The NY State Republican Party will be endorsing a candidate for governor today, but with a crowded field of candidates and their supporters sniping at each other, here's how the scene at the convention—which is being held at a Sheraton in Midtown—is described:
- "GOPers are set to grapple this morning with a fractious, three-way race for governor - a battle that was on full display as Republicans kicked off a three-day Manhattan convention."—Daily News
- "It was a tense scene on Tuesday at the first day of the state Republican convention at the Sheraton hotel in Midtown... Lacking a breakthrough candidate in several key statewide races, Republicans are up against considerable odds this November... 'It's a free-for-all right now,' said Suffolk County GOP chairman John LaValle."—Wall Street Journal
- "Chaos and uncertainty ruled as state Republicans gathered in Midtown for a crucial endorsement vote today that could solidify Rick Lazio's campaign for governor and bring Steve Levy's to a sudden end. The state GOP was beset by disorder and infighting not seen in more than a decade as it kicked off its designating convention yesterday."—Post
The Post doesn't seem enthused by Lazio, who seems to be the frontrunner after getting the Conservative Party's nod—the paper calls him, "an ex-congressman best known for his bumbling Senate run a decade ago against then-First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton."
Levy, the Suffolk County Executive who changed parties from the Democratic to Republican in hopes of gaining the nomination, faces the biggest challenge, because he needs to 25% of delegates' votes and then, if he gets that 25%, he needs another 50% of a special vote to run in the primary this fall.
