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Blakeman emerges as GOP challenger to Gillibrand

By Brian Tumulty •Gannett Washington Bureau • January 15, 2010, 4:18 pm

WASHINGTON – Manhattan attorney Bruce Blakeman plans to formally announce Sunday he will seek the Republican nomination to challenge Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand in the November general election.

His entry into the race comes after another possible GOP candidate, Larchmont Mayor Liz Feld, announced Friday she won't run, clearing the way for Blakeman to secure the party's support.

Other possible Republican candidates also have dropped out, most notably Rep. Peter King of Long Island, former Rep. Susan Molinari and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani.

Running for the Senate in New York requires a full-time commitment for most of this year and a campaign committee that can raise $30 million to $35 million, political analysts have said.

According to Feld, “New York needs an energetic and fiscally conservative candidate to challenge Kirsten Gillibrand for the United States Senate. But the timing for me to be that candidate is not right. I have been blessed with many personal and professional commitments, and they will likely require more of my attention this year than I could reasonably devote as a statewide candidate.’’
Blakeman, in a phone interview this afternoon, said he is in the process of forming a campaign committee.

"I'm running because of the anger frustration and worry of the people in New York state,'' he said. "They are frustrated with Washington and think the deficits are out of control. They think at some point they will have to pay for those deficits.''

More . . .

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This is going to be interesting..

The central NY area is very pro female candidates lately.  So, I think GOP side is handicapped in this regard.