But both came up short compared with last year because of the budget battle.

Winning the budget battle, though, is not only about policy.

District 8 has not set a record for budget battles.

The plan assured that the budget battle will continue into next month.

And the wounds from last year's budget battle are still fresh.

In fact, few investors take the current budget battle seriously.

The 1999 budget battle and election campaign also set the stage for the future politically.

"I cannot allow our national security needs to be held hostage to this budget battle," he said.

Like so many aspects of the budget battle, that claim is a half truth.

A similar Republican plan died in the fierce budget battles of 1995 and 1996.