A 1999 survey by Public Agenda, a nonpartisan research group, found that 68 percent of blacks favor vouchers.

People who favor vouchers are seen as undermining public education.

A group favoring vouchers for public schools sent $78,300 to a State Senate committee, which then voted 6 to 4 to approve a voucher program the group supports.

Still, he saved his strongest objections for the Republicans, faulting them for opposing abortion rights and favoring vouchers for public schools.

I favor vouchers in failing schools.

Ms. Rizzo said she doubted, however, that such a plan would, by itself, disarm critics who favor vouchers.

Yes, our poll did show that some 66 percent of blacks and 67 percent of Hispanics favor vouchers.

But Republican delegates, who favored vouchers by 71 percent to 20 percent, were almost as far out of step with the public uncertainty.

Even those who favored vouchers, for instance, saw them as largely irrelevant to their lives.

He also said Mr. Enzi "generally does not favor vouchers."