The Democrats' ever stronger showing among working white women, Hispanic voters and suburban moderates presented a clear warning that the G.O.P. had better broaden its appeal.

Constant feistiness can wear out political audiences, especially in a time when suburban moderates do not feel particularly threatened by the greedy forces conjured by Mr. Gore.

By selecting a pro-choice running mate, Mr. Bush would also be pulling the party more into alignment with suburban moderates who in numerical terms are more important to the G.O.P. than the anti-abortion movement.

The Alliance, potentially a threat to Mrs. Thatcher's hold on "soft" Tories and suburban moderates, remains ideologically blurred because of disputes between the Liberals and the more conservative Social Democrats.

Even before 2000, the churning mixture of blacks, Hispanics, retirees from other states, urban liberals, suburban moderates and conservative-leaning rural residents made for a deeply divided state.

Turning those four loose on abortion rights, affirmative action, the environment and energy policy could alienate the suburban moderates who put Mr. Bush in office and dash his hopes of expanding his minority vote in the future.

Thornburgh was successful in recruiting suburban moderates, as fellow liberal Republican Specter encouraged his metro Philadelphia supporters to rally behind Thornburgh.

Such a stance, party strategists say, will appeal to the suburban moderates who these days decide elections.

A tolerant stance would appeal to the suburban moderates without whom he cannot win.

Typically, traditional suburban moderates denounce the evangelicals as interlopers and fear that their stands on emotional issues like abortion will drive people from the party.