Ramapo Town Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence has defeated his Democratic LG primary opponent, Bill Samuels, 185-125, here at the DRC straw poll in Niagara Falls.

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(That’s the unofficial tally, but I was just informed by St. Lawrence himself that he had landed 60 percent of the vote, which is cast by secret ballot).

UPDATE: Two-time LG candidate Charlie King, who isn’t running for anything this year, but is the new executive director of the state Democratic Party, got six votes. There were 10 blank ballots. Hornell Mayor Shawn Hogan, who was mulling a run in NY-29, but opted against it, got 20 votes.

“I’m humbled by the support of the DRC; I look forward to working on the concerns across the state of New York to create jobs, to create opportunities and to protect the working families and farmers across the state,” St Lawrence said.

During his official pitch to DRC members, St Lawrence played up the fact that he is an elected official who understands that the “rubber hits the road” at the local level, although his home county, Rockland, is considerably more populous than the 47 rural counties represented here.

Samuels focused primarily on his effort to reform the state Senate, noting he has pledged to raise $250,000 to oust scandal-scarred Senate Majority Leader Pedro Espada Jr. from office.

Samuels noted he had been a part of the successful effort to flip the Senate into Democratic hands in 2008 (he served as finance chairman for the DSCC), but added “we screwed it up” by letting Espada and expelled ex-Sen. Hiram Monserrate return to the conference after last summer’s coup.

“When we took Espada and Monserrate back it was a major mistake,” Samuels said, sparking applause in the Crowne Plaza ballroom.

“We lost the high ground. If we didn’t take then back we would sweep in 2010 – a reapportionment year – we are in danger of losing the state Senate.”

Samuels also highlighted his connection to AG Andrew Cuomo, noted that his father, Howard Samuels, had tapped Cuomo’s father, Mario Cuomo, to be his running mate during his unsuccessful run for governor in 1974.

Samuels said his aim is to make Andrew Cuomo “a governor of historic proportions,” adding: “I don’t think he can do it alone.”

Samuels has said he will primary whoever Cuomo chooses as his running mate if it’s not himself. St. Lawrence has made it clear he’ll do no such thing, but hopes the AG will pick him.

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