By Mark Scott
Albany, NY – Governor Pataki's bid for the ballot line of the Independence Party was thwarted by billionaire businessman Tom Golisano. With 96 percent of the precincts reporting, Golisano had 53 percent of the votes to Pataki's 48 percent.
Golisano's victory means that in addition to facing attacks from Democrat H. Carl McCall, Pataki will have to deal with the heavy Golisano assault right up to the general election.
Pataki appears to have turned back a long-shot write-in primary challenge from Golisano for the Conservative Party nomination. Final results of that contest may not be known for several days because of the write-in ballots that must be counted.
Pataki was unopposed for the GOP nomination.
McCall won the Democratic primary over Andrew Cuomo, whose name remained on the ballot after he quit the race last week.