As an Independent, Lieberman Leads the Field

The two-term senator still faces big problems. He spent heavily to move his numbers, and he remains closely associated with President Bush, who had the approval of only one-third of those surveyed.

Candidate's Support Outlives Her

Nevada state controller Kathy Augustine came in a distant second in the GOP primary for state treasurer. Still, it was an impressive performance under the circumstances: Augustine has been dead since last month.

Not politically dead. Actually dead. Signs hung over polling sites telling voters she was deceased. Even so, nearly 20 percent of voters marked their ballot for her.

State GOP officials had reckoned with the possibility that Augustine might win, and planned to meet this weekend to choose a stand-in if she did. Instead, businessman Mark DeStefano won a safe plurality, 40 percent, and will go on to the general election in November.

Some of Augustine's support was sentimental. "I encouraged two people to vote for Kathy," Sandra Tiffany, her former colleague in the state Senate, said in an interview before the election. "She's always been ambitious. She really wanted to run for Congress."

Augustine stayed in the headlines after her July 11 death, thanks to a swirl of mystery around her passing. Her husband, a critical-care nurse, told police she had had a massive heart attack at home, but nothing in Augustine's autopsy showed a likely cause of a heart attack. Police are still investigating.

Three days later, Augustine's husband attempted suicide by cutting his wrists.

Special correspondent Sonya Geis contributed to this report.