"In this critical election year, I look forward to standing with Democratic candidates all across the country."

"It also points up how critical this election is," Ms. Lowey said.

Most often, however, particularly in Key's (1955) original hypothesis, it is a single "critical election" that marks a realignment.

"I urge everybody to support him because I think this is going to be one of the most critical elections in Florida's history."

He's had three terms, and the third is traditionally the critical election for U.S. Senators.

"I think it's a critical election," she said.

Mbeki faced a critical presidential election in 2002.

For years, American political theory has held that new eras are marked by "critical elections" that occur every 30 or 40 years.

The market crisis comes at a time when the Menem Government is facing a critical election next year amid growing discontent.

This change occurred following the critical election of 1896 and the subsequent Progressive reform era.