House, Senate candidates spend final day on the road rallying party support

In the end, there is only one poll that counts — the poll taken today, in schools, churches and town halls across America.

After months of campaigning, millions of dollars raised and spent, and more than a few surprising twists and turns, this Election Day promises to be one of the closest contests in national history.

The balance of forces that led to a tie in 2000 is still in place today, experts agree, and whoever controls Congress is likely to do so by a razor-thin margin.

Today's elections pit incumbent Democratic Rep. Rush Holt against Buster Soaries, a Republican and past New Jersey Secretary of State.

Voters across New Jersey will also choose between former Sen. Frank Lautenberg, who jumped into the Senate race last month after incumbent Democrat Robert Torricelli withdrew, and Republican Douglas Forrester, a wealthy health care entreprenuer who has had trouble making a positive case for his candidacy since losing the opportunity to contrast himself with Torricelli.

In the Nottingham firehouse in Hamilton last night, Forrester wove his way through a deafening crowd of Mercer County Republicans.

With their fists in the air, they urged Forrester on to the Senate. As Forrester climbed the steps to the podium, their chants of "Help is on its way! Help is on its way! Doug Forrester" almost drowned out the blaring recording of Rolling Stones' "Start Me Up."

And Forrester answered their calls, issuing an election eve promise reminiscent of one come-from-behind Garden State team up the Turnpike.

"I'm making a promise that Joe Namath made in Superbowl III," he said, flanked by more than a dozen local Republicans, including Soaries. "We're going to win tomorrow."

Lautenberg, who has kept a low profile since entering the race, campaigned with former President Clinton over the weekend and appears poised to coast to victory on the name recognition he built over 18 years in the Senate.

Several minor party candidates are also on the ballot in the Senate race. Ted Glick, the Green Party candidate, opposes the interests of business in politics.

Liz Macron is running as a Libertarian. Her message to voters, is that individuals should do more themselves and rely less on government.

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Gregory Pason is running on the Socialist ticket, calling for a reduction in military spending, and Norman Wahner is in the race for the Conservative Party.

The race to represent the Princeton area in the House appears likely to end in reelection for Holt, who developed strong ties to the University during 11 years as assistant director of the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory.

Soaries has struggled to distance himself from his party's platform, hoping to match the liberal views of area voters without alienating his conservative base.

At least 42 University employees have given a combined total of $32,900 to Holt's campaign, while Soaries has received just one large gift from a University employee — $1,000 from Director of Communications Lauren Robinson-Brown '85, who once worked under Soaries.

Green Party activist Carl Mayer '81 is also running for the House seat. A close adviser to Ralph Nader '55, Mayer has led the effort to ban the hunting of deer in Princeton Township.

Thomas Abrams is in the race as a Libertarian, on a platform of ending U.S. involvement in troubled spots around the world.