LOOKING AHEAD

October 20, 1998
	John Wildermuth, political reporter for the San Francsico Chronicle, reviews the last debate between the two candidates and looks ahead to the final weeks of the campaign.

Online NewsHour Special Report: Election '98 Return to the California index. Oct. 14, 1998: Political scientists Carl Luna and Joe McKenzie on what the Senate race says about the Golden State. Oct. 13, 1998: Political writer John Wildermuth provides analysis from California. Oct. 12, 1998: Jeffrey Kaye reports on the U.S. Senate race in California.     Articles by John Wildermuth from the San Francisco Chronicle Oct. 20, 1998: Fong Accuses Democrats Of `Racist' Campaigning Oct. 17, 1998: Boxer's Allies Take Tough Line on Fong In New TV Ads Oct. 15, 1998: Fong, Boxer TV Ads Duel Over Abortion Oct. 13, 1998: Issues Move To Forefront In Debate Oct. 10, 1998: Boxer overshadows issues in Senate race	SAN FRANCISCO: Democrat Barbara Boxer and Republican Matt Fong met last week in in San Francisco for what's likely to be the final debate of the campaign.
	The final debate.
	While there was no clear winner, it was at least a moral victory for Fong, who managed to calm the jitters he showed in an August debate in Los Angeles and make his points in a clear, though typically wooden, manner. Boxer again showed that she's the better campaigner, arguing passionately about issues like choice, gun control and the environment. But debating points alone aren't going to re-elect her, especially since voters seem to be wearying of her trademark fire and fiestyness. A new Mason-Dixon poll last week showed Boxer trailing Fong, 46 percent to 44 percent. Just as important, it also found that for the first time, her negative ratings were outrunning her positives, bad news for any incumbent. What that means is that from now until Nov. 3, Boxer has to get the voters focusing more on Fong and his more conservative positions and less on her. She got some help last week from a pair of “independent” television ads that blasted Fong's stands on HMO reform and abortion, courtesy of the state Democratic Party and NARAL. The Sierra Club also has weighed in with ads backing Boxer. Fong, who's portraying himself as the more moderate alternative to Boxer, has accused Boxer of misrepresenting his positions on choice, gun control and just about everything else, claiming she's trying to scare voters into supporting her. Fong is likely to have more to yell about this week, since Boxer's back from Washington and barnstorming fulltime across the state. She'll be joined by President Clinton at a San Francisco fund-raiser on Wednesday, 10/21.   --John Wildermuth