More Coverage: Michigan Profile

With the presidential campaign nearing the home stretch, Bush is planning a major mobilization of the nation's Republican governors, dispatching them to key battleground states.
• Bush Recruits Governors and Women for Final Stretch
(The New York Times, 10/16/00)
• Bush Campaign Moves to Win Women, McCain Supporters
(The Dallas Morning News, 10/16/00)
• Bush, Gore Battle for Michigan's Female Voters (The Detroit News, 10/16/00)

N.J. Senate: Franks Finally Gets Help from GOP

The GOP establishment in Washington, D.C., is finally kicking in some financial help for Rep. Bob Franks (R-N.J.) in his underfunded Senate bid against Democrat Jon Corzine. Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott (R-Miss.) acknowledged the national GOP has been slow to help Franks, but with Franks's popularity and chances for a "sleeper" victory increasing, Lott predicted more cash would be coming.
• GOP Senate Leader Predicts Franks' Win (Newark Star-Ledger, 10/15/00)
• Franks Gets GOP to Boost His Coffers (Philadelphia Inquirer, 10/15/00)

After enduring more than a month of relentless television ads from the Corzine campaign, Franks is finally hitting the airwaves statewide this week with a plan to attack Corzine's heavy spending.
• Franks to Launch Attack Over the Airwaves (Newark Star-Ledger, 10/15/00)

As Corzine's price tab for the Senate race rose to a record $46 million, the Democratic candidate began hitting Franks for taking too much special interest money.
• Corzine Campaign Tab Hits $46M (Trenton Times, 10/14/00)
• Senate Rivals Follow Campaign Money trail (Newark Star-Ledger, 10/14/00)
• More Coverage: N.J. Senate Race

Ill. 10th District: Candidates Play Off Porter's Record

Retiring Rep. John Porter (R-Ill.) is casting a long shadow in the race to replace him, as both Democrat Lauren Beth Gash and Republican Mark Steven Kirk angle to convince voters each is the better candidate to continue Porter's popular brand of politics.
• Gash, Kirk Make Point to Shadow Rep. Porter (Chicago Tribune, 10/16/00)
• More Coverage: Ill. 10th District Race

California: Davis's Fundraising Raises Worries

Even Democrats are starting to fret over the prolific fundraising of Gov. Gray Davis (D-Calif.), who has raised more than $21 million for a reelection campaign that is still two years away.
• Democrats Voice Concern Over Fundraising (Contra Costa Times, 10/09/00)
• Profile: Gov. Gray Davis

"I'm going to see which one can make the biggest fool of himself when he opens his mouth, then I'll vote for the other one. It's pretty close so far." – Michigan voter Silvio Zanardelli, a retired diemaker who is still undecided in the presidential election.
• Poll Shows Closest Election in 40 Years
(The Detroit News, 10/15/00)

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