   
The terrorist attacks have helped prompt several prominent Republicans and Democrats to opt in or out of political races in 2002 while slowing fund raising to a snail's pace.
Troubled times tend to boost incumbents, and political strategists are struggling to devise new tactics and define new campaign issues that won't turn voters off as unseemly.
"We're in a politics-free zone right now," said Trent Duffy, spokesman for the Republican National Committee.
The Sept. 11 attacks played a part in the decisions by Sen. Fred Thompson, R-Tenn., to seek re-election and by Sen. Craig Thomas, R-Wyo., not to run for governor.
The new battle with terrorism also was a factor in the decision by former Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman, a Democrat, not to challenge GOP Sen. Pat Roberts in Kansas and Oregon Democratic Gov. John Kitzhaber's decision not to run against GOP Sen. Gordon Smith.
"I didn't particularly relish a partisan race when we could be losing lots of people on the battlefield," Glickman said.
Many strategists say Thompson, Thomas, Glickman and Kitzhaber all would likely have made the same decisions had the terrorists attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon not occurred. Glickman, for example, faced long odds in any event against a popular senator in Republican-dominated Kansas.
"Politicians run based on whether they can win," said Duffy.
Each decision has an impact on the battle for control of the Senate, where Democrats have a one-vote advantage, and in the House, where Republicans have a 219-210 edge with two independents that split between each party.
Traditionally, the party in control of the White House loses seats in midterm elections. Yet troubled times tend to help incumbents as challengers have an even tougher time getting voters to focus on their names and messages, said Ross Baker, a political science professor at Rutgers University.
"In 1916, Woodrow Wilson used the slogan, 'Never swap horses when you're crossing a stream,"' Baker said. "People feel you need seasoned, experienced people in a crisis, not somebody who comes in and has to learn."
Overnight, the attacks brought to the forefront issues involving the military, international affairs, and homeland security that for now supersede domestic concerns such as health care, tax cuts, education and the future of Social Security.
In New Jersey's race for governor, Republican Bret Schundler and Democrat Jim McGreevey this week both highlighted anti-terrorism and security proposals. In Virginia, GOP candidate Mark Earley has begun stressing his crime-fighting experience as attorney general in an effort to reshape his race against Democrat Mark Warner.
Some Republicans believe a new emphasis on law and order could benefit them. Washington Sen. Patty Murray, who chairs the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, said the attacks are producing economic concerns where Democrats have the edge.
The drive to raise vast sums of political cash has also changed. The major parties and their various financial arms halted fund-raising immediately after the attacks, although some individual fund-raisers have continued -- including a half-dozen attended by House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill.
While some organizations won't resume the money chase until mid-October or even later, the Democratic National Committee is planning West Coast events next week, said spokeswoman Jennifer Palmieri.
"We think that most of the country is resuming normal routines," she said. "The most patriotic thing Americans can do is get more involved in politics and elections."
The way campaigns are run could also change, at least in the short term. With Democrats lining up to support President Bush and the parties trying to work together in Congress, strategists fear that slashing negative attacks could turn off voters worried about the nation's future.
"There is a change in the political outlook -- It's no politics," said Kevin Schweers, spokesman for the House Republican Conference. "We are definitely in an atmosphere where the traditional politics of Republican and Democrat are a much lower priority." 
