A Wizard Casts His Spell

Wily Al D'Amato is fighting for his political life against the strongest opponent he has ever faced

For Bill Clinton and the Democrats this year, Senator Alfonse D'Amato is Target One--the Republican they most want to knock off. Running for his fourth term, the gruff, perpetually embattled New Yorker, who barely squeaked past a weak Democratic challenger six years ago, is considered one of the G.O.P.'s two most vulnerable Senators (Lauch Faircloth of North Carolina is the other). If the Democrats can beat them, it would help avoid a 60-seat G.O.P. majority and hold down the number of hostile votes in what may become Clinton's impeachment jury. But for the President, the New York race is personal. As...

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