2006年VOA标准英语-Democrats, Republicans Eye Albuquerque US Congr

By Mike O'Sullivan
Albuquerque, New Mexico
31 October 2006

Both major U.S. parties are gearing up for next Tuesday's mid-term election, which could possibly tip the balance from a Republican to a Democratic majority in congress.  The parties are focusing their efforts on a handful of races, including one in the western city of Albuquerque, New Mexico.

 
US Representative Heather Wilson
This race is considered a toss-up.  Both candidates are women.  Heather Wilson, the incumbent², is a Republican.  She is an Air Force veteran who studied at Oxford³ University as a Rhodes scholar.  Her opponent is New Mexico Attorney General Democrat¹ Patricia Madrid.

Albuquerque Journal reporter Michael Coleman says Madrid is well known.

"She was an aggressive attorney general," he said.  "She did a lot on consumer fraud.  She did a lot on child exploitation.  She is running on that record, and even more than that, she is running against President Bush and the status quo."

 
State Attorney General Patricia Madrid
For Democrats⁴, this race is about the president, whose popularity in the district has sunk to 36 percent, according to a recent poll by the Albuquerque Journal.  For Republicans, the contest is about local candidates, their performance and views on issues such as national security.

Pollster Brian Sanderoff says this race is important for both parties.

"Because it is sort of a microcosm of what is happening in about 40 other congressional districts around the nation," he noted⁵.  "If 15 congressional seats switch from Republican to Democrat, then the Democrats will take over the United States House of Representatives."

If six Senate seats change hands, the Democrats would form the majority in that body.  A switch in just one congressional house would give the Democrats more clout⁶ in framing legislation.

The thought of Democrats regaining⁷ control of congress motivates this Republican worker.

"I am a volunteer on behalf of the Republican Party," she said.  "I would like to let you know that Democrats want to seize control of congress this year, and - hello?"

Hour after hour on the telephone, she calls prospective⁸ voters.  Some hang up, but every so often, an undecided voter is persuaded.

Retired⁹ Marine¹⁰ Corps¹¹ Colonel Allen Weh is chairman of the state Republican Party.

"We are getting out the vote," he said.  "We are getting out the Republican base.  The base is that block of Republican voters that are largely loyal to the Republican slate¹²."

But many in New Mexico vote a split ticket, that is, they cast their votes in different races for member of both parties.  The ballot¹³ has candidates for governor, state and local offices, as well as congress, and voters may select Republicans in some races and Democrats in others.

A Republican has always held this Albuquerque congressional seat, despite the larger number of Democrats in the district.

Joe Griffenberg, who was eating his lunch at a local diner, is one of those crossover voters.

"There are three Democrats that I will vote for, and I think everybody else, I am going to vote Republican," he said.

Both parties are targeting such swing voters, and the one-in-six voters without a party affiliation¹⁴. 

Democrats and Republicans are also making appeals to the district's Hispanics, who make up more than 40 percent of the population.  New Mexico Hispanics tend to register as Democrats, but enough voted for Heather Wilson to keep her in Congress.  A recent poll shows her Hispanic support is dropping.

University of New Mexico political scientist Christine Sierra says the war in Iraq is on the mind of the voters, including Hispanics.  She says in 2004, the issue helped President Bush narrowly win the state, but now she says the issue is hurting Republicans.

"My sense is that what happened in 2004 that worked for the Republicans and getting Bush to carry the state and cut into the Hispanic vote here, is now working against the Republicans, and that's foreign policy," she explained.

This suburban¹⁵ voter, however, believes the Republicans are stronger on national security.

"The issues for me are the war, and I agree with the president and what he is doing, and I am hoping that the election will turn into a Republican positive election so that things can continue as they are," she said.

At the local meeting hall of the group Veterans of Foreign Wars, many also say they will vote Republican.  But a recent poll shows the issue of Iraq is working against the party.  A total of 52 percent of local voters say the war in Iraq was a mistake.  Few support an immediate¹⁶ pullout, but a majority are anxious to see an end to the conflict. 

Paul McConnell is a Vietnam veteran who wants the troops home quickly, and he volunteers for the Democrats.

"I am an independent, I am not a Democrat or a Republican.  And I feel like the war was wrong, terribly wrong," he said.  "I do not see George Bush as being a compassionate¹⁷ conservative.  And Patricia Madrid has the same set of values that I seem to have."

Other issues important to Democrats include raising the minimum wage and providing health insurance for the many who lack it.  For Republicans, key issues include lowering taxes and restricting abortion¹⁸.

Democrat Richard Romero says Republican Heather Wilson is a strong candidate.  A veteran New Mexico politician, he ran against her twice in this Albuquerque district, and lost both times.

"The incumbent beat me, I mean [she] got more votes," he said.  "Whoever gets the most votes, wins.  It is a tough district for a Democrat."

He says the district is conservative, home to a military base and a national laboratory that relies on defense-related funding.  But he says that in this election, the Republican candidate is linked to an unpopular president and a party embroiled¹⁹ in recent congressional scandals.

"And so I think Democrats have a good shot, not only here but nationally, to turn it around.  Then it will be up to them to see if they can prove that they can do better," he added.

Both parties have held last-minute rallies to inspire their supporters.

 
Election rally for Patricia Madrid attended by House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi, center.
As a sign of the importance of this race, House of Representatives Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi came from Washington to offer support for Patricia Madrid.  Local Republican luminaries²⁰ have turned out for Heather Wilson.

Republican Wilson trailed by three points in the latest poll, but because of the survey's margin²¹ of error, the race is really a toss-up, and like other key races around the country, could go either way.

1 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。

2 incumbent   

adj.成为责任的，有义务的；现任的，在职的

参考例句：

• He defeated the incumbent governor by a large plurality.他以压倒多数票击败了现任州长。
• It is incumbent upon you to warn them.你有责任警告他们。

3 Oxford   

n.牛津（英国城市）

参考例句：

• At present he has become a Professor of Chemistry at Oxford.他现在已是牛津大学的化学教授了。
• This is where the road to Oxford joins the road to London.这是去牛津的路与去伦敦的路的汇合处。

4 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》

5 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

6 clout   

n.用手猛击；权力，影响力

参考例句：

• The queen may have privilege but she has no real political clout.女王有特权，但无真正的政治影响力。
• He gave the little boy a clout on the head.他在那小男孩的头部打了一下。

7 regaining   

复得( regain的现在分词 )； 赢回； 重回； 复至某地

参考例句：

• She was regaining consciousness now, but the fear was coming with her. 现在她正在恢发她的知觉，但是恐怖也就伴随着来了。
• She said briefly, regaining her will with a click. 她干脆地答道，又马上重新振作起精神来。

8 prospective   

adj.预期的，未来的，前瞻性的

参考例句：

• The story should act as a warning to other prospective buyers.这篇报道应该对其他潜在的购买者起到警示作用。
• They have all these great activities for prospective freshmen.这会举办各种各样的活动来招待未来的新人。

9 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

10 marine   

adj.海的；海生的；航海的；海事的；n.水兵

参考例句：

• Marine creatures are those which live in the sea. 海洋生物是生存在海里的生物。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

11 corps   

n.(通信等兵种的)部队；(同类作的)一组

参考例句：

• The medical corps were cited for bravery in combat.医疗队由于在战场上的英勇表现而受嘉奖。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

12 slate   

n.板岩，石板，石片，石板色，候选人名单；adj.暗蓝灰色的，含板岩的；vt.用石板覆盖，痛打，提名，预订

参考例句：

• The nominating committee laid its slate before the board.提名委员会把候选人名单提交全体委员会讨论。
• What kind of job uses stained wood and slate? 什么工作会接触木头污浊和石板呢？

13 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。

14 affiliation   

n.联系，联合

参考例句：

• There is no affiliation between our organization and theirs,even though our names are similar.尽管两个组织的名称相似，但我们之间并没有关系。
• The kidnappers had no affiliation with any militant group.这些绑架者与任何军事组织都没有紧密联系。

15 suburban   

adj.城郊的，在郊区的

参考例句：

• Suburban shopping centers were springing up all over America. 效区的商业中心在美国如雨后春笋般地兴起。
• There's a lot of good things about suburban living.郊区生活是有许多优点。

16 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

17 compassionate   

adj.有同情心的，表示同情的

参考例句：

• She is a compassionate person.她是一个有同情心的人。
• The compassionate judge gave the young offender a light sentence.慈悲的法官从轻判处了那个年轻罪犯。

18 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。

19 embroiled   

adj.卷入的；纠缠不清的

参考例句：

• He became embroiled in a dispute with his neighbours. 他与邻居们发生了争执。
• John and Peter were quarrelling, but Mary refused to get embroiled. 约翰和彼得在争吵，但玛丽不愿卷入。 来自《简明英汉词典》

20 luminaries   

n.杰出人物，名人（luminary的复数形式）

参考例句：

• In that day there will be no light; the luminaries will dwindle. 亚14:6那日、必没有光．三光必退缩。 来自互联网
• Includes household filament light bulbs & luminaries. 包括家用的白炙灯泡和光源。 来自互联网

21 margin   

n.页边空白；差额；余地，余裕；边，边缘

参考例句：

• We allowed a margin of 20 minutes in catching the train.我们有20分钟的余地赶火车。
• The village is situated at the margin of a forest.村子位于森林的边缘。