GOP Senate Primary Too Close To Call

In a campaign that featured more personal attacks than battles over issues, it's anybody's guess who will win the Republican nomination for United States Senator in Tuesday's primary, former Yonkers mayor John Spencer or Kathleen T. McFarland.

Spencer holds a slight lead in pre-election polls. He also has the Conservative Party nomination, so he will appear on the ballot against Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton in November, even if he loses to McFarland.

Spencer's and McFarland's campaigns were hindered by inability to attract financial support, which at one point resulted in some Spencer staff members quitting the campaign.

McFarland had the same problem. At one time she let several campaign consultants go for lack of cash.

McFarland came into the campaign after it appeared that Spencer would not be challenged for the nomination. The Manhattan GOPer once served as a Pentagon official in the Reagan administration. Her campaign manager was Ed Rollins.

Throughout the campaign and in debates, McFarland and Spencer attacked each other fiercely.

McFarland, 55, and her aides frequently cited an extramarital affair Spencer allegedly had while mayor of Yonkers. Spencer responded that McFarland was distorting the facts.

In return, some embarrassing revelations about McFarland family problems also made their way into the press.

On the issues, McFarland expressed support for abortion rights and Spencer, 59, declared he opposed abortion unless the life of the mother was threatened.

Spencer said his experience as mayor of Yonkers, which frequently had budget woes, made him more qualified than McFarland to deal with state and national economic problems.

When the two candidates were not attacking each other, they took turns blasting Clinton.