Mr. Cuomo and women's-rights groups have begun a pressure campaign against a group of Republican senators to extract their support, including Phil Boyle of Long Island, Joseph Robach of the Rochester area, John Bonacic of Orange County and Mark Grisanti of the Buffalo area.

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George Maziarz, a Niagara County Republican at a Jan. 25 event in Buffalo.

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There are a number of contenders, including at least eight members of New York's delegation in the House of Representatives, New York State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown, Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrion, Nassau County Executive Thomas Suozzi, Caroline Kennedy, and her cousin, Robert Kennedy Jr.

CNN: Bill Clinton mentioned for wife's Senate seat