Hank Morris, Mr. Schumer's political consultant, said he did not think there was any one region or voter bloc that had been critical.

"Reagan Country" referred to whole regions or voter blocs loyal to Mr. Reagan, but "Bush Country" is hard to find.

That's all this is, a sop to a Democrat-leaning voter bloc, an attempt to expand our political base by including the Hispanic vote.

All we're talking about is a writhing mass of loopholes meant to pay off political debts and court various voter blocs.

He soft-pedaled his views on free trade and gun control and the environment for fear of offending one voter bloc or another.

But by taking on Mr. Owens, who is African American, a Clarke campaign could also place her into conflict with central Brooklyn's other major voter bloc.

Yesterday, indeed, belonged to Governor Bush as the undisputed champion of the voter blocs that have dominated the G.O.P. for two decades.

The fourth precinct, Precinct 2, contains a significant African-American voter bloc concentrated in the county's majority share of Houston and northern Missouri City.

Seniors are the fastest-growing voter bloc in the United States, expected to double by 2030, when 1 in 5 Americans will be 65 or older.

This lip service will diminish too, as the numbers in this highly organized and very disciplined voter bloc dwindle.