Hillary Clinton holds seven-point lead over her rival after a bitter campaign

It has been 500 days since Hillary Rodham Clinton began her campaign to make history

It has been 500 days since Hillary Rodham Clinton began her campaign to make history. Things looked different at the beginning; the First Lady had never even lived in New York.

With a demeanour described as haughty, she was not expected to mount a very energetic street-style campaign against her opponent, New York City mayor Mr Rudy Giuliani, a tough and experienced politician popular throughout the state. On the other hand, Vice-President Al Gore was considered by some a shoo-in for victory, given the Clinton-Gore administration's success with the US economy.

But by election day, Mrs Clinton was leading her opponent Mr Rick Lazio by seven points in most polls. In a campaign just as nasty and vituperative as any she would have faced against Mr Guiliani, Mrs Clinton had held her own, matching Mr Lazio barb for barb. By yesterday, the New York Post, a tabloid fiercely supportive of Mr Lazio, was blasting this headline on its front page - " Exclusive - Lazio Death Threat".

The story implied that terrorist Arabs were responsible for the threats because Mr Lazio had criticised Mrs Clinton's relationship with an Arab-American organisation.

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The story stopped just short of accusing Mrs Clinton of threatening to kill Mr Lazio.

For her part, Mrs Clinton's campaign has begun running a television ad that claims Mr Lazio has not been a supporter of breast cancer research.

Mr Lazio was a sponsor of legislation that provides financial assistance to women whose cancer is diagnosed at free clinic. Mr Lazio's wife is also a nurse active in breast cancer work, and she took aim at the ad, calling it an "outrage" and "complete distortion".

In the closing hours of the campaign, Mrs Clinton took not a single vote for granted.

In an effort to solidify her base and get out the vote, she visited seven African-American churches in seven hours on Sunday.

As Mrs Clinton and her daughter Chelsea clapped and swayed to a gospel song, the Rev Charles Betts of the Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church told the congregation: "Brother Bill had his season. And his season is almost ending. God is raising up another woman of God."

If Mrs Clinton succeeds in motivating her supporters to get out and vote - the black and hispanic communities, the labour union rank and file, gay voters, and women, she will win today, becoming the first First Lady ever to run for and win elected office.

The question on many people's minds now, as Mrs Clinton seems headed to victory, is what kind of senator she will be. The assumption until now has been that Mrs Clinton would be a member of the minority party in the US Senate, where Republicans hold a 54 to 46 edge. But Democrats have appeared to gain ground in the 34 Senate races around the country.

"This may be the last time you have to address me as minority leader," the Senate Democratic Leader, Mr Tom Daschle, told reporters recently. "We've got momentum in each of these races and I think we're going to win."

Republican Senate candidates appear to be in trouble in the states of Washington, Michigan, Minnesota and Montana.

The ultimate irony would be if Mr Gore were to lose and the Democrats were to win back the Senate.

Even though a freshman senator, Mrs Clinton would carry enormous star power in the senate, and could use that stature as a member of the majority party to become a leading opposition voice to a Republican White House.

The speculation is increasing, the possibilities intriguing, and the time till the next presidential election just four years away.