51�Թ�

But the big story is in Arizona, where the state Senate has hired an untried company led by a man with a history of floating vote fraud conspiracy theories to "audit" last November's vote in Maricopa Country, which was won by Joe Biden.

The Democrats still held the majority in both houses, but there was so large a floating vote, and the margins were so narrow, as to make the administration feel that its hold was precarious.

Labour strategists, fearful that the middle-class “floating vote” that brought the party three victories under Mr. Blair is deserting them, are facing the prospect of ending up with little more than the core vote of traditional Labour supporters.

Naturally, the floating vote will hope for Portsmouth to strike a blow for the impoverished underdog against Tottenham.

The election turned not on some seismic slide from left to right but on the choices made by the 6% to 7% of perennially undecided, known as the floating vote, who are swayed more by emotion than ideology.