Senate Campaigns Continue Without Primary Date

Officials say it will take at least 60 days from the time they get a "go ahead" to prepare for the primary. Meanwhile, the candidates for U.S. Senate continue to campaign.

"I've got to work just as hard today and tomorrow and the next day as if the primary is June 7th, July 7th, August 7th, or September 7th," said Democratic candidate Erskine Bowles.

Republican Elizabeth Dole's campaign faces the same problem.

"Most of the campaign activity picks up in the final weeks of the campaign," says NCGOP Political Director Bill Peaslee. "That's when everybody gets the mail, they get the pohne calls, all the television and radio and so, right now, they don't know when exactly to plan to do that."

Delaying the primary may play into the hands of some candidates.

"The short answer is it helps Mrs. Dole the most, but it also, in the primaries, can help the under-financed campaigns," says political reporter Rob Christensen.

To complicate matters further, after a primary, there will likely be some runoffs, and those will have to come before the November general election.