J Melvin Muse

Cathy Lopez has tackled all kinds of odd jobs while working her way through college--at one time flipping burgers at Carl's Jr. The UCLA English major's real goal is to write advertisements. She has had little encouragement--until last week. That's when Lopez, 25, who has never worked on an ad campaign, got a jump-start on her career. She began a copywriting internship at the Los Angeles agency Haller Schwarz.

Management consultant Nathan Rosenberg didn't look much like a rebel when he strode to the microphone dressed in a navy blue blazer, gray flannel slacks and a green striped tie. It was a hot Saturday morning in Mission Viejo, and at the Cafe Vienna, overlooking the community lake, about 100 Republicans had gathered for a campaign forum. This was another of those grab-bag affairs of the campaign season--17 Republican candidates, vying for posts ranging from county clerk to U.S.