In 1994, Republicans were telling voters about their Contract with America. This election season, it has barely been mentioned.
The document that served as one of the biggest political publicity vehicles in history is conspicuously absent from the 1996 Republican campaigns.
Experts said the contract backfired on the Republicans.
University political science Prof. John Kingdon said he is not surprised that Republicans are not running on the contract this year. "That's what got them in trouble in the first place," he said.
Kingdon said the contract opened a door for Democrats to attack Republicans.
"The Republicans were in a position to consolidate a longtime majority in this country. They blew it," Kingdon said. "They shut down the government a couple times and got themselves in a position where Clinton could accuse them of being extremist."
One man came to personify the contract - Rep. Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.). He too has been out of the national spotlight in recent months, except in Democrats' advertisements.
"The Democrats and their special interests have invested millions and millions to try to demonize Newt," said Haley Barbour, chairman of the Republican National Committee.
Republicans deny abandoning the contract or Gingrich because of the negative publicity, but many notice their absence.
"It's not only invisible coming down to the wire, it's been invisible for all of 1996," said Gregory Markus, a University political science professor.
But just because the term "contract" isn't being talked about doesn't mean it's gone, said Michael Shields, spokesperson for Gingrich.
He characterized the hushing of the contract as changing a "ratings war to an issues war." Shields said the ideas in the contract are no longer being talked about under the one label, but instead are being discussed plainly as issues.
Shields said the essence of the contract is still a vital part of Republican campaigns.
"Every single item in the contract was voted on. Nine-tenths passed the House. Two-thirds of the contract became law," he said.
"It's still very much in the American agenda," Shields said. "Many of its issues are part of this election. It really did become the Republican message.
"I think there is a focus on it," he said. "Candidates are still talking about the issues at the heart of it, like welfare and regulatory reform."
"The left has managed to manipulate that terminology and give it a different connotation," Shields said.
Markus said he believes there are two clear reasons Republicans have stopped talking specifically about the contract. He said polling has showed Republicans reasons to stop talking about the contract.
"No. 1 - the majority of voters don't know what the contract is and never did, not even in 1994," Markus said. "And No. 2 - voters who do have some idea of what it is generally believe it has gone beyond what is fair and is too extreme."
Markus said the two factors add up to one basic idea: "It's not something voters care about."