Jeghelian says that her gender and prochoicestand improve her chances of winning the Senateseat. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Tex.), Gov. AnnRichards (D-Tax.) and gubernatorial candidateKathleen Brown (D-Calif.) have all offeredpolitical pointers to Jeghelian.

"As little as 10 years ago, being a woman was adisadvantage. Now, if anything, it's anadvantage," says Hutchison spokesperson David C.Beckwith.

W. MITT ROMNEY

W. Mitt Romney was only 15 when he worked toelect his father, a business executive, as thegovernor of Michigan.

Now George Romney, at 86, is working to electhis son, also a business executive, to the U.S.Senate.

"It's a family affair," says Mitt Romney, whosewife and five sons have joined his father involunteering for the senatorial campaign.

Watching his mother campaign for Michigan'sU.S. Senate seat as the 1970 Republican nomineeand witnessing his father's 1962-1968 tenure asgovernor of Michigan encouraged him to enter the1994 Senate race, Romney says.

But Romney, a Belmont resident who has lived inMassachusetts for 22 years, never thought he wouldfollow in his parents' footsteps until he saw therecent election of several Republicans to majoroffices, including Weld's 1990 victory.

"When my wife and I moved here, it was aone-party state," Romney says. "[The Republicanwinners] opened the door."

Romney, 47, is the founder and chief executiveofficer of Bain Capital Company, a venture capitalfirm which operates under the control of Bain andCompany, a management consulting firm that Romneyhelped to save from economic failure in 1989.

A graduate of both Harvard Business School andHarvard Law School, Romney is a leader in theMormon Church and opposes abortion rights.

"There is a growing sentiment on the part ofMassachusetts voters for someone who has had areal job," Romney says. "My entire career has beenspent finding jobs and creating employers."

JOHN R. LAKIAN

Former gubernatorial candidate John R. Lakian'scampaign literature portrays him as a Vietnamveteran and a self-made "successful businessman."

"He has donated and raised significant amountsof money for many GOP candidates, includingGovernor Weld," Lakian's biography says.