...as the U.S. is to the rest of the world.
Be glad when the elections are over as the neighborhood is littered with Martin Frost / Pete Sessions signs - definitely ranks as one of the most carved out gerrymandered districts of all time. Surprisingly, the Dallas Morning News endorsed Frost (probably felt guilty about all those Repub endorsements they've been handing out right and left).
Locally speaking, the Frost/Sessions campaign is as vicious as the Presidential campaign is in the contested states. Haven't seen a single Kerry ad (but it'd be a waste of money anyhow).