Given voter anxiety and anger at the misdemeanours of bankers, rising joblessness, failing mortgages and a worsening economic crisis, there were expectations that voters would lash out at incumbent governments, blaming them.

This stance, however, coincided with increased voter anxiety surrounding rising crime rates, as well as higher poll numbers for right-wing Unidád Bonaerense candidate Luis Patti.

It will also involve gut perceptions about which man sends the tougher message to criminals and which man cares more about voter anxieties regarding street violence.

It must be distinct from the coalition's push for extreme austerity without neglecting voter anxiety about the state of the public finances.

Yet, they caution, voter anxieties about the recession may be counterbalancing.

Daniel Yankelovich, president of the Public Agenda Foundation, said in an interview that the unusually high level of voter anxiety stemmed not from current economic conditions but from fears about the economy's future.

But Mr. Kissell is one of a dozen Democratic candidates for the House, and a few for the Senate, who are making at least some headway in tapping voter anxiety about trade.

This may partially explain why the Bush administration and Republicans in general have not benefited more from a brisk economy that is adding jobs, while Democrats have been unable to build a message exploiting voter anxiety.

Responding to voter anxiety, Mr. Clinton put health care reform at the center of his campaign.

In 1984, Spellman ran for a second term of office, facing voter anxiety about the weak economy.