One final endorsement to report tonight in the GOP gubernatorial battle…sources confirm the Manhattan Republican Party voted tonight to throw its support to Rick Lazio.

The party accounts for one of the larger shares of the yet-unpledged weighted convention vote – 2.88 percent.

By CapCon’s tally, that puts Lazio at 53.33 – enough to block Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy from getting the 50-percent-plus-one that he needs to get a Wilson Pakula and run on the Republican line as a yet-unofficial member of the party.

That said, the GOP convention is still several days away (the vote on the governor’s race won’t be held until next Wednesday), which leaves plenty of room for jockeying and back room dealing.

The entry into the race of M. Myers Mermel last week is already shaking things up. It has been speculated that he switched his candidacy from LG to governor at the urging of state GOP Chairman Ed Cox in hopes of siphoning off support from Lazio.

But Mermel insisted to me during a “Capital Tonight” interview last week that wasn’t the case and he made the change on his own volition because he believes he’s a stronger contender than either Lazio or Levy.

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