He said the parties had a strong incentive to unite behind a candidate early and start fighting the other party.

The main problem for the opposition was that they failed to unite behind a single candidate.

Local officials who threw their support behind a candidate will also be out front pressing their case.

But the group is hardly ready to coalesce behind a candidate for mayor in 2001.

If Fox news at al are behind a candidate, s/he is far more likely to survive a slip.

He won that election with about 38 percent of the vote, largely because the opposition was unable to unite behind a single candidate.

Their logic is that he could do well if most of the opposition was not able to unite behind a single candidate.

Can you imagine if they put all their resources and smarts behind a candidate?

The party has not united behind a candidate for governor.

That would allow the opposition to unite behind a single candidate in a second round.