If they cannot carry out the wishes of the overwhelming majority of their own constituents then they need to be de-selected by their local party constituency and sacked by their electorate.

The voters and representatives of various party constituencies, including unions and African-Americans, had already coalesced behind Mr. Kerry.

Yet in his speech Mr. Gore also sought to claim the birthright of a natural-born Democrat, delivering passionate appeals to labor, minorities, homosexuals and other party constituencies.

The ministers' statements may be scattershot attempts to satisfy important party constituencies as much as coordinated Government policy.

The men - the vanquished Democratic nominee of four years ago and the candidate he was campaigning for - had the same purpose: to drive up turnout among a critical party constituency in the face of recent polls suggesting some slippage.

The party constituencies publish some magazines on the web.

If party affiliation is any indication, that would appear to bode well for Republicans, and it represents a reversal in traditional party constituencies.

He has not based his appeal on internal party constituencies.

The top party officials implicated in the diplomatic cables of plotting against Mr Mugabe have powerful party constituencies which he cannot afford to alienate by punishing them.

As with the term RINO, regional variations between party constituencies are a factor.