A century ago, it was conservative stalwarts, not liberal reformers, who were the natural party of government.

Mr. Bush has that luxury because conservative stalwarts do not seem to mind.

Quickly, conservative stalwarts such as National Review magazine and Focus on the Family, among other socially conservative groups, stated they would oppose a Gonzales nomination.

But with the Democrats holding a one-vote majority, Mr. Bush cannot afford to lose the Republican seat now held by Jesse Helms, the conservative stalwart who last year said he was retiring.

As he contemplates the switch, Mr. Buchanan is drawing fire from some conservative stalwarts, including Rush Limbaugh, the radio talker.

Nine conservative stalwarts, including David Keene, Paul Weyrich and Phyllis Schlafly, responded, "Everyone with any common sense knows that it will only encourage a new wave of illegal aliens."

Another intense matchup is in Georgia, where two conservative stalwarts, Representatives John Linder and Bob Barr, are competing for a district near Atlanta.

Koumoundouros was able to draw much of the conservative stalwarts of the old Russian Party with some of the other two parties to develop a coherent, albeit it mostly personality-driven, party of the right.

In the 2000 campaign, President Bush said he admired conservative stalwarts like Justice Antonin Scalia and Justice Clarence Thomas, who have championed the new restrictions on Congressional power.

Mr. Snyder said Mrs. Dole's shifts on gun control raised questions about whether she was a suitable successor to Mr. Helms, one of the Senate's conservative stalwarts.