VOTERS in the US industrial heartland are expected to put the Republican presidential nomination within Senator Bob Dole's grasp today, giving him the time to think about who will be his vice-presidential running mate. But he apparently will have find someone other than Gen Colin Powell.
Today's primaries in Illinois, Ohio, Michigan and Wisconsin offer 219 delegates to the convention in August - enough to push the Kansas senator to within a handful of the 996 he needs to lead the Republican battle against President Clinton in November. Polls suggest Mr Dole will sweep today's contests.
Mr Dole (72) is expected to clinch the nomination with the California primary on March 26th, if not before. The Senate Republican leader has already moved beyond the divisive internal party fight for the nomination and to his main target, Mr Clinton.
Much of the attention has shifted to Mr Dole's potential vice-presidential running mate.
The retired Gen Powell, centre of much of the speculation about that post, including some from Mr Dole himself in recent days, appears to remove himself from consideration. "My position still is that I will not run for any elective office," he told the Chicago Sun-Times last week.
Mr Dole's only remaining high-profile Republican challenger, the commentator Mr Pat Buchanan, may still be able to pick up a few delegates today with his message of trade protectionism, fundamental Christian values and unbending conservative policy.
Mr Buchanan is mainly of concern to party leaders worried that his fractious campaign could hurt Mr Dole or push voters into some sort of still undefined third-party effort.