State GOP spokesman Alex Carey confirms Orange County Executive Ed Diana is indeed “gearing up” to run against Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, which would make him the fourth Republican to launch a campaign to try to unseat the appointed junior senator this fall.

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Carey said Diana has spoken to state GOP Chairman Ed Cox in the last week and was “encouraged” by chairman to throw his hat into the ring.

“I don’t think he’s made a final decision, but it certainly sounds like he’s gearing up to run, yes,” Carey told me. “It sounds like he’s leaning toward it and will make a decision in the very near future.”

According to a report just posted on-line by the City Hall newspaper, the “very near future” will be by the end of this week.

Already in the race: Former Port Authority board member Bruce Blakeman, former Rep. Joe DioGuardi, and economist David Malpass.

Diana has stepped up his public statements of late, including an out-of-the-blue press release in response to the “Spitzer-Cuomo” fued that recently erupted on the front page of the New York Times.

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