The Kerry Pitch

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While Kerry may never become Mrs. Fields -- although his personal record as a businessman compares favorably with George W. Bush's -- his ultimate success as an entrepreneur might be in redefining the Democratic Party around a cutting-edge pro-business agenda. "Why would a guy go start a cookie company?" asks Moriarty. "He gets the sheer fun of building and creating something that becomes viable. He's got the soul of an entrepreneur."

Sidebar: Where the Vote Needs to Be Rocked

The Bush-Kerry race may dominate the news, but small-business lobbies are also focusing on a number of key state and local races. Here's a glance at the contests and the candidates.

South Dakota

Tom Daschle (D-inc.) vs. John Thune (R)
Senate Minority Leader Daschle has a real race on his hands against Thune, who held a top job at the Small Business Administration under Ronald Reagan, and then served in the House. There doesn't seem to be a tax that Thune wouldn't support cutting. He also would allow the self-employed to deduct 100% of their health care.

Alaska

Tony Knowles (D) vs. Lisa Murkowski (R-inc.)
As a business owner herself -- she owns a pasta wholesaler -- Murkowski is a strong voice for entrepreneurs. But she's tainted by nepotism: Her father appointed her to his old Senate seat in 2002 when he vacated it to become the state's governor. Though Alaska is heavily Republican, former governor Knowles is himself an entrepreneur (he owned four restaurants) and Alaskans like that he's a maverick who breaks with his party on issues such as drilling in the Arctic Natural Wildlife Refuge.

Washington

Patty Murray (D-inc.) vs. George Nethercutt (R)
Bush and the business lobby have thrown their weight behind U.S. Rep. Nethercutt in an effort to snag this seat from Murray, the quintessential "soccer mom" Democrat. Nethercutt's voting record, which gets a perfect ranking from the United States Chamber of Commerce (USCC), has included support for most tax-cut proposals. He's also outspoken on esoteric issues such as reducing federal paperwork for business owners and curtailing ergonomic rules. Still, Nethercutt, a free-trade advocate who hails from the conservative eastern side of the state, will likely have a hard time winning votes in Seattle, where the memory of the violent 1999 World Trade Organization protests lingers. He was an adviser to that notorious conference.

North Carolina

Erskine Bowles (D) vs. Richard Burr (R)
The race for John Edwards's seat is a win-win for entrepreneurs. Bowles, who ran the SBA under Clinton and then served as White House chief of staff, advocates a tax credit for businesses offering health insurance; pooled access for affordable health care premiums; and a doubling of the SBA's budget, to $1.5 billion. However, the NFIB and the USCC back U.S. Rep. Burr, in part because of Bowles's support for Hillary Clinton's failed health care plan.

Missouri

Claire McCaskill (D) vs. Matt Blunt (R)
Business groups love Blunt, the Missouri secretary of state who has pledged to cut taxes, increase penalties for fraudulent workers' compensation claims, and even offer tax breaks for new hires and for job training. He faces State Auditor McCaskill, who ousted unpopular Gov. Bob Holden in the August Democratic primary.

Washington

Christine Gregoire (D) vs. Dino Rossi (R)
Former state senator Rossi promises to cut red tape, raise tax incentives for small businesses, and make health insurance affordable. And he has fiscal know-how: In the state senate, he was well respected as a budget whiz, implementing the state's lauded results-based budgeting approach. State Attorney General Gregoire, who negotiated the $206 billion Big Tobacco settlement in 1998, is close to outgoing Democratic Gov. Gary Locke and supports his no-new-taxes budget. Still, some of the blame for the state's so-so economy is laid at his door and may taint her, too.

Utah, District 2

Jim Matheson (D-inc.) vs. John Swallow (R)
This is a rematch from the 2002 campaign, which Matheson won by just 1,641 votes. Swallow, who co-founded a high-tech lighting start-up, voted for tax cuts and won NFIB accolades during a stint in the state legislature in the '90s. However, Matheson has won the USCC's endorsement for his moderate pro-business stance; considered a valuable Democratic ally, he's voted to eliminate the estate tax and advocates tax cuts for small businesses.

Arizona, District 1

Paul Babbitt (D) vs. Rick Renzi (R)
Renzi was the chief sponsor of a veterans' entrepreneurship bill and has also fought for tax breaks. A serial entrepreneur, he previously started a real estate firm and an insurance company. Unions, environmentalists, and MoveOn.org, meanwhile, support Babbitt, the presumptive Democratic nominee (and brother of former Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt).

Texas, District 32

Martin Frost (D-inc.) vs. Pete Sessions (R-inc.)
Thirteen-term Democrat Frost helped redraw district lines in the 1990s, removing Texas Republicans from House power. Back in charge, the GOP repaid the favor by setting up this incumbent vs. incumbent race. Sessions, a former chair of a local chamber of commerce, has pushed for tax cuts and for better health care access for entrepreneurs; he has a 100% USCC rating, versus Frost's 39%. Though he's a storied survivor, this just might be Frost's last stand. -- Stephanie Clifford

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