After Pingree left Detroit in 1897, the local Democratic ward leaders rebuilt their machine, using an ethnic base.

In the early 20th century, waves of new immigrants and migrants had generally settled in areas founded on an ethnic base.

Okello and his soldiers fled northward to their ethnic base in Acholiland.

Mosanat's ethnic base was the Hadjerai from mountainous central Chad.

He says that the Bronx no longer is populated exclusively by "the white, ethnic, working class," the supposed natural fan base, as it was in 1923.

"There are plenty of people who are prejudiced on religious or ethnic or racial bases, but they hide it," he said.

In its ethnic base of Ovamboland, nearly 96 percent of the 248,272 registered voters had cast their ballots by Friday night.

Mr. Miller also failed to lay claim to any particular racial, ethnic or geographic base of support.

Though the remark brought howls of laughter, it endeared the Perks to their ethnic base.

Asian candidates in lower Manhattan and in Queens are making special appeals to their ethnic base.