Jun 02, 2006 — Former Assembly Minority Leader John Faso won an upset victory over former Massachusetts Governor William Weld, winning more of the delegate's votes at the republicans State convention, and setting up the first GOP primary for governor in over a decade. Karen DeWitt reports.  Go to full article

Jun 02, 2006 — Editorial cartoonist Mark Wilson was at the GOP convention yesterday too - his sketches from the Democratic and Republican convention are at NCPR's special convention page. In Buffalo for the Democratic gathering earlier this week, Wilson described the mood there as uncharacteristically confident - for Democrats. And unified. This morning, he told Martha Foley the GOP convention on Long Island also showed a reversal of the party's usual style.  Go to full article

Jun 01, 2006 — Hillary Rodham Clinton was unanimously endorsed for a second term in the U.S. Senate as the Democratic state convention wound up in Buffalo yesterday. Martha Foley reports.  Go to full article

Jun 01, 2006 — Andrew Cuomo, the son of former Governor Mario Cuomo, was anointed by delegates to the Democratic state convention as their designee for state attorney general. Andrea Bernstein has more from Buffalo.  Go to full article

Jun 01, 2006 — State Republicans met on Long Island to nominate Jeanine Pirro for Attorney General and John Spencer for U.S. Senate. But, as Karen DeWitt reports, the real suspense at the convention comes Thursday as Bill Weld and John Faso vie for the nomination for Governor.  Go to full article

Jun 01, 2006 — Republicans meeting on Long Island are divided between social conservative John Faso and moderate Bill Weld. As they head into the summer campaign season, they also face grim poll numbers. Some party leaders are worried about major setbacks in November. Brian Mann spoke with Bill Favreau, chair of the Republican committee in Clinton County. Despite looming concerns, Favreau says the mood at the convention is upbeat.  Go to full article

May 31, 2006 — New York's Democratic Party has designated Eliot Spitzer as its candidate for governor. In an acceptance speech yesterday, Spitzer thanked his grandparents, all immigrants who came through Ellis Island, and his father, who rose from poverty to become an engineer. The 46-year-old attorney general who forced reforms of Wall Street and corporate America is the front-runner to be the first new governor in New York in 12 years. Outside the Buffalo Convention Center where the party leaders met, Democrat Tom Suozzi continued his outsider campaign. But as Andrea Bernstein reports from Buffalo, delegates were united behind their favorite.  Go to full article

May 31, 2006 — Eliot Spitzer has a commanding lead as the campaigns begin in earnest, and many analysts predict a Democratic sweep of all the major statewide races this fall. Mark Wilson is a political cartoonist covering the party conventions for NCPR this week. Martha Foley spoke with him early this morning. He said there is a real - if unfamiliar -- sense of impending success among the Democrats in Buffalo.  Go to full article

May 30, 2006 — Members of the Democratic Party began their statewide convention yesterday in Buffalo. Party leaders have unified behind Attorney General Eliot Spitzer, who leads the race to replace outgoing governor George Pataki. Some independent political analysts say the Democrats could sweep every major statewide office this year, fueled by Spitzer's popularity and by disarray in the Republican Party. It's unclear whether the momentum will carry over here in the North Country, which has been a traditional GOP stronghold. Brian Mann spoke last night with Sue Montgomery Corey, chair of the Essex County Democratic Committee. She's one of the delegates at the convention in Buffalo. Note: Republicans begin their statewide convention tomorrow on Long Island. We'll be checking in with a North Country delegate to that gathering as well.  Go to full article

May 29, 2006 — State Democrats are holding their convention in Buffalo Tuesday and Wednesday. Republican party officials will have their gathering on Long Island on Wednesday and Thursday. Karen DeWitt takes a look at what's to come.  Go to full article