"I believe he's squandering his moral authority in pressing this issue," Barrett said. "He should come back with this pay-raise issue in better economic times."

Opponents have also critized Weld for vetoing the bill while signing legislation only minutes later that will require state employees, many of whom have not received pay increases in three years, to take unpaid furloughs.

"It's very difficult to justify giving a select number of people raises when you're dealing out furloughs to others," Havern said. "It just plain doesn't make sense."

Havern pointed out that even though the Republicans may have succeeded in sustaining the veto, recent polls suggest that the public strongly disagrees with Weld on this issue and that the publicity may cost him dearly in terms of his popularity rating.

"He won an inside victory but lost the outside fight," Havern said.

But Weld's supporters argues that even if the battle was largely

Meanwhile, Several senators said they are skeptical that a reconsideration of the issue will achieve anything besides wasting time.

"This was a very tough vote for all of us to make," said Sen. Matthew J. Amorillo (R-Sutton). "I really don't think that any of the 14 Republican senators who went with Weld will change their minds."

"[A revote] is such a crock," said Sen. Robert L. Hedlund (R-Weymouth). "Nobody's going to change their vote on this. "It's just a way of milking the newspapers a little longer. I say let's put this partisan baloney out of the way and get down to business."

symbolic, it was vital to proving that the GOP has established a strong presence in the legislature and that a healthy two-party system now exists on the Hill.

One More Try

Before Weld and his supporters can count Monday's vote as a win, they may have to stand up to the Democrats one more time.

On Monday afternoon Sen. Patricia McGovern (D-Lawerence) moved to reconsider the issue in yet another Senate vote. The legislature will probably revote in their next formal session, which will take place either next week or the week after that.