U.S. Sens. Barack Obama and John McCain aren't the only ones involved in a race to the White House.

The ladies may not be running for commander-in-chief, but the candidates' wives still are making waves in the presidential race. From Michelle Obama's gaffe about having pride in her country to Cindy McCain's struggle to explain past prescription drug addiction, they are finding themselves under a political microscope.

Local residents got to see Michelle Obama in April when she stumped for her husband in Merrillville during the Democratic primary.

Hoping to boost their image, both women recently graced the cover of magazines -- Michelle Obama appearing with her husband on "Us Weekly" and Cindy McCain on "Vogue." Michelle also has welcomed additional staff to help her and made an appearance on the television show "The View" last month.

But how much do potential first ladies really matter?

Their names might not be on the ballot, but a recent Ramussen Reports national poll shows that 61 percent of Americans say their perception of a presidential candidate's wife is at least somewhat important in how they vote. The theory is that the more someone knows about the wife, the more they learn about the husband.

"Spouses can be considered the most important spokesperson other than the candidate themselves," said James McCann, professor of political science at Purdue University. "If you're getting to know your next-door neighbors, you're naturally going to ask about the person's husband or wife. It helps us place people socially."

McCann said campaigns often utilize spouses by directing them to reach out to groups that the candidates themselves cannot reach, such as Michelle Obama's appearance on "The View."

Her willingness to publicly campaign has shown in the polls. Fifty-six percent of Americans say they know too little about Cindy McCain, compared to 34 percent who say that about Michelle Obama. The Illinois senator's wife also is more likely to evoke strong feelings -- more voters expressed a "very favorable" or "very unfavorable" view of Michelle Obama than about Cindy McCain.

Some experts say the more unconventional or nontraditional wives are, the more scrutiny they receive from the public.

The predominance of recent wife-watching also can be attributed to the current lull of activity within the campaign season, McCann said.

Once the campaign for the general election is in full swing -- with both contenders speaking and debating for themselves -- the public will turn its focus away from the women. Even after stepping out of the spotlight, the wives still could have an indirect effect on the campaign, however.

"Certain issues may come up because of spouses and the candidates will have more to explain or focus on because of it," McCann said. "Ronald Reagan had been married once before and he was challenged to explain himself during his campaign. It wasn't a direct effect of his wife, but it certainly framed campaign issues."