He first pegs the bill at $10 million, then scales it back to half a million.
New York Republican gubernatorial candidate Carl Paladino nominates himself Wednesday during the New York State Republican Convention. He lost the GOP endorsement to Rick Lazio, but plans to gather enough signatures to force a primary.
New York — Carl Paladino, a Buffalo-area multimillionaire developer who lost the state Republicans' endorsement for governor to Rick Lazio Wednesday, now says he'll use his own money to force a primary.
Paladino first pledged to spend $10 million of his own money to collect enough petition signatures to force a Sept. 14 primary. He later estimated it would cost a more modest $500,000.
Wednesday, Paladino said one of his Republican opponents would clean up Albany with "a whisk broom. The other, maybe a mop. Me? I'll clean up Albany with a baseball bat," the Associated Press reported.
» Paladino to petition way onto governor's ballot [New York Post]
» Paladino moves forward with candidacy [The New York Times]
» Paladino: I’m petitioning and don’t ask me about my shoes [Capitol Confidential/Albany Times-Union]
In other GOP convention news:
Chautauqua County Executive Greg Edwards has been chosen to run as lieutenant governor
» Edwards is NY GOP choice for Lazio running mate [The Associated Press]
What of state GOP Chairman Ed Cox, who stuck his neck out to back Democrat Steve Levy?
» Cox: 'I am not going to resign' [New York Daily News]
» Lazio wins, Cox loses [LongIslandPress.com]