George W. Bush Lieberman

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

CHICAGO - Again pushing the boundaries between the spiritual and secular, Democratic vice presidential candidate Joseph Lieberman said yesterday that "religion is a source of unity and strength in America."

"This is the most religious country in the world, and sometimes we try to stifle that fact or hide it," Lieberman told 150 religious leaders at an interfaith breakfast. "But the profound and, ultimately, most important reality is that we are not only citizens of this blessed country, we are citizens of the same awesome God."

Meanwhile, Republican presidential candidate George W. Bush praised members of a Jewish group for performing "miracles of renewal" with faith-based community programs, which he supports.

"Our nation is chosen by God and commissioned by history to be a model to the world of justice and inclusion and diversity without division," Bush told B'nai B'rith, a Jewish service organization.

Both candidates have embraced religion as a means of reaching voters.

Lieberman, warmly received by the spiritual leaders, said he was moved that the gathering crossed religious lines "because it makes real for me what I have believed with profound faith throughout my life, that religion is a source of unity and strength in America."

Lieberman met with pastors, priests and rabbis at the South Shore Cultural Center, a former country club that banned blacks and Jews.

He quoted a line from a Hebrew song that calls for "brothers and sisters to dwell together in harmony."

A day earlier in Detroit, he told members of a black church that he hopes his candidacy as an Orthodox Jew will reinstate "a place for faith in America's public life."

For all the billing aides give to such issues as health insurance, Medicare and prescription drug coverage, Lieberman manages to bring the discussion back to God. Bush also talks about his faith.

A recent Newsweek poll showed 66 percent of the public was "not at all concerned" that Lieberman's religion might interfere with his ability to perform as vice president.

But Lieberman's emphasis on religion troubles the Anti-Defamation League, which issued a statement yesterday calling on him to refrain from "overt expressions" of religious values and beliefs.

"We believe there is a point at which an emphasis on religion in a political campaign becomes inappropriate and even unsettling in a religiously diverse society such as ours," said Howard P. Berkowitz, ADL national chairman.

More than 58,000 voters with no party affiliation, eligible to participate in the primary election for the first time this year, will receive a smorgasbord of voting opportunities in the mail this week.

Those voters - generally described as "independents" - will receive sample ballots for all six parties on the Arizona ballot.

Sample ballots were sent last week to Democrats, Republicans and those registered with four smaller parties.

Elections Director Mitch Etter said sample ballots for the nonaffiliated are a little slower going out because special packets containing sample ballots for all six parties had to be made up for each voter.

Nonaffiliated city of Tucson voters were the first to vote in partisan primaries last year, under a change in state law approved by voters in 1998. The Sept. 12 Arizona primary will be the first statewide test of the new system.

Nonaffiliated voters may vote in any one of the primaries held by the six recognized parties. But they may vote in only one - and there are contested races on only the Republican and Democratic ballots. The decision on which ballot to request doesn't have to be made until a voter walks into a polling place and asks for a ballot.

Etter said nonaffiliated voters will use the same polling places as other voters. He said voters need to check their sample ballots for that location, because many polling places have been moved from their customary locations.

Nonaffiliated voters who don't receive a sample ballot this week should call the county elections division at 740-4260, Etter said.

Besides the Democrats and Republicans, four parties are guaranteed a place on the ballot: the Libertarian, Reform, Green and Natural Law parties.

AN open field in District 10 has drawn six Democratic candidates for two seats in the state House. The Star endorses Linda Lopez and Jesse Lugo in the primary race.

Lopez, a long-time Sunnyside school board member, and Lugo, a former lobbyist, offer solid approaches to solving the major problems in the district and the state.

The other candidates are Emmett Alvarez, a college prep coordinator for at-risk youth; lawyer Ralph Ellinwood; retired nurse and long-time community advocate Betty Liggins; and current District 10 Sen. Victor Soltero. Soltero seeks to extend his political career with a seat in the House.

District 10, with its heavy concentrations of poor and minorities and its polluted ground water needs strong leadership. It is a heavily Democratic district in a heavily Republican Legislature. The deep needs of the district require effective advocates who not only understand the needs, but can articulate those needs to an unsympathetic majority in the House.

Lugo, a business consultant and lobbyist, supports the governor's plan to raise money for the state's schools through a tax increase.

But he also wants to look at other methods of raising teacher salaries. He suggests lottery reform could fund the salaries. Finding alternative funding sources is a worthy idea even if voters pass the tax. Passage would still leave the state among the bottom in the country for school funding.

On another tax measure, Lugo says he would work to eliminate the personal property tax on businesses. Elimination of the tax is long overdue.

He takes a misstep in saying he supports parental consent for abortion. But on another critical health-care issue, TCE contamination of the ground water, Lugo shines. He says he would fight to get more funding for the South Side's TCE clinic.

Lopez's years on the Sunnyside school board give her a deep understanding and make her a strong proponent for educational issues.

Like Lugo, Lopez accepts that passage of a tax increase for education will meet only some of the funding needs. But she also speaks of accountability in the schools and more training for teachers.

Lopez takes a broader environmental view than does Lugo. She says she would, fight for a statewide growth plan to allow communities to plan growth.

Neither candidate would eliminate bilingual education. Lopez would leave the details to local administators. She would not impose a time limit for students in bilingual education.

Lugo said he would make sure that the focus of bilingual education is to build English fluency.

Every Democratic candidate in District 10 lists education as the top priority. With the critical funding needs expected, the issue will continue to take up much of the legislature's efforts in the coming years.

Linda Lopez and Jesse Lugo have been good for District 10. They deserve a chance to expand their work to the state Legislature.