The Republicans have aggressively courted PAC's since the mid-1970's.

Now those same Republicans are courting a maverick mayor with money and a name: Mr. Riordan himself.

That willingness to undermine to Republicans is what gives the Conservatives their power, forcing the Republicans to court them.

Republicans, she says, are courting students through MTV promotions and plan to make door-to-door dorm visits in the fall.

Now, pro-immigrant sentiments abound, and Democrats and Republicans alike are courting Hispanic voters.

Meanwhile, the Republicans have been courting the middle classes in the interior, a region with a very different culture because of both geography and history.

Republicans and Democrats alike, including the presidential candidates, are courting Indians as never before.

Republicans are courting the Hispanic vote around the country.

"The Republicans are courting minority voters," Mr. Minami said.

"Similarly, the Reagan Democrat that the Republicans have courted have tended to be blue-collar people, not those who are wealthy at all."