The Mayor, who was in Iowa for Republican fund-raisers yesterday, criticized the judge's decision and reiterated his description of the event as a "hate march."

"It's broken up," said a longtime Republican fund-raiser who declined to be named.

Sensing that the Democrats smell blood, Republican fund-raisers are running scared - or acting that way.

Mr. Giuliani, fresh from a two-day tour as a speaker at Republican fund-raisers, has been seeking to raise his national profile.

"There's always one more ad to buy," said Richard Hohlt, a longtime Republican fund-raiser.

"And that's also the most prominent sound heard at Republican fund-raisers as benefactors meet legislators."

He was working at home on a speech he was to give next week to Republican fund-raisers.

"It was very stealthy, and people did not realize it was happening," said one longtime Republican fund-raiser who has not decided yet which candidate to support.

Or serving as master of ceremonies at Republican fund-raisers.

A longtime Republican fund-raiser, he admits his view then was of an agency grown bloated under the oversight of Democratic administrations in each state.

As a result, many Republican fund-raisers say they will have to scramble to stay comfortably ahead of the Democrats.

Several Republican fund-raisers say their new soft-money push is intended to counter an enormous drive by Democrats to raise a record amount of soft money before the November 2000 elections.

Republican fund-raisers said that the Republican National Committee's average donation was $32.

Republican fund-raisers report that they have raised $59.9 million, also better than their 1988 showing, when they were slightly outspent by the Democrats.

Nearly 50 Republican fund-raisers gave $250,000 each.

Republican fund-raisers say that senior party officials have made it clear that the Republican Governors Association will be another primary avenue for raising soft money.

Mr. Bush plans to continue the same themes throughout a week that includes an $18 million Republican fund-raiser in Washington on Wednesday.

While Mr. Giuliani was officially in Iowa to attend two Republican fund-raisers, his behavior and remarks came close to politicking for himself.

But among New Jersey's power players - Republican fund-raisers and donors - word is that Mrs. Whitman's real goal is a diplomatic post.

Republican fund-raisers have discussed asking some of their largest donors to write soft money checks to the state parties.