In NY, lengthy, historic Senate campaign ends

It will then be a matter of waiting for the results of their hard-fought contest, the nation8217;s most closely watched Senate race and a contest crucial to each party8217;s attempts to control that body.

Clinton and Lazio were expected to spend election night at their respective campaign headquarters in Manhattan, where each planned a victory celebration.

A poll by the Marist Institute for Public Opinion had Clinton with 49 percent of likely voters with Lazio at 45 percent, well within the margin of error, while a Quinnipiac University survey showed Clinton with a much larger lead, 51 percent to 39 percent.

Analysts say much will come down to turnout. With no suspense in the presidential stakes 8212; Democrat Al Gore is poised to win New York state by a large margin 8212; it will be especially important for Clinton8217;s campaign to get supporters to the polls.

Between them, the candidates were expected to have spent over 50 million.

Clinton8217;s bid to enter the Senate8217;s hallowed halls, described by some as the nation8217;s most exclusive men8217;s club, formally began in July 1997, when she announced she would embark on a quot;listening tourquot; of the state to familiarize herself with issues of importance to New Yorkers.

Appearing beside Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan 8212; whose seat she and Lazio are battling to fill 8212; at the veteran senator8217;s upstate farm, the first lady hoped spending months in the spotlight travelling the state as she considered a Senate run would mitigate criticism that she was a carpetbagger.

She first established the required New York residency by purchasing with the president a 1.7 million home in Chappaqua, a prosperous suburb of New York City.

Along the way she faced two Republican opponents and was beset by controversies over White House sleepovers and kissing the wife of Yasser Arafat, who had just accused Israel of poisoning Palestinians. She has never managed to overcome the carpetbagger issues completely.

Clinton, one of the nation8217;s most polarising political figures, faced no opposition in her bid to secure the Democratic nomination and was expected to run against New York8217;s combative mayor, Republican moderate Rudolph Giuliani.

But Giuliani, who analysts speculated never really wanted to run, bowed out after a prostate cancer diagnosis in April.

In came Lazio, a Long Island congressman and former prosecutor who was Newt Gingrich8217;s deputy whip during the conservative House Speaker8217;s quot;Contract With Americaquot; heyday, an association at which Clinton hammered away throughout the campaign.

Lazio, who at first withdrew from the race at the request of Republican Gov. George Pataki and other party leaders, responded that Gingrich was not running 8212; he was.

On Monday, Giuliani and Pataki stumped with Lazio, with Giuliani telling supporters in the Italian-American enclave of Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, Lazio was enjoying a quot;groundswell of supportquot; and would prevail in his uphill battle against Clinton. Lazio was virtually unknown, even in other parts of New York state, before the race.

Clinton spent the last day of her campaign meeting supporters in Buffalo, Albany, Jamestown and Rochester before heading to New York City for an evening rally.

Remarking on the historic nature of the race when Clinton was formally nominated at the state party8217;s convention in May, State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver said quot;how sweet it will be when we change Hillary Rodham Clinton8217;s title from first lady to the honourable senator from New York.quot;

Echoing that sentiment, Assemblyman Ronald Camestrari reminded Clinton8217;s supporters of her unique position at an Albany rally on Monday.

quot;We have a chance to make history tomorrow with Hillary Rodham Clinton,quot; he said. quot;Let8217;s not let it go past.quot;

Addressing Clinton8217;s celebrity status, Lazio has been running an ad depicting a housewife on the telephone saying that just because someone is the nation8217;s first lady doesn8217;T mean they get to be a senator 8212; especially from New York.