Gillibrand wins Dem nom, DioGuardi wins GOP

WASHINGTON - Westchester Rep. Joe DioGuardi defeated economist David Malpass in a tight Republican race to run against Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) in the Nov. 2 election.

With 84 percent of the precincts counted, DioGuardi had 42 percent of the vote and Malpass had 38 percent.

Former Nassau County Legis. Bruce Blakeman trailed with 20 percent, but vote tallies in his home base in Nassau County were slow to come in. Even in that county, he lagged behind DioGuardi in early reports.

DioGuardi will face Gillibrand, 43, who had opened a wide lead with 76 percent of the vote over little-known Gail Goode, a lawyer for New York City, in the Democratic primary. It was the first statewide race for both candidates.

Meanwhile, in the race to face Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), political and marketing consultant Jay Townsend declared victory as he led with 56 percent of the vote over former CIA officer Gary Berntsen, who had 44 percent.

"I feel quite comfortable by saying tonight I'm feeling good about the outcome of this primary," Townsend said, as he lit into Schumer on taxes and spending.

The early returns were a blow to the New York GOP, as Republican primary voters did not appear to be rallying around Blakeman and Berntsen, the candidates it backed at its convention last summer.

Meanwhile, both Conservative Party candidates, DioGuardi and Townsend, were in the lead.

And the role of the tea party movement also seemed mixed.

Malpass, who assiduously courted its members, was neck and neck with DioGuardi, who came into the primary with the highest name recognition.

Berntsen, who boasted of organizing members of 40 tea party organizations around the state, trailed in early returns.

With both U.S. Senate seats up for election in a year in which the Republican wave is expected to erode Democratic control of Congress, the New York Republicans who win still will be the underdogs in the general election.

Schumer and Gillibrand are well-funded and backed by the Democratic establishment in a blue state. Still, Gillibrand is perceived as the more vulnerable of the two Democrats, and the Republican victor is expected to present a sharp contrast to her.

All three Republicans running in the primary tout conservative fiscal expertise.

Yet DioGuardi, if he doesn't win the GOP primary, could split the opposition vote to Gillibrand as he vowed Tuesday to run on the Conservative Party line no matter what.

The election will be for the two years left on the term of former Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, who resigned to become secretary of state.