U.S. Senate GOP candidates have a friendly rivalry

New York's GOP candidates for U.S. Senate, Joe DioGuardi and Jay Townsend, have known each other for years - but not always as friends.

In the '90s, they battled each other in three often bitter election contests over the House seat in Westchester. Townsend worked for GOP Rep. Sue Kelly. And Dio-Guardi ran against her, and always lost. DioGuardi said Kelly "threw mud," got GOP House Speaker Newt Gingrich to attack him and "seduced" Ohio Rep. John Boehner into filing an IRS complaint that went nowhere.

Now, DioGuardi describes their relations as "friendly . . . I mean he's a Republican. I'd like to see him win that race." Townsend agreed: "Sometimes you fight hard, and then when it's all over you move on." On the ballot next Tuesday, DioGuardi seeks to unseat Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand in a special election and Townsend opposes Sen. Charles Schumer for a full six-year term. - Tom Brune