New York: Republicans and Democrats struggled to strike right themes to woo America's voters in the closing hours of campaign for what analysts predict would be an agonisingly close electoral battle tomorrow, marked by lack of sharp divisions or clear-cut issues.

At stake are all 435 seats in the US House of Representatives, 34 of 100 seats in the Senate and 36 of 50 governorships.

Analysts forecast Republicans would retain the majority in the House and Democrats might increase their advantage slightly in the Senate.

Apparently heeding opinion polls, Democrats sharply attacked the Bush administration for its "inability" to handle economy and warned voters of deterioration if the Republican White House is backed by a Republican House and a Republican Senate.

They also told the elderly that they would suffer if the Bush administration gets unfettered support from the Congress.

But Republicans led by President George Bush, who on November 3 toured sensitive states, which are seeing close contests, spoke of his proposal of tax cuts that would put more money into the pockets of people as also on the need to enhance security at home and disarm Iraq even if it means use of force.

Of the 435 House seats, Republicans hold 223 and Democrats 208, with three vacancies. An independent holds one seat. Thus Democrats would need a net gain of seven seats to capture the House. That, analysts say, is impossible task even as party leaders maintain they stand a good chance.

In the Senate, Democrats had an advantage of one member, before the death of Senator Paul Wellstone of Minnesota.

Of the 36 governorships that are up for grabs, 23 are held by Republicans, 11 by Democrats and two are independent in Minnesota and Maine.

The White House always prefers governors belonging to its own party as they provide it with crucial support and, in the current case, would be very helpful to Bush in his re-election campaign in 2004.

At present, there are 27 Republican governors, 21 Democrats and two independents.

Making economic slump an issue, House Minority Leader Richard Gephardt, Democrat, told a television programme that people have lost their jobs and pension in the stock market downturn and in major corporation going bankrupt in the wake of corporate scandals and are worried about their future.

Republican National Committee chairman Marc Racicot told NBC's "Meet the press" that he was confident that his party could retake control of the Senate.

"But I think it's going to be incredibly close virtually every place," he said.

But Democratic National Committee chairman Terry McAuliffe said polls suggest his party is "knocking off incumbents all over the country".

In his election addresses, President Bush has been constantly referring to Iraq and warning the United Nations that the United States would lead a coalition of nations outside the world body to disarm President Saddam Hussein if it failed to adopt a tough resolution.

The reference to Iraq has generally been towards the end of Bush's speeches, and his emphasis has been on economy, which is picking up.

Bush seemed eager to convey that he cares for the elderly who find it difficult to buy prescription medicines because of their cost, and above all about the security of the country.

Bush argued that to attain his goals, it is necessary to get full support from the Congress and that would be possible only if Republicans are voted to the House and the Senate.

A Republican Senate could make permanent last year's tax cuts, gain approval for judicial nominees and create a cabinet-level security department, he said at one of the campaign meetings.

In the United States, the Congress is required to approve the candidates the President nominates for judges' posts. Any nominee perceived by Democrats as very conservative would find difficult to get the post.

PTI