HEMPSTEAD - In stark contrast to the pep rally-like Democratic Party convention in Buffalo, candidates at the Republican Party's gathering Wednesday delivered their messages to a remarkably subdued crowd, where empty seats, a disappearing act by several of the party's biggest names and an internecine battle for control of the party were in full display.

Republican leaders and candidates battled a decided air of apathy among many delegates - indeed, only 265 of 446 delegates even showed up - to encourage them to work hard to elect the party's statewide group of candidates. But in the two major races - governor and U.S. Senate - the Republicans expect to leave Hofstra University later today without knowing who their candidates are and the prospect of bitter and costly primaries on their hands.

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Much of the wrangling, was taking place off the convention floor as supporters for the party's two gubernatorial candidates - former Massachusetts Gov. William Weld and former Assembly Minority Leader John Faso - engaged in an intense vote grabbing exercise running up to this afternoon's session to try to choose someone to face Attorney General Eliot Spitzer, the endorsed Democratic candidate.
With the contest close, every vote was being pursued. The intrigue intensified as Nassau Republicans, with more than 10 percent of the convention vote, kept their choice silent.

Additionally, Erie County's GOP vote was suddenly back in play. Faso on Monday won the support of the Erie GOP, which has about 8 percent of the delegate votes. But Weld on Wednesday publicly unveiled his choice for a running mate - Christopher Jacobs, a Buffalo businessman who was named only a month ago by Gov. George E. Pataki as head of the state Department of State.
Asked if he was using the Jacobs' selection to try to woo Erie Republicans to support his ticket, a smiling Weld said: "That would be a yes."

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Missing from the arena Wednesday were Republican leaders such as Rudolph Giuliani, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Rep. Thomas Reynolds.
Republican leaders spent the day trying to convince delegates to ignore polls showing Democratic candidates, particularly Clinton and Spitzer, with commanding leads. "Eventually I think the media is going to kind of wake up to the facts and stop printing perception and rhetoric. You buy into this Spitzer legend that he beats everybody two- or three-to-one. It's not going to happen," said Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno.
"Go read your history," McFarland said when asked how she responds to talk that the GOP candidates can't beat Clinton this fall. "Come on. Ronald Reagan - nobody game him a chance. Nobody gave Bill Clinton a chance, for that matter. America is all about underdogs and upset victories."

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