At stake is the Senate seat held by Democrat Barbara Boxer, a liberal and former Congresswoman whom political pros believe is vulnerable this year -- polls consistently show her with less than 50 percent of voters' support -- as her first six-year term in the Senate draws to a close. She faces no significant opposition in the June 2 primary.

The fight is among the Republicans.

State Treasurer Matt Fong, the son of March Fong Eu, and millionaire businessman Darrell Issa, are slugging it out for the GOP nomination. Thus far, it's been an unequal match, and that may explain in part the public's -- and the media's -- lack of interest in the race.

In most states, a U.S. Senate race is a premier contest, closely watched by the public and political press. But in California, at least so far, it's been a big snooze.

Issa, a wealthy manufacturer of car alarms in northern San Diego County, has based his campaign on television advertising. Since starting last year, he's spent at least $8 million, and probably more, of mostly his own money on the race and he has jumped from obscurity to GOP frontrunner. The most recent poll by the Public Policy Institute of California shows him with 22 percentage points, more than double Fong's 10 points.

Issa appears to be campaigning in third gear; he really hasn't shifted into overdrive, even though the election is two weeks away. Traditionally, most candidates for statewide office, even those with comfortable leads, hit the campaign trail hard in the final weeks before a primary. But Issa holds relatively few events, and many of those are close to his Vista base.

Fong, meanwhile, hoping to make up for scant funds, follows a frenetic schedule, on some days holding a dozen events -- most of them fund-raisers -- from before breakfast to after midnight seven days a week. Thus far, Issa has outspent Fong by perhaps 6-to-1, although Fong says his campaign will be competitive on television during the final stretch.

Issa has been on the air for months; Fong just launched his first television ad a week ago. Is it too little too late?

Thus far, there has been no formal debate between the two. The first and only face off if scheduled for May 28 -- less than a week before the election. It will be held at San Jose State University at a forum sponsored by the San Jose Mercury News. There is no word yet whether the confrontation will be televised.

The question of whether the debate will be carried on television is especially critical to Fong's campaign: Fong has had little air time, and a televised encounter is free exposure in the critical period just before the election.

That could only help Fong; look to him to try to make the most of it.

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