"I was disappointed," said Pat Brister, the Republican chairwoman of Louisiana.

"Aunt Georgette thought these French names for houses were silly," said Mrs. Slocum, the Republican chairwoman for Rhode Island.

The Republican chairwoman, Pamela M. LeMieux, said he impressed party leaders as responsible and "very strict."

But Mrs. LeMieux, the Republican chairwoman, said it was not the town's job to police its justice.

"It makes it sound that every woman west of the Mississippi was a prostitute," said Grace Shore, the Republican chairwoman of the Texas State Board of Education.

"We were fighting for our lives, and we were fighting for a righteous cause," said Marjorie Kincaid, the Republican chairwoman in Hillsborough County.

Carolee C. Sunderland, the Republican chairwoman of the county's Board of Elections, said she would not discuss tallies until the recount was complete.

"Initially, there was some concern about his campaigning because of the short timetable he has to get everywhere," said Dian Levy, the Republican chairwoman of Tompkins County, which includes Ithaca.

Gail Peterson, the Republican chairwoman in Camden County, said today, "I think everybody will come together to unite behind Assemblyman Geist."

Lee Ann Elliott, the Republican chairwoman of the panel, said that "this is a big issue that will keep coming back in cases besides the Christian Coalition."