The hope was for a marquee name: Pataki or Giuliani or, hell, even Zuckerman.

Instead, there are many names, none of them marquee: Bruce Blakeman, David Malpass, Joseph DioGuardi and Edward Diana.

In a year when the weakness of state Republicans has becoming a running theme— especially while the rest of the country tilts red and even Massachusetts has a statewide Republican—the lack of a major challenge to Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand is to many the greatest symbol of a party that has collapsed.

So instead of a major contender giving the largely unknown appointed junior senator with consistently mediocre poll numbers a run for her money, Blakeman, Malpass, DioGuardi and Diana are fighting for the back pages of the newspapers, if they get any attention at all. As the state convention approaches, they are all barnstorming the state to meet with local GOP and Conservative Party chairs, hoping to avoid a costly Republican primary for a race against an opponent known for her fundraising prowess. Each has his own argument for explaining why the party will rally around him. And each would rather be handed the nomination than fight for it.   

Republicans are nervous that a primary could end up squandering the party’s best chance at knocking the unelected senator off her perch in a year when anti-incumbent fever and anger toward Washington is running as high as ever. If she slides by this year, by 2012 she will have been in the Senate four years, and seeking a full term in a presidential election year. Take her out this year, goes the conventional wisdom, or expect her to be a senator for life.

Ed Cox, the state party chairman who has been at the center of a revolt within his own party over the gubernatorial race, said that Gillibrand is highly vulnerable this year.

“She has flip-flopped on any number of issues,” Cox said. “We have four great candidates, each with very good qualifications. And any one of them would be able to beat her.”

Blakeman, a former Nassau County legislator and Port Authority official who ran an unsuccessful campaign for state comptroller in 1998, has been running the longest (since early January) and has amassed the most mainstream Republican support. State Senate Minority Leader Dean Skelos, former Sen. Alfonse D’Amato and Rep. Peter King have all endorsed him. He has the support of 16 county chairs, as well as a key endorsement from Queens Conservative Party Chair Thomas Long, brother to state party chair Mike Long.

With over $300,000 in the bank and 9,000 miles logged on his Ford, Blakeman said he is confident that he will receive the nomination.

“I believe that I will be the consensus candidate,” Blakeman said. “But I am prepared for anything.”

Some Republicans, though, are concerned about Blakeman’s ability to raise enough money to match Gillibrand’s millions, especially given the skepticism several key Republicans have about his rationale for running. Moreover, he is seen as quickly morphing into a permanent candidate, as evidenced by his brief campaign for New York City mayor last year.

Malpass may be the tallest candidate in the race, but according to polls he is the least well known, with support from only 5 percent of Republicans. But what he lacks in name recognition he makes up for in a rock-solid Republican résumé. A former deputy treasury secretary under Ronald Reagan and deputy secretary of state under George H.W. Bush, Malpass has had a hand in several key economic policies of the last 30 years, including the North American Free Trade Act and the Brady plan for developing-country debt. He was a chief economist at Bear Stearns when the firm collapsed in 2007, a fact his rivals and Gillibrand may look to exploit. Malpass said he had no involvement in promoting the mortgage-backed securities that led to the firm’s collapse.

He lags behind his rivals in county chair endorsements, but he still has some big names on his side, such as economist and presidential candidate Steve Forbes and John Faso, the 2006 Republican candidate for governor.

Unabashedly wonky—campaign press releases focus less on county chair endorsements than topics like the value-added tax and trade restrictions in financial markets—and fluent in Spanish (also Russian and French), Malpass is right on the issues for many Republicans, though short on political charisma.

Malpass has self-funded most of his $1 million campaign account, arguing that his lack of political flair can be an asset in a year when voters are sick of Washington insiders.

“I think it’s critical we bring someone from outside the system out there appealing to younger voters,” he said. “I’m able to talk about jobs and small businesses in a way the insiders can’t.”

DioGuardi, a quick-talking former two-term congressman from Mount Vernon, sees the Conservative Party endorsement as his secret weapon in the race, having locked down 17 party endorsements from around the state so far.

“They see that I’m raising money. I’ve put my own money in this race. Logically, I’m the only one,” he said. “Malpass or Blakeman have no chance of getting the Conservative line.”

DioGuardi worked for over 20 years at the now-defunct accounting behemoth Arthur Andersen, served as president of the Albanian American Civic League and founded the non-profit Truth in Government Inc., which is dedicated to tracking the nation’s rising debt load.

But this year, he realized his most reliable claim to fame is being the father of American Idol judge Kara DioGuardi. When greeting someone on the phone, he will refer to himself as “Joe DioGuardi, candidate for Senate and Kara’s dad.”

For that and other reasons, DioGuardi is seen by his fellow Republicans as energetic and entertaining, if not entirely serious. According to a recent poll, he leads his rivals in name recognition. He has raised almost $1 million (also mostly from his own pocketbook), and says he expects to raise up to $15 million after he wins the nomination.

And adding to an already crowded field is Orange County Executive Ed Diana. Party officials say they are particularly excited by Diana’s entrance into the race, considering Orange County is one of the fastest growing in the state and Diana has a string of hard-fought electoral victories already under his belt, though there is some consternation and confusion about why Cox waited until May to recruit yet another candidate for this race.

Diana said he would need to win the Republican, Conservative and Independence lines in order to be competitive against Gillibrand, a feat he feels is within reach.

“I understand the magnitude of this race,” Diana said. “But I also have to be very clear that when I take something on, I am in it to win it.”

On policy, all four candidates are nearly indistinguishable from each other. They all talk about repealing the health care reform bill, lowering taxes and creating jobs. They all want to curb illegal immigration. None of them feels that Gillibrand has earned the office she currently holds.

But while Republicans are nervous that a bruising primary between the four candidates could leave the winner too cash-strapped for the general election, there might be a silver lining, said Siena pollster Steven Greenberg.

“A primary can be useful for whomever wins the primary,” Greenberg said. “It gives them some momentum and something to crow about.” 

The Best of The 3 is DioGuardi Glad to see DioGuardi on top. He has been traveling up and down New York State and seeing him surprisingly on social networks like Facebook and Youtube, the man has got wicked energy for being 69 years old! Who doesn't like a candidate who is willing to travel up and down New York State and be in your face about the campaign! He's got the tenacity and street cred that would appeal to all parties. Interesting how I can't seem to find interesting footage from the opposition. It's time for New York to finally elect it's next Senator and dig the Empire State out of the fiscal hole and save Albany! One last remark, Diana who??

Comment By: Carla Cossack on May 12th, 2010

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