Former NYPD Detective Mike Sapraicone is the state Republican Party's designated candidate to run against Democratic U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand this fall. About 85% of state Republican delegates backed him at the nominating convention in Binghmaton on Thursday. Also, bringing high-speed rail to New York has been a goal for some state lawmakers for years and now one feels that the state should act sooner rather than later.