Kathleen Troia McFarland

Bill O’Reilly, the Republican spokesman, is leaving the communication firm he founded nine years to join a firm headed by former Rudy Giuliani aides George Lence and Cristyne Nicholas.

O’Reilly’s Midtown-based firm had lately specialized in Republican clients running against the Republican establishment: they handled conservative Republican John Faso’s 2006 gubernatorial campaign, when most of the George Pataki-centric party establishment was pulling for Bill Weld. That year, the firm also handled the campaign of K.T. McFarland, a latecomer to the Republican Senate primary race who ultimately lost, but not before she blasted Rupert Murdoch's media empire for their coverage of the race.

O’Reilly, a relative of William F. Buckley, is leaving the firm in the hands of its co-founder, Susan Del Percio.

O’Reilly’s email is after the jump.  read more »

One-time G.O.P. Senate hopeful K.T. McFarland has sold her 13-room apartment at 770 Park to W.L. (Lee) Lyons Brown Jr., a former George W. Bush–appointed ambassador to Austria. He paid $17.5 million.  read more »

Back in the warm confines of City Hall, I caught this moment on Fox News.

It's former Senate candidate KT McFarland talking about national security issues on, arguably, the channel most Republican primary voters choose to watch.

It's especially interesting to see McFarland playing ball with Fox, whose owner was condemned by her supporters for the way his media outlets covered her during the Senate race.

I guess she's over it.

-- Azi Paybarah

So if you think turnout is going to be low for the Democrats, just think about the Republicans. Without primaries for governor or attorney general to attract voters to the polls, the only thing going for them -- from the perspective of moving voters to polling places -- is the Jerry Springer-esque Senate contest between John Spencer and KT McFarland.

Rob Ryan, Spencer's spokesman, said he doubts that the Republican turnout will even break 200,000 statewide. And naturally, he predicts that the low turnout would work to Spencer's advantage: "A lot of this is going to depend on who can bring out the vote; she (McFarland) has no base except for a couple of matrons on the Upper East Side. We have Yonkers and the Republican party getting out the vote for us."

Ryan also pointed out that Yonkers is bigger than Syracuse, which, if we follow his logic, is a good thing. McFarland's campaign counters that her "kitchen talks" with voters across the state have won her the support of women outside of Park Avenue, who will come out to the polls in droves.

"We believe we are going to have strong support among women," said Morgan Ortagus-Dobbs, McFarland's spokeswoman. "We have been to the homes of so many women."

Ortagus-Dobbs also had this piece of speculation about what would happen if, in the end, Spencer prevails:

"I don't know how he (Spencer) thinks he is going to be able to debate Hillary Clinton if he can't even stand up to KT."

--Jason Horowitz

Tomorrow is Primary Day!

Eliot Spitzer votes at PS 6 on East 81st Street and hosts his election day party at Dinosaur Bar-B-Que on West 131st Street.

KT McFarland votes at Hunter College and hosts her primary night party at the Women's National Republican Club.

Andrew Cuomo votes at the High School of Leadership on Trinity Place and hosts his party at the Sheraton.

Jonathan Tasini votes uptown on Bennett Avenue and hosts his party at McFaddens on Second Avenue.

Tom Suozzi votes at Robert M. Finley Middle School in Glen Cove and hosts his Election night party at Chateau Briand.

John Spencer votes at Saunders High School in Yonkers and hosts his primary night event at The Polish Center.

Carl Andrews votes at PS 167 in Brooklyn and hosts his election night party at Brooklyn Exposure on Bedford Avenue.

Sean Patrick Maloney votes at Baruch College, and parties at his campaign headquarters. Yvette Clarke votes at PS 397 and celebrates at Cafe Omar. Chris Owens votes at PS 9 and parties with supporters at New Life Tabernacle. Brooklyn State Senate candidate Eric Adams parties at Snookys.

Mike Bloomberg votes at PS 6 on East 81st Street.

Betsy Gotbaum votes at PS 9 on West 84th Street.

The Empire State Development Corporation holds a second public hearing on the Atlantic Yards proposal.

The Ground Truth, a film about Iraq War and it's effect on soldiers, premieres in New York at the Riverside Church.

—Nicole Brydson

John Spencer is going statewide with the 30-second biographical ad he released right before his debate with KT McFarland last month. A Spencer spokesman said they'll be running the ad on cable, since, according to their research, Republican primary votes watch plenty of cable news (read: Fox News).

Spencer's other ads, with images of Hillary Clinton and the president of Iran, are not scheduled to run for the rest of the primary, according to spokesman Rob Ryan. Either Spencer is taking the high road, or his campaign is pretty confident KT McFarland won't be on air any time soon.

-- Azi Paybarah

During a very friendly appearance on conservative commentator Glenn Beck's radio show, Greg Sargent reports, Joe Lieberman agreed with just much of what Beck said, including that the real reason we invaded Iraq wasn't over WMD but because we wanted to "pop the head of the snake in Iran."

After receiving some attention from the editorial boards of The New York Times and New York Post, Jonathan Tasini finds out from The Huffington Post why he has seen practically no love from his fellow travelers in MoveOn.org. Executive Director Eli Pariser says that they follow the lead of their members and "we've heard almost nothing from MoveOn members on Tasini."

On the Republican side of the Senate race, KT McFarland, on hiatus to deal with her daughter's shoplifting, shows that she has not completely checked out. Her press secretary, Morgan Ortagus takes issue with John Spencer calling for a debate with Hillary while ignoring McFarland's calls for a debate. We especially like the use of underlining.

"I think you well know that Mrs. McFarland is taking a few days off to deal with a family crisis, but that doesn't make you the Republican candidate for Senate"

--Jason Horowitz

Family problems have plagued KT McFarland's campaign for months, so maybe it should come as no surprise that yet another family scandal has perhaps delivered the knockout blow to her weak campaign for U.S. Senate.

"This past Saturday, my 16-year-old daughter, Camilla, was caught shoplifting from two stores in Suffolk County, NY. She was arrested, arraigned and charged with two counts each of Petty Theft and Possession of Stolen Goods," reads the statement that just dropped in our mailbox. "I therefore am suspending my campaign activities until further notice. I will resume active campaigning only when I am certain that my daughter is okay and getting the help she needs."

Magazines and tabloids have already dedicated plenty of ink to the the abuse McFarland allegedly suffered at her father's hand, not to mention the gay brother she apparently turned her back on as he died of AIDS. We'll see if her campaign can survive this.

(Full statement after the jump)  read more »

--Jason Horowitz

Short, sweet, and to the point. Notice the prominent use of the word 'fiasco' with the close-up of Andrew Cuomo. So is 'comparison' now a euphemism for, uh, attack? (Attack via surrogates, but still...)

But what else do you expect from the Blue Donkey Group, whose message on their website is "I want to win. Period. End of story."?

By the way, don't you think if KT McFarland and John Spencer had any money, they'd have ads like this?

--- Azi Paybarah

Now that was a nasty debate.

I'm not sure that either John Spencer or KT McFarland will have been helped by their televised confrontation on NY1 last night. McFarland talked about Spencer's marital problems, and he told that she ought to be ashamed of her comments "as a mother of children."

But there has to be a winner, right? (Aside from Hillary Clinton, that is.)

According to an overnight poll of 14 people on Urban Elephants -- and ignoring, for the sake of this exercise, any notion of a margin of error -- it's Spencer by a mile.

-- Josh Benson

The Times reports Hillary Clinton contributes $5,000 and offers to campaign with Ned Lamont.

The Daily News reports that at last night's debate between John Spencer and KT McFarland "There was only one clear winner and she wasn't in the room."

The Albany Times Union reports the AFL-CIO has been urged not to endorse Andrew Cuomo for attorney general.

—Nicole Brydson

On Saturday, Henry Kissenger will host a fundraiser for KT McFarland.

An anti-war rally will be held in front of the ExxonMobile building.

A forum on the lingering effects of World Trade Center exposure will take place on Governor's Island.

On Monday George Pataki will speak to the National Press Club in Washington, DC.

The documentary film Obsession: Radical Islam's War Against the West will premiere in New York.

—Nicole Brydson

Manhattan GOP chairman James Ortenzio, one of KT McFarland's strongest backers, has apparently asked her to drop out of the race after lackluster fund-raising and the airing of ugly family business that has distracted and damaged her flagging campaign.

McFarland's press secretary, Morgan Ortagus-Dobbs, denied any notion of pressure from Ortenzio.

"I just asked KT," said Ortagus-Dobbs after putting the Observer on hold. "And she said she has received no such phone call."

How long can this last?

KT McFarland spends yesterday being trailed by reporters asking her to respond to her brother's assertion that she's "evil."

Then, at a fundraiser last night, KT supporter"Bud" McFarlane tells Ben that all the personal stuff coming out about his Reagan administration colleague is the Post's fault. Ed Rollins backs him up.

And today, well, there's more.

"Off-message" doesn't really do it justice.

-- Josh Benson

The Times reports on K.T. McFarland's fundraiser with Bud McFarlane last night.

The Assembly Majority Leader, Paul Tokasz, will retire at the end of his current term.

The Daily News reports on Bill Weld's distribution of campaign funds to Republican candidates.

Quinnipiac polls on the 11th district.

AP reports on petition filing in the race for attorney general. —Nicole Brydson

As KT McFarland shakes off today's Post report and prepares for her big fund-raiser tonight with all those Reagan-era Cold Warriors, Rob Ryan wonders (aloud, to us) what one attendee thinks about a recent statement from KT campaign manager Ed Rollins.

The attendee: General P.X. Kelley, former commandant of the Marine Corps.

The statement, from a recet New York Magazine story, was that "There were so many guys getting killed in Vietnam that it wasn't so difficult [for Spencer to be made first lieutenant]--and it wasn't so difficult to get a Bronze Star."

McFarland's campaign said that Rollins has already addressed the comment ("I never intended to cast aspersions on John Spencer's military record. I have only respect for anyone who has served or is serving our country,") and argued that they are focused only on Spencer's record as Mayor of Yonkers.  read more »

Ryan doesn't buy it: "KT McFarland has Ed Rollins and his surrogates throw mud and then she sits there and acts oblivious to everything that goes on around her. She has to be accountable for the actions of her staff."

- Jason Horowitz

It's kind of like going back in time.

Tomorrow morning KT McFarland will join Robert McFarlane, Reagan's national security advisor, for one of her K.T. "kitchen talks" at the house of some emigrees from the Soviet Union. And in the evening, she has that fund-raiser (pdf of invite here) with Henry Kissinger, General P.X. Kelley, former commandant of the Marine Corps, and John F. Lehman, the former Secretary of the Navy and member of the 9/11 Commission.

- Jason Horowitz

Azi reports that KT McFarland is seeking another line to run on. -- Josh Benson UPDATE: From an email from Mike Tracey, "petition coordinator" for the McFarland campaign:

Help Petition for KT!

Thank you for signing up to volunteer for KT McFarland's campaign for US Senate! With your help, we are going to defeat Hillary Clinton and elect KT.

Beginning next Tuesday, July 11th, we will be petitioning to get KT's name on a second ballot line. This petition is extremely important to our election success. In order to do this, we need you to help us obtain signatures from people in your area. If you are able to help us collect signatures in your area, please reply to this e-mail (with your mailing address and phone number so we can send you petitions and contact you) or give us a call at ...

After dropping out of the US Senate race Wednesday, William "The Revolution Is Coming" Brenner has endorsed KT McFarland, at least according to McFarland's website.

But when we reached Brenner, he told us that the news of the endorsement was "not totally correct. I think that both John Spencer and KT McFarland are both excellent candidates."

"At this point in a primary you can't endorse."

He explained that it was all an honest misunderstanding that could have come from his involvement with the Sullivan County committee, which advises him and has for the most part supported McFarland.

McFarland's campaign was taken aback by Brenner's apparent change of heart.

"He sent us the letter yesterday," said press secretary Morgan Ortagus-Dobbs, who faxed over a copy of a letter Brenner apparently wrote to Marc Humbert which states "I think it will take a strong woman of congressional background such as KT McFarland to defeat Hillary Cliton [sic] therefore I am supporting KT. [sic] McFarland and withdrawing my campaign for U.S. Senate."  read more »

A mess.

- Jason Horowitz

Reed Krakoff, president of the fashion-accessories giant Coach, has found a buyer for his $14.995 mi  read more »

K.T. McFarland, who continues to soldier on with her Kitchen Talks after a tough week will be fund-raising in Manhattan next month with a bunch of Reagan era generals and security officials.

On July 13, Henry Kissenger will be among the chairs at a swank event at Cipriani's with the hopes of raising about $200,000 for McFarland. Featured speakers will include General PX Kelley, former commandant of the Marine Corps, Robert Carl "Bud" McFarlane, National Security Advisor to President Ronald Reagan, and John F. Lehman, the former Secretary of the Navy and member of the 9/11 Commission.

- Jason Horowitz

The Times reports that Eliot Spitzer will take on the Newtown Creek oil clean up case; and a few things that lawmakers can agree on.

In the Post, Cindy Adams dedicates her column to KT McFarland.

The Albany Times Union reports the State Legislature will try again today to strike a deal.

—Nicole Brydson

The Republican Party’s bluebloods have had a bad month.William Weld ended his New York gubernatori  read more »

John Spencer's campaign has come up with the most inriguing conspiracy theory of the weekend: that K.T. McFarland, self-proclaimed Reagan Republican, is actually a tool of the left.

The evidence -- a list of McFarland donors who have given money in the past to HIllary Clinton and other Democrats -- has prompted the Spencer folks to ask darkly whether McFarland's entire candidacy isn't just "another Clinton dirty trick."

Given Clinton's nearly 2-1 advantage over Spencer in a prospective match-up, I'm having a little trouble finding the motive for such a fiendish plot.

But judge for yourself: read the full release after the jump.  read more »

-- Josh Benson

So we checked in with the KT McFarland's campaign, which is busy crossing the state for "KT Kitchen Talks," to see how they are feeling a day after Stephen Minarik implored the candidate to drop out of the race.

On the topic of forcing a primary against John Spencer, press secretary Morgan Ortagus-Dobbs said McFarland "clearly had the momentum at the convention" and that "she did it with the party leaders working against her." She added that McFarland was not "scared or intimidated" by the prospect of a primary contest.

"I'm from Florida and we have huge primary contests there," said Ortagus. " I don't know why it would be any different for New York."

New York's singularity seemed to be made achingly apparent to Bill Weld. We'll see how long McFarland can withstand the party's pressure.

-- Jason Horowitz

John Spencer, the Republican Party's designee to take on Hillary Clinton, looks considerably more relaxed than he did yesterday, when Kathleen Troia McFarland won an unexpectedly high number of votes from the delegates. Maybe that's due to all the McFarland-voting delegates that he said apologized to him last night for being "wrong."

He said that the delegates were apalled by her speech, which included an impersonation of Margeret Thatcher (British accent and all), sappy and sentimental remarks to her daughter, who is enrolled in a naval academy, and a couple of flat jokes.

"When she got the opportunity to speak, that was the best thing that ever happened for me," said Spencer.

-- Jason Horowitz

The Times reports on Hillary Clinton's nomination speech on the last day of the Democratic convention.

Both John Spencer and KT McFarland make it onto the ballot to challenge Mrs. Clinton.

Jeanine Pirro intends to be the first woman AG, reports the Daily News.

The Post reports on New York's security funding woes.

—Nicole Brydson

Despite John Spencer's appeal for a united front in the race against Hillary Clinton, KT McFarland--seemingly energized by her 36% of delegate votes--took the stage and vowed "We are ready and eager to challenge Mrs. Clinton."

The "we" in this case was not her and Spencer working together but her own campaign. "I can beat him in a primary," she told us afterwards.

But if she wants to take on Mrs. Clinton she better work on her delivery. While McFarland steered clear of any references to flatulation, the jokes she told in her speech a couple of minutes ago fell flat.

"She's (Hillary) better known in Albania then I am in Albany."

And:

"I suggest she not start eyeing the White House China just yet."

—Jason Horowitz

It's John Spencer with the party nod for Senate by a weighted vote of 63 - 37.

He had some nervous moments during the vote, apparently, lurking in a corner and playing with a paper coffee cup as K.T. McFarland bounded around the convention floor thank the delegates who voted for her.

And aides to both candidates told our man on the floor as the roll was being called that they were tracking ahead of expectations. But in the end, it was the Spencer camp talking about bringing the nomination battle to a swift and final close.

"We're going to win," said John McLaughlin, a consultant for Spencer, shortly before the tally was announced. "The question is what she wants to do. He's coming out of here as the designee. If they are serious about beating Hillary Clinton, then John Spencer has to be the candidate."

Tonight, The Metropolitan Club holds its 104th Annual Ball honoring Bill Weld, with KT McFarland as guest speaker.

Then, 10th congressional district challenger and hip hop aficionado Kevin Powell hosts a birthday celebration at Spy.

On Sunday, the Lexington Democratic Club, Lenox Hill Democratic Club, East Side Democratic Club, Eleanor Roosevelt Democratic Club, Gramercy-Stuyvesant Independent Democratic Club, Samuel Tilden Democratic Club and CODA will hold a candidates forum for all Democratic Gubernatorial and Attorney General candidates.

Then, at the Montauk Club in Park Slope, the Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats celebrate their 37th anniversary over dinner.

And the Eleanor Roosevelt Democratic Club honors Dan Garodnick and Rosie Mendez at their annual Spring Brunch.

On Monday, the Drum Major Institute for Public Policy will host the latest installment of its Marketplace of Ideas series featuring Senator Gloria Gary Lawlah of Maryland.

And the League of Women Voters host a Reform Coalition Trip to Albany.

—Nicole Brydson

Here's something to mull with your mid-morning coffee: would-be senator and black helicopter-spotter, K.T. McFarland, has been doing some spying of her own. According to an article in today's Newsday, McFarland has hired a detective to sniff around her main GOP rival, former Yonkers mayor John Spencer. She also coughed up $12,000 to a detective agency called Investigative Group International to snoop on her own family -- you know, just to see how they would hold up under the bright spotlight of an intense Senate race.

Perhaps, however, she would have been better served if she'd hired those private dicks to spy on herself.

-- Lizzy Ratner

Last night on Inside City Hall, Dominic Carter interviewed KT McFarland advisor Ed Rollins who took a shot at John Spencer.

The Times reports that Democrats are going after Northeast Republicans, attempting to win back the house; and on Tom Suozzi's unveiled property tax plan.

The Sun reports on Mike Bloomberg and eminent domain; and George Pataki may be courting Suozzi as a successor.

—Nicole Brydson

I think KT aide William O'Reilly has been taking notes from Ben Smith.

Here's what Ben wrote on March 22 in The Observer:

[Spencer's] suggestion that Mrs. Clinton's hidden hand has influenced the Republican primary process wasn't far off. It's just that far from conspiring against the plainspoken Mr. Spencer, Mrs. Clinton has helped turn him into the front-runner for the Republican nomination to oppose her.

And here's O'Reilly speaking in today's AP story:

"Hillary Clinton and her campaign team obviously would prefer to run against John Spencer, so they are taking potshots at KT McFarland every chance they get," said McFarland aide William O'Reilly. "It's the right strategy for them."

- Tom McGeveran

The Daily News reports that another strategist working for Kathrine Harris has left for the KT McFarland camp.

The Times reports on John Spencer's national fundraising drive.

The Sun reports on David Yassky's resolution in support of Russ Feingold's motion to censure the president.

And the Albany Times Union reports that former senate candidate Thomas Dadey Jr. of Syracuse is suing his former engineering firm.

—Nicole Brydson

The former Mayor of Yonkers, John Spencer, raised eyebrows in Republican circles earlier this month  read more »

There is an elephant in the room of New York politics. It is the issue of social class.  read more »

The, er, plainspoken Florida-based GOP media consultant Rick Wilson is blogging again, and in the course of agreeing with the theory that John Spencer is the opponent of Hillary’s dreams, he clears up the confusion that may affect some readers regarding KT McFarland’s spokesman, Bill O’Reilly.

That would be "PR-Genius-Bill-O’Reilly-Not-Loofah-Bill-O’Reilly."

The Post has a story about Tammy Duckworth, an Iraq vet turned democratic candidate, who won her Illinois primary, and the city council approves its $50.7 million operating budget. Newsday asks if Rudy Giuliani is back on the campaign trail.

And the Times reports on Hillary Clinton’s remarks regarding House and Senate immigration bills, and KT McFarland’s résumé may not be entirely accurate.

—Nicole Brydson

The Times has a political memo on Tom Suozzi.

Over at the Post, Fred Dicker reports on the recovering governor, and KT McFarland, it seems, did not vote for Reagan while she worked in his administration.

The Sun reports that Randy Daniels is trying to bridge the gap between Republicans and Conservatives.

—Nicole Brydson

The Post declares that KT McFarland is officially embattled, and Jeanine Pirro mixes up her geography. Newsday reports that Rudy Giuliani has been named to a panel "being asked to assess the political, military and rebuilding efforts in Iraq."

The Times says no agreement on the World Trade Center site means more bad news for George Pataki and Larry Silverstein.

And finally, the Albany Times Union reports that state senate Democrats have accused the Republican leadership of censoring their state funded mailings.

—Nicole Brydson

Fred Dicker reports over at the Post that a GOP endorsement for John Spencer is imminent, and KT McFarland has found herself at odds with state evangelical leaders.

The Post also reports that KT has skipped voting in 14 elections six out of the last 14 elections since she registered as a republican in 1991, and alternated registered addresses between her Park Avenue and Southampton homes.

The Times has a scorecard on Tom Suozzi's new campaign ad, and writes that Christine Quinn will not march is still having discussions with Irish and LGBT leaders, and is hopeful she will be able to march together with the LGBT community in the St. Patrick's Day parade.

And finally, the Albany Times Union reports that Congressman Sherwood Boehlert discussed his future with President Bush aboard Airforce One yesterday.

—Nicole Brydson

The NY1/Newsday poll shows Mike's approval rating is higher than ever, even though his ads haven't appeared in months. That same poll puts Rudy ahead of Hillary in the race to the White House. The Sun editorializes about another poll which shows the current guy in the White House is more popular than organized labor. The Times notes Hillary's current campaign strategy is reminiscent of the one George W used to get into the White House.

One person trying to stop Hillary, KT McFarland, considers a few rounds of golf with Rudy as a campaign expense, the Daily News discovers.

The paper also notes the state will face a $1.2 million-a-day delay, thanks to the New York Racing Association. That's almost as bad as the city's plan to buy $7.5 million's worth of disposable voting booths.

There is money to be saved, thanks to Bill Thompson's push for a tax rebate for seniors, which he spells out in a Daily News column.

Albany Times Union notes Joe Bruno says to find out how he'll spend this year's pork, go FOIL it.

Bruno does say he's likely to back a WFP-sponsored bill aimed at how Wal-Mart skirts health care costs, notes The Post. [link fixed]

--Azi Paybarah

So who's this woman running against?

KT McFarland couldn't bring herself to say a bad word about Hillary in her appearance last night on Hardball. Though she did seem to have her interview chops intact from the old days.

MCFARLAND: I would not vote for impeachment. I think that one of the problems that we have is this gotcha politics where people are constantly looking to divide, looking to conquer, looking to impeach.

People are even talking now about impeaching President Bush. It's crazy. We've gotten this adversarial political system where all we do is look and try to find what`s wrong.

MATTHEWS: To use a phrase I heard from Hillary Clinton, you're not part of the vast right wing conspiracy?

MCFARLAND: I`m not part of any conspiracy.

On the other hand, if you were raising your profile for a future congressional run, you might play nice. To borrow a phrase from the anti-Hillary book: Is KT ... Karl Rove's...worst nightmare?

After recovering from that Oscar shocker (Crash beat Brokeback!?), The Politicker has gone through the papers this morning as part of a new, regular feature and found other noteworthy stories.

State lawmakers take bigger campaign contributions than the president can and spend most of it on "other" expenses, The Times reports.

The Post has a busy busy day. First, Fred Dicker got the secret, a not-so-conservative memo from KT McFarland.

Then, they have an exclusive on why big contributions aren't needed at the City's Dept. of Environmental Protection, whose phones were tapped in the second probe of city-awarded contracts.

At another probe, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver may testify against Clarence Norman, notes Daily News.

The Sun rips into the new Senate candidate with a brutal headline: Reagan Aides Try to Remember KT McFarland. But not to be outdone, The Post finds a way to throw Geraldine Ferraro into a story about two murders, the mafia and porn. --Azi Paybarah

Manhattan Republicans, for the obvious reasons of culture and ideology, aren't thrilled with John Spencer's guerilla candidacy against Hillary Clinton.

Which may be one of the reasons that some think a pro-choice former Reagan Administration defense official from the Upper East Side would be, at least, easier to stomach against Clinton than the current presumptive Republican nominee.

The Times-Union reported Sunday that KT McFarland -- a deputy assistant secretary of defense for public affairs in the Reagan Administration (and at left in the picture)-- has been putting out feelers about the race. She's also already raised several hundred thousand dollars -- it was assumed for a run against Carolyn Maloney -- in federal campaign money.

The Politicker is told that she's being advised by old-time GOP guru Ed Rollins. It's hard to see exactly how she pulls it off at this point, but another advisor to McFarland, Manhattan GOP consultant William O'Reilly, had this to say:

"The question will be: Is there room in this Senate race for someone with KT McFarland's credentials? I think that answer has to be 'yes'. Considering the times we live in, KT's resume leaps from the stack."