Although some pundits still grumble that having to work hard for the nomination has tarnished his candidacy and increased his negatives by forcing him to highlight more conservative positions, it's clear that Romney has become a more representative Republican nominee -- and that he may win in November.
No, it's the Republican nominee, Representative Bob Franks, trying to flush out Mr. Corzine, the winner of the Democratic primary.
But the Democratic nominee, Representative Ron Klink, a 48-year-old moderate from the Pittsburgh area, won a very costly victory.
But after Mr. Giuliani dropped out, the party threw its support behind Hillary Rodham Clinton over the Republican nominee, Representative Rick A. Lazio.
Mr. Corzine, a former Wall Street executive who has a personal fortune estimated at more than $400 million, will run in November against the Republican nominee, Representative Robert D. Franks.
Although Ms. Ayotte's matchup against the Democratic nominee, Representative Paul W. Hodes, remains competitive, she has led in every poll of the race for more than a year, and is pegged as better than an 85 percent favorite by the FiveThirtyEight model.
The show was warned that if any word leaked out before the election, some provision might have to be made to give the Republican vice-presidential nominee, Representative Paul Ryan, a similar cameo.
But a tough Republican primary left their nominee Representative Jeff Flake, a well-known and well-established Republican, broke, bruised and in need of more help than his party expected to give.
Whoever wins will face the challenge of uniting the party behind his candidacy and will face the Democratic nominee, Representative Brad Ellsworth, a former sheriff from Evansville, who defeated Mr. Hostettler in 2006.
The most likely Republican nominee, Representative Bill Cassidy, has an extremely conservative voting record, while the Democratic incumbent, Mary Landrieu, has a moderate one that could partially offset the state's strong Republican lean.
