Attacks on him and other trial lawyers, he says, are fueled by Republican efforts to discredit big Democratic contributors.

"There is a sense of group effort in these things," said a prominent Democratic contributor who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Forget that, too, along with the revelations of Senate committees about new permissiveness on arms sales by big Democratic contributors.

Mr. Smith has never raised much in the past, and his moderate views don't attract Democratic contributors.

She is a longtime Democratic contributor who says she still has faith in him.

A number of local developers who are Democratic contributors have allied themselves with Mills.

The Democratic contributors each had paid $1,000 and up.

The baby sitter's father is a prominent businessman and major Democratic contributor in Cohasset.

Oddly enough, the publicity and curiosity about Presidential calls have given them new cachet among the most generous Democratic contributors.

Another key Democratic contributor said, "People were talking in desultory tones - who have we got left?