7 Would-Be Governors Join Farcical NY Debate

Candidate says lease left him no choice

(NEWSER) - Carl Paladino's distaste for man-on-man action didn't stop him renting to a gay club , and his firm anti-abortion views haven't stopped him collecting rent checks from Planned Parenthood. The New York candidate—who says he opposes abortion even in cases of rape or incest—is the landlord for a Niagara Falls clinic that offers the morning-after pill and pre- and post-abortion patient education, and gives referrals to women seeking surgical abortions, the New York Post reports. More»

NY candidate wants to protect kids from 'homosexual agenda'

(NEWSER) - Sure, he sent racist emails , scuffled with a reporter over his not-so-secret 'love child' , and dished on his opponent's "legendary" sex life , but Carl Paladino is a (self-proclaimed) "values candidate," here to protect the children. Being gay is "not the example that we should be showing our children," he told a group of Hasidic Jewish leaders in Brooklyn yesterday. "I don't want [children] brainwashed into thinking homosexuality is an equally valid and successful option—it isn't," the Republican said. More»

Cuomo at 49%; Tea Partier at 43%

(NEWSER) - Apparently anyone can be New York governor these days. Proof? Carl Paladino —you know, the Tea Party candidate who likes email jokes about bestiality and recently questioned opponent Andrew Cuomo ’s manhood—is “within shouting distance” of beating Cuomo, says a Quinnipiac pollster. “And—you can count on it—he will be shouting.” The new poll finds Cuomo leads at 49% among likely voters, but Paladino is shockingly close behind at 43%, the New York Daily News reports. More»

Paladino pulls off upset over GOP establishment

(NEWSER) - Tea Party ally Carl Paladino has pulled off a major upset and won a landslide victory in New York's Republican primary for governor. The Buffalo businessman, a political novice, defeated former Rep. Rick Lazio by a wide margin, the AP reports. Lazio had the firm backing of the state's GOP establishment and Paladino forced a primary by circulating petitions after failing to win enough votes at the state's GOP convention. Paladino will now face the state's Democratic attorney general, Andrew Cuomo, in November. More»

Republicans poised for huge redistricting advantage

(NEWSER) - Governor’s seats are up for grabs in 37 states today, and Republicans look poised to win loads of them—which could have a profound impact when it comes time to redraw district lines . This Huffington Post tally shows 29 seats held by or leaning toward Republicans, to 16 for Democrats. And Reuters breaks down the key races thusly:

• California: Jerry Brown has pulled decisively ahead of Meg Whitman, thanks in part to this incident . (Check out our full grid on the race here .)
• Florida: When Democrat Alex Sink was running the state pension fund, it took huge losses. When conservative Rick Scott was running the Columbia/HCA hospital chain, it was embroiled in the largest Medicare fraud case in history. The result: Tie game!
• Ohio: Ex-congressman John Kasich is still favored to oust incumbent Democrat Ted Strickland, but Strickland has been gaining ground quickly, bashing Kasich for his work on Wall Street.