Hillary vs. Rudy

Yes, it's all-Rudy, all-the-time.

Giuliani and Hillary Clinton will be testing their influence in New York's Nassau County, home to a special election that will help decide if the New York Republican party is still alive.

The New York Republicans hold the State Senate by a margin of 33-28, reduced from 33-29 when one of their own turned traitor and joined Governor Spitzer's administration. If the State's Democratic party can win the special election to fill his seat, they will have enhanced their chance to take control of the State Senate in 2008, and unify Democratic control of the state for the first time in decades.

The special election is the first test for new state Republican Chairman Joe Mondello, who presided over the Nassau County Republican party - one of the last great political machines in the country.

Today Hillary and Rudy are campaigning for their party's candidates. The district certainly counts as a swing seat, and it is in an area where Democrats have made dramatic gains in the last 20 years or so.

I don't see how either can claim victory if the election goes his/her way, but it will be interesting to see how it plays out.