VOA标准英语2008年-Leading US Republican Presidential Candidates M

By Chris Simkins
Washington
14 January 2008
 

In the campaign for U.S. president, the leading Republican Party candidates are seeking votes in the midwestern U.S. state of Michigan, which holds the party's primary election on Tuesday. The series of state primary elections and caucuses¹ lead to selection of the two major political party nominees² in conventions in about seven months. The general election is in November. VOA's Chris Simkins reports next week's Michigan outcome will be crucial in a Republican contest that many analysts³ say is wide open.

Coming off a big victory in New Hampshire, Senator John McCain is campaigning hard in Michigan. Experts says a primary victory here could make him the frontrunner in the race for the Republican Party nomination⁴.

McCain, once a prisoner of war in Vietnam, faces stiff competition from his Republican rivals including former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee. He won the Iowa caucuses by a decisive margin⁵ over former Massachusetts Governor Mitt⁶ Romney.

The candidates in Michigan are focusing on the loss of thousands of manufacturing jobs in this industrial Midwestern state. McCain told Michigan supporters some of the jobs that have left the state are not coming back. "I will help you create new jobs and new education programs. I will look at ways to keep these people living productive lives with great futures⁷ and a great future for the state of Michigan. I am committed to it," he said.

McCain counts on strong support from moderate conservatives and independent voters. Huckabee, a former Baptist minister, says he will win in Michigan by attracting middle-class workers, evangelical Christians⁸ and conservative anti-abortion voters. "I believe with all my heart that one of the fundamental issues in this country, that we have got to deal with, is the sanctity of every human life."

Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney has proclaimed Michigan will be his first win in the state where he was born and where his father George Romney was a popular governor in the 1960s. Mitt Romney pledges to protect the state's manufacturing jobs and rebuild its ailing⁹ economy. "I am going to use all those years of experience and my love for this state to go to work for Michigan -- to end the one-state recession and make sure Michigan has a bright and prosperous future."

Many analysts say Michigan is a must-win for Romney to avoid calls from party leaders to drop out of the race. Thomas Mann, with the Brookings Institution in Washington, says the race on the Republican side is still wide open. He says McCain may have the edge in Michigan, the home state of many war veterans. "I think of all the candidates in the Republican race McCain has the advantage but it is in no sense a mighty¹⁰ advantage or an invulnerable advantage. It looks to me as if this race is going to go on for some time," Mann said.

Strategists for the McCain, Romney and Huckabee campaigns say a first place showing in Michigan would give their candidates an important boost going into the key southern battleground state of South Carolina about a week later.

1 caucuses   

n.（政党决定政策或推举竞选人的）核心成员( caucus的名词复数 )；决策干部；决策委员会；秘密会议

参考例句：

• Republican caucuses will happen in about 410 towns across Maine. 共和党团会议选举将在缅因州的约410个城镇进行。 来自互联网

2 nominees   

n.被提名者，被任命者( nominee的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• She's one of the nominees. 她是被提名者之一。 来自超越目标英语 第2册
• A startling number of his nominees for senior positions have imploded. 他所提名的高级官员被否决的数目令人震惊。 来自互联网

3 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。

4 nomination   

n.提名，任命，提名权

参考例句：

• John is favourite to get the nomination for club president.约翰最有希望被提名为俱乐部主席。
• Few people pronounced for his nomination.很少人表示赞成他的提名。

5 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。

6 mitt   

n.棒球手套，拳击手套，无指手套；vt.铐住，握手

参考例句：

• I gave him a baseball mitt for his birthday.为祝贺他的生日，我送给他一只棒球手套。
• Tom squeezed a mitt and a glove into the bag.汤姆把棒球手套和手套都塞进袋子里。

7 futures   

n.期货，期货交易

参考例句：

• He continued his operations in cotton futures.他继续进行棉花期货交易。
• Cotton futures are selling at high prices.棉花期货交易的卖价是很高的。

8 Christians   

n.基督教徒( Christian的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Christians of all denominations attended the conference. 基督教所有教派的人都出席了这次会议。
• His novel about Jesus caused a furore among Christians. 他关于耶稣的小说激起了基督教徒的公愤。

9 ailing   

v.生病

参考例句：

• They discussed the problems ailing the steel industry. 他们讨论了困扰钢铁工业的问题。
• She looked after her ailing father. 她照顾有病的父亲。

10 mighty   

adj.强有力的；巨大的

参考例句：

• A mighty force was about to break loose.一股巨大的力量即将迸发而出。
• The mighty iceberg came into view.巨大的冰山出现在眼前。