Republican elections race.

Republican presidential candidate John McCain said Friday that the personal lives of White House hopefuls shouldn't become an issue in the 2008 campaign.
McCain's call to keep personal lives private came the same week that chief rival Rudy Giuliani asked for privacy as he deals with strained relationships within his family, including estrangement from his children.
The Arizona senator's remarks also came as former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, a potential candidate for the GOP nomination, admitted to having an affair at the same time he was leading the effort to impeach President Clinton for allegations of perjury connected with the president's affair with Monica Lewinsky.
Another Republican candidate, Mitt Romney, has emphasized his 38-year marriage. Richard Land, head of public policy for the Southern Baptist Convention, has said religious voters may have deep doubts about Giuliani, who has been married three times.
On Tuesday, McCain will conduct a $1,000-per-person luncheon at the Beverly Hilton.
McCain would be in California for private meetings through Wednesday, but was unable to provide the specifics of his schedule. Political campaigns customarily do not release their fund-raising schedules to the news media.
McCain began the year statistically tied with Giuliani, but Giuliani has picked up support in each of the last two months, while support for McCain, who supports sending more troops to Iraq, has declined.