Mr. Bush opposes public financing and has even chosen not to accept the spending limits set under current law as a requirement for getting federal funds.

He opposed federal financing of abortion early in his Congressional career, but has supported abortion rights for many years.

In early 1989 he described himself as "modified pro-choice," saying he opposed public financing for abortions.

Earlier in his career, Mr. Clinton opposed public financing of abortions for poor women but for years he has favored such financing.

Mr. Bush has said he opposes federal financing of "experimentation on embryonic stem cells that require live human embryos to be discarded or destroyed."

He opposes financing of religious institutions with funds from outside France.

Republicans and Conservatives have consistently opposed public financing in the state on both philosophical and practical grounds.

But you oppose such financing only for state efforts to lower electric rates through public power acquisitions.

But some of his recent statements suggest that he has come to oppose wider financing, which in the past he appeared to support.

The majority for campaign reform is weak because some Southern Democrats may oppose public financing.