Gambling seemed a good bet to fly, since so many residents took junkets to Las Vegas, Nev.

Several legislators refused to answer the survey because they feared opponents this election year would accuse them of taking overseas junkets at taxpayer expense.

But now the spotlight Mr. DeLay brazenly invited is widening to embarrass his colleagues who also cut corners in taking overseas junkets with lobbyists hovering like caterers.

When his face appears in campaign ads, it is almost always in Republican mailers or television ads, some of which feature Mr. McGreevey as a cartoon character taking junkets at taxpayer expense.

He accused Mr. Torricelli of abusing privileges at the House bank and restaurants, taking taxpayer-paid junkets, and profiting from a questionable stock deal.

An accumulation of criticisms, including one that Mr. Hatfield has not been in the state enough and another that his chief of staff took junkets on tax money, would surely have weakened him this year.

Bryant has taken taxpayer-funded junkets to the Virgin Islands, Alaska and Arizona.

Lowery was also criticized for taking overseas junkets.

Yes, many members of Congress take junkets, but the dubious financing for Mr. DeLay's trips seems like those off-the-books Enron operations.

Dr. Paul's advertisements attack Mr. Laughlin for voting for tax increases and taking junkets, but his most innovative salesmanship is a 15-minute videotape he has sent to 30,000 households.