This policy is an outdated relic of the cold war and exists only as a political payoff to Republican-leaning Cuban-American voters in Miami.

Among Hispanics, there are only three incumbents, two of whom represent conservative Cuban-American voters in Florida.

He portrayed the administration's move as an election-year ploy to appease Cuban-American voters.

Of the 600,000 Cuban-American voters here, more than 80 percent supported Mr. Bush in 2000.

And while reluctant to offend Cuban-American voters, senior officials have been eager to end the situation to prevent any worsening of relations with Havana.

But Cuban-American voters came through for him again in 1993, he said, when he ran for county commissioner and received more votes than a Cuban-American.

In 1988, more than 85 percent of Cuban-American voters in Florida cast their ballots for George Bush.

He is a Cuban-American and many Cuban-American voters in the district, who tend to vote Republican, are expected to support him.

At stake is a crucial group of Cuban-American voters, which leans Republican but helped deliver Florida to President Clinton in 1996.

Still, she and other political analysts agree that although Cuban-American voters may flirt with the Democrats this year, in the end they will resist seduction.