AND THEN THERE WERE NINE

Coming on the heels of Colin Powell's decision, Gingrich's announcement means that Dole's most serious potential challengers will stay out of his way, leaving a gaggle of GOP hopefuls to fight it out among themselves. Kramer says that it's now up to Phil Gramm and Lamar Alexander, who finished second and third respectively in Saturday's Florida straw poll, to challenge Dole. Says Kramer: "Alexander did very well in Florida by organizing well and spending a tremendous amount of money. But he faces real problems in New Hampshire and Iowa. I look for it to be a two-man race between Dole and Gramm after the early primaries."