It's already odd, and it's likely to get ugly.

In an election year when the White House is at stake, most political junkies in Central New York aren't talking about George Bush and John Kerry. More attention is being paid to state and congressional races, and to a surprisingly deep divide in the traditionally solid Republican circles in upstate counties.

Already this spring, a 20-year incumbent is scrambling to save her political career, and sitting state assemblyman has launched a bid for Congress and changed his mind to seek re-election.

In a rare revolt, the majority of county Republican party committee members in the 49th Senate District have withdrawn support for Nancy Larraine Hoffmann, a 10-term incumbent. Instead, they are backing Tom Dadey, a 35-year-old business and marketing executive who said he's more of a real Republican than Hoffmann.

On Thursday, Hoffman announced she will take on Dadey in a September primary. She describes the rebellion as a back-room political power play and suggests she may be a sacrificial lamb to tax payers angry and frustrated about high taxes, unfunded mandates and the lack of reform in Albany.

Dadey said Hoffmann should instead acquiesce to the party, admit defeat and let someone more in touch with constituents represent the district.

The Dadey-Hoffmann fight is the tip of the iceberg in Cayuga County, where there will be two more Republican primaries.

One will be a repeat between Rep. Sherwood Boehlert and Dr. David Walrath for the 24th Congressional seat the more moderate Boehlert holds and the self-described fiscally conservative Walrath wants. The former Cayuga County legislator nearly beat Boehlert, of New Hartford, in 2002's Republican primary, but then lost to him overwhelmingly in the November election.

Boehlert won, Walrath said, because he outspent him.

This time, Walrath says he's ready with more money, and a more organized campaign with national conservative backers. But so far, it's yet to get him county Republican endorsements. Cayuga County Republicans, who supported him in 2002, instead endorsed Boehlert.

Seneca County Republicans last week called the 2004 contest a draw. They chose to endorse neither man. Walrath still called it a victory.

And for weeks, Ontario County Republican Committee Chairman Rick Herman, and his counterpart in Cayuga County, Cherl Heary, were working out details for a convention to pick a Republican replacement to run for the 129th Assembly seat that was to be vacated by Brian Kolb, who was running for the 25th Congressional seat held by retiring Rep. Amy Houghton.

But on Wednesday, on what he said was Gov. George Pataki's request, Kolb gave up that race and re-entered on his own. One opponent, former Seneca County Sheriff Tom Fox, called Kolb a liar and said the real reason he gave up on Congress was he knew he would lose miserably. Kolb returned fire, saying Fox is so far out of the Albany loop that he has no idea what he's talking about.

The two other men in the contest, Geneva City Councilman Gary Baxter and Canandaigua municipal attorney Jay Dutcher, were also annoyed by Kolb's sudden change of heart. They said they would stick it out, at least through the committee process.

There will be no convention, Herman said. Seneca County Republicans have already endorsed Fox and didn't even consider the other men.

Kolb said there's no doubt he would primary to keep the seat, so that contest, too, will head to the ballot box.

Kolb's late change of heart has irked not only the other Republican candidates, but some committee members who previously had been strong Kolb supporters who say he should not take for granted the endorsement will be his.

Heary said there was talk about not even having committee meetings in the counties for the Assembly race and just going straight to a primary, but that wouldn't be fair to the candidates, all of whom have asked for an opportunity to address the committees. Dutcher and Baxter have been out in earnest, lobbying committee members, and now Kolb has begun his round of phone calls. Fox is also a presence.

Herman said things were changing on a minute-by-minute basis on Thursday, as he and Heary considered their options.

But since a primary is inevitable, that race, as well as the other two, create a problem for the rank and file Republican committee members. Heary said she has already heard from two people who have refused to carry petitions for already-endorsed candidates.

"There really is nothing in the bylaws that requires them to carry petitions for the endorsed candidates, but ethically, I think it's something that should be done," she said. "Otherwise, why have a committee?"

The Associated Press contributed to this story. Louise Hoffman Broach can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 238 or louise.hoffman@lee.net