Before the race Weir's personal best fell outside the top twelve competitors at that year's Marathon, and he was not considered a serious challenger.

A horse, though, was of a size to be considered a potential challenger.

"He does this every four years, offering us a politically astute budget," said Mr. Brodsky, who is considered a likely challenger for the County Executive post.

Fossella was considered a possible challenger to Mayor Michael Bloomberg in the 2005 election, but he chose not to make the race.

It has been a disappointing season for the Orioles, who were considered a challenger to the Yankees in the A.L. East.

The winner was the favorite, the Ukrainian grandmaster Vassily Ivanchuk, who has been considered a potential challenger for the world championship.

Schreyer was frequently compared to his father on the campaign trail, and was considered a serious challenger for the riding.

Unless he can win a fully contested primary, Mr. Forbes will not be considered a serious challenger to the leaders.

Bee was then the Arizona State Senate President and was considered a strong challenger in this race.

Baidu, in which Google has a small stake, is considered a strong challenger to the new Alibaba-Yahoo partnership.