Bruce A. Blakeman, the presiding officer of the Nassau County Legislature, has been selected by state Republican leaders to challenge Democratic Comptroller H. Carl McCall in this November's election.

Though the race is seen by insiders as a "lamb led to slaughter" affair, Blakeman is reportedly so confident of his chances that he has privately told the editorial board of Newsday that when he wins, he'll appoint Legislator John J. Ciotti to be his successor as presiding officer.

Blakeman's selection was made official during a conference call between Senator Alfonse D'Amato, Governor George E. Pataki, and William D. Powers, the chairman of the state Republican party.

Though expected ¬ in recent weeks Blakeman's name has been widely bandied about for a spot on the state ticket, while the name of Nassau's chief lawmaker, County Executive Thomas S. Gulotta, began to recede ¬ the announcement still took some by surprise.

According to the Albany Times-Union newspaper, State Budget Director Robert King had been viewed as the frontrunner, but then abruptly took himself out of contention.

"He didn't have any money, and he didn't have any way of coming up with any," Nassau County Republican Chairman Joseph N. Mondello told the capitol region's principal newspaper, referring to King. "Bruce has had the ability to raise a few bucks. He's got family with money. I think his social calender is of money people."

Blakeman's ascension to the state ticket comes after only five years spent in public life. For the past two-and-a-half years, he has served as head of the county legislature.

Prior to that, he was a Hempstead Town Board member, where, he said in an interview with this newspaper two years ago, among his greatest accomplishments was a series of beautification projects undertaken around the township. As the presiding officer of the legislature, he's also had a mixed record.

While the body as a whole has distinguished itself by, among other things, tightly scrutinizing the budgets and expenditures that have come before it, it's presiding officer has routinely blundered.

One instance of that came at the legislature's swearing in for a second term last January. Two days before, County Executive Gulotta had laid out an extensive agenda for his own next term. But when it came time for Blakeman to establish a similar agenda, the only proposal he had was to rename a local roadway, the Seaford-Oyster Bay Expressway ¬ after former President Ronald Reagan.

When his fellow lawmakers and local residents complained, he switched to another road. Since that fell through, he's failed to find a home for the name.

Similar instances have occurred throughout Blakeman's tenure in the legislature. Shortly after they took office the first time, for instance, eyebrows were raised when the presiding officer purchased shields for the legislators' automobiles.

The expense was incurred, Blakeman said at the time, because legislators might have to gain access to emergency scenes and the like.

Then it was individual police department-like shields for the legislators, presumably for the same purpose. A few weeks later, the legislature began purchasing them for staff members.

According to the purchase order, filed with the department of general services on April 24, 1997, 15 staff members will be receiving the shields, which have a sunburst design and are embossed with a blue enamel Nassau County Seal. Around the perimeter of the shield are the words "Legislature ¬ County of Nassau."

Those receiving the new shields are the legislature's majority press secretary, the director of administration, the budget director, the finance director, the chief clerk, the deputy clerk, the senior counsel, and eight special assistants.

"Al D'Amato's absolute control of the Republican party is perfectly evident in his convincing Bruce Blakeman to accept the role of sacrificial lamb against the unbeatable Carl McCall," said Matthew J. Hiltzik, the press secretary for the state Democratic Party, in an interview with The New York Times.

In the same article, written by Adam Nagourney, Blakeman said such attacks show that the Democrats are really afraid of him.

"Their panic is encouraging," he told Nagourney.

Still, Blakeman's support even among those in his own party is questionable. Reportedly, the state party organization will refrain, even, from providing his campaign committee with any state funds.

Sources have told this newspaper that the party is conceding defeat in the McCall race in the fear that an aggressive campaign against the state's highest level African-American official, would energize his supporters and bring more minorities out to the polls to vote against the Republican Party.

Nassau's Mondello, however, says otherwise. In a second interview with the Albany Times-Union Newspaper, he assured editor John Caher that Blakeman "will campaign night and day."