Hillary Clinton wins primary contest with ease
Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton and gubernatorial candidate Eliot Spitzer cruised to landslide victories in New York state’s Democratic primary day, turning back long-shot challengers on a night that produced a string of lopsided state-wide contests.
In the other big-ticket races, former Yonkers Mayor John Spencer soundly defeated a Pentagon official from the Reagan administration in the GOP Senate primary, and one-time federal Housing Secretary Andrew Cuomo easily won the Democratic nomination for attorney general.
Clinton crushed anti-war activist Jonathan Tasini, who had mounted a challenge over the first-term senator’s 2002 vote authorising the US-led invasion of Iraq. The former first lady had 83% of the vote with 99% of precincts reporting, compared with Tasini’s 17%.
Clinton was in Washington on primary night and had no victory celebration planned.
“I’m honoured and deeply gratified by this expression of support,” Clinton said in a statement.
“I’ve worked hard to deserve your confidence, and I will continue to work hard on behalf of the issues and values we share.”
Clinton will face Spencer, the ultra-conservative former suburban mayor who led Kathleen Troia “KT” McFarland by a count of 60% to 40%. McFarland and Spencer waged a bitter campaign that included sordid allegations about their personal lives.
In an interview, Spencer said he looked forward to campaigning directly against Clinton and said independents and moderate Democrats would be persuaded by his message.
“She’s been weak on the war on terror, and bad for the economy of the state of New York,” Spencer said. “She’s a pro-tax, big government liberal, and I’m a commonsense conservative.”
Spitzer, the outgoing attorney general dubbed “the sheriff of Wall Street” for his highly public crusade against corporate excess, easily beat back a challenge from Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi. Spitzer was leading 81-19%.
Spitzer will face Republican John Faso, the former Assembly minority leader. The winner will succeed Gov. George Pataki, a Republican who is stepping down after three terms and considering a White House run in 2008.
“Ours is ultimately a New York journey, one that has been travelled many times by many New Yorkers,” Spitzer said in his victory speech. “People of every race, creed and background, including all four of my grandparents, faced great odds for the opportunity to live here.”
The outcome was a crushing blow for Suozzi, a charismatic speaker and effective campaigner who had long been considered a rising star in Democratic politics.
He told supporters he was proud that the issues he championed – specifically Medicaid reform and the state’s high property taxes – would remain a central focus in the governor’s race.
“Together we will bring widespread system change … to make government work again for the people,” Suozzi said.
In the attorney general’s race, Cuomo, the son of former Gov. Mario Cuomo, led former New York City Public Advocate Mark Green 53% to 33%. A third candidate, former Clinton White House official Sean Patrick Maloney, was trailing with 10%.
It was a remarkable political comeback for Cuomo, who just four years ago was forced to abort a poorly-run campaign for governor.
Cuomo will square off against former Westchester County District Attorney Jeanine Pirro, a Republican who faced no primary opposition and abandoned her Senate campaign against Clinton after several embarrassing missteps.
