Elsewhere, Philadelphia's Democratic Mayor John Street handily defeated Republican businessman Sam Katz, 59 percent to 41 percent. And Democrats took control of the New Jersey Legislature, breaking a 20-20 tie in the state Senate and defeating the GOP's top Senate leader. In both Mississippi and Kentucky, candidates tried out slogans and strategies that could well be used in the 2004 presidential race.
Each race turned on state issues, but as the highest-level elections before the 2004 White House contest, they drew close scrutiny from political strategists.
In Kentucky, Governor Paul Patton is leaving because of term limits and after an infidelity scandal that soured voters. Fletcher campaigned on a promise to "clean up the mess in Frankfort."
Chandler's campaign tried to rally voters with its criticism of Bush.
"It sends a message to the rest of the country: We're tired of the biggest budget deficit in history," said Wendell Ford, a former Democratic governor and senator stumping for the Democrat.
The tactic failed, GOP leaders said.
"The Democrat strategy was negative attacks and tying Ernie Fletcher to President Bush and making this race a referendum on the president's economic policies," Republican National Chairman Ed Gillespie said. "The Democrats had their referendum and got their answer."
State Republican Chairwoman Ellen Williams added that said Bush helped swing the race in western Kentucky, a conservative Democratic area thatboth campaigns said was crucial. Bush "lit that district on fire," she said. "The people in that part of the state are in line with Bush's conservative values."
In Mississippi, Democrats' attempt to use the president's flagging popularity against the GOP candidate also failed. They had criticized Barbour as a "Washington insider," but campaign visits by President Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney, and other top GOP officials appeared to buoy his campaign.
