Republicans often benefit, however, by drawing the votes of Conservatives, who account for about 12,300 enrolled voters.

"Republicans have been able to do that for decades and benefited from it."

For a decade, the Republicans benefited from a public perception that their opponents were the tax-and-spenders.

He also said he believed that the Republicans would benefit from an investigation.

But there is no clear sense of which Republican would benefit more.

He said Republicans favored continuing investment tax cuts because that would help more people and would especially benefit those making less than $100,000.

Republicans also benefited from their success in cutting spending in this year's budget.

If there is good news out of the ground in Iraq, then Republicans will benefit.

And you've got such apathy in voter turnout that Republicans will benefit.

Republicans, who gained control of many state legislatures in the 1990's, have benefited from all these trends.