AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- Former President Bush voted for his son to follow in his footsteps as George W. Bush and Al Gore paused in their home states today to savor a round of primary voting that could seal their nominations.
After casting ballots alongside his wife, Barbara, in Houston, the elder Bush said it was "hard to describe" his emotions. "It gets down to family and how lucky we are," said the father, who insisted his recent bout of irregular heart beat had nothing to do with the stress of his son's presidential bid. "Oh yeah," replied Mrs. Bush skeptically.Texas, Tennessee, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi and Oklahoma were voting today as part of a second, Southern-flavored "Super Tuesday" that lost its suspense after Democrat Bill Bradley and Republican John McCain left the race.
After voting in Carthage, Tenn., Gore was heading later today to Florida, a state he is targeting even though the governor is Bush's brother, Jeb.
Bush, the Texas governor, was tending to state business after voting for himself last week by absentee ballot.
A lock on the delegates necessary for the Republican nomination was mathematically possible today for Bush, while Gore seemed sure to go over the top in the Democratic race.
A day earlier, both men sought to cast themselves as reformers.
"I'm not happy with the status quo and the best reform is to end Clinton-Gore in Washington, D.C.," Bush said Monday as his audience chanted "No more Gore" during a rally at a Will Rogers World Airport hangar in Oklahoma City.
Gore, speaking at a Nashville fund-raiser, self-consciously addressed criticism that he comes to the issue of campaign finance reform as a political opportunist now that McCain and Bradley -- who campaigned as reformers -- have dropped out.
"I'm naturally going to want to provide a home for those who were drawn to their candidacies in part because of that issue," Gore said. "That's not the only reason I'm saying (I support campaign finance reform). I've said it beforehand."
During an earlier visit Monday to the University of Miami's teaching hospital, Gore said Americans want to continue the prosperity begun under the Clinton-Gore administration.
"We know what works. Are you with me?" he asked cheering doctors, nurses and administrators. He said Bush offers only "risky" tax cuts favored by no one but his campaign donors.
Bush, who also campaigned Monday at Brandon High School in Brandon, Miss., said voters don't want more of the same. "America wants somebody not of Washington," he said.
While portraying himself as the "outsider" America wants, Bush stood on stage, in front of a mural depicting the U.S. Capitol dome, with Mississippi's two Republican senators, Majority Leader Trent Lott and Thad Cochran -- part of an embrace of congressional Republicans from whom Bush had previously distanced himself on occasion because of differences with certain legislative initiatives.
"What I'd like to tell this Congress is be patient, help is on the way," said Bush.
GOP leaders are trying to hold their majorities in both houses of Congress, a task that will be simplified if Bush runs a strong presidential campaign.
The six states were awarding 341 Republican and 566 Democratic delegates.
Going into the contests, Bush had 701 of the 1,034 delegates needed to win the GOP presidential nomination, and Gore had 1,921 of the 2,170 required to clinch the Democratic nod. Republican Alan Keyes is still a candidate despite drawing mostly single-digit support.
Gore's focus on Florida is significant, however.
Some Democrats gave up on the state earlier in the campaign. But after weekend polls showed Gore closing Bush's lead nationally, Sen. Bob Graham, D-Fla., said Monday that Florida is back "in play" for Gore in November.
Bush held an edge of 49 percent to 43 percent in a USA Today/CNN/Gallup Poll released today. The national poll of 502 likely voters, conducted Friday through Sunday, had an error margin of plus or minus 5 points.
Gore headed into the day's moot balloting hoping that strong turnouts would show he can be competitive in the fall in traditional Republican strongholds, especially Florida. He planned to celebrate the returns at a Tallahassee rally.
Bush was heading to an Austin community center for his own primary night celebration.