NEW YORK CITY (AP) -- Republican Senate candidates Bruce Blakeman and David Malpass have earned enough support to run in a September primary in New York.
Republicans meeting in Manhattan are choosing potential challengers to take on Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand.
Blakeman, a former Long Island lawmaker, and Malpass, a former Bear Stearns chief economist, gathered enough support from delegates in the first round of balloting to win spots on the Sept. 14 primary ballot.
A third candidate, former congressman Joe DioGuardi, didn't get enough votes for a primary line in the first round Thursday.
Republicans are balloting a second time to see if they can agree on a designated candidate.
Gillibrand was appointed last year to replace Hillary Rodham Clinton, who was named U.S. secretary of state.
New York Republicans have also chosen Chautauqua County Executive Greg Edwards as their lieutenant governor candidate.
Edwards is the preferred running mate of Rick Lazio, the former Long Island congressman who won the GOP designation for governor Wednesday.
The 49-year-old Edwards is in his second term as executive of the rural county in western New York. The choice by state Republicans at their convention in Manhattan on Thursday gives geographic balance to the ticket.
Democrats chose Attorney General Andrew Cuomo as their candidate for governor last week. His running mate is Rochester Mayor Robert Duffy.
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