ALLAS - US District Judge Sydney A. Fitzwater yesterday rejected efforts to bar Texas's 32 electoral votes from being cast for George W. Bush because of a dispute over running mate Dick Cheney's residency. Fort Worth attorney Bill Berenson had sought a temporary injunction on behalf of three registered voters from Dallas County, claiming that Cheney is actually a resident of Texas. The lawsuit cited the 12th Amendment, which prohibits the Texas members of the Electoral College from voting for both a president and vice president who are ''inhabitants'' of their state. Cheney changed his state of residence from Texas to Wyoming on July 21 - four days before becoming Bush's running mate. Fitzwater, an appointee of President Reagan, ruled that such restraining orders could be granted only in extraordinary cases in which there would be immediate and irreparable injury. (Dallas Morning News)
Cantwell leads for Senate seat
OLYMPIA, Wash. - Democrat Maria Cantwell took her first lead over Republican incumbent Slade Gorton yesterday as the nation's last unsettled Senate race appeared headed toward an automatic recount next week. Cantwell, 42, a dot-com millionaire, took over on the strength of returns from King County, which includes heavily Democratic Seattle. With 99 percent of the vote counted, she had 1,180,762 votes to 1,178,824 for Gorton - a difference of 1,938 votes out of more than 2.4 million cast. Gorton, 72, remained optimistic that votes from outlying counties would restore his lead and send him back to Washington for a fourth term overall and his third in a row. He was first elected to public office in 1958, the year Cantwell was born. Gorton held an edge in populous Pierce County, home to Tacoma. He also expected to pick up more votes from Spokane County in eastern Washington and to stay close in Cantwell's home county of Snohomish. (AP)
Court hearings draw 4.6 million
NEW YORK - Television viewers aren't bored yet by the presidential election drama, judging by the ratings for Monday's arguments before the Florida state Supreme Court. The afternoon hearing drew 2.38 million viewers to CNN, 1.17 million to Fox News Channel, and 1.12 million to MSNBC, Nielsen Media Research said yesterday. The total of 4.6 million viewers on the three cable news networks compares with 749,000 viewers they averaged during the third quarter this year. ABC, CBS, and NBC also broadcast the proceedings live across most of the country. Nielsen viewership estimates for the three networks were not available yesterday. (AP)
Legislators vow peace in Florida
TALLAHASSEE - With key players in the election drama looking on, Florida legislators were sworn in yesterday among promises of bipartisanship and assurances that the state would weather its political storm. The state Senate's new president urged creation of a bipartisan commission to examine the Florida election laws that have been the focus of legal challenges in the presidential election. ''That review must begin soon and must be conducted in a nonpartisan manner that will ensure the highest level of public confidence,'' Republican John McKay said. (AP)
