Original sentence: A turning point in the race was a televised debate where Lazio's behavior towards Clinton was perceived as too agressive.According to exit polls conducted in the race, more than two-thirds of the voters dismissed the "carpetbagging" issue as unimportant.Clinton began her campaign by visiting every county in the state, in a "listening tour" of small-group settings.Clinton won on November 7, with 53% of the vote to Lazio's 43%.It was the same as fellow New York senator Charles Schumer's winning margin over incumbent Republican Al D'Amato in the hotly contested 1998 race (but much less than Schumer would win reelection by in 2004), and less than some of Moynihan's margins, but by definition better than those of the multiple Democratic candidates who had previously lost to D'Amato and to Republican governor George Pataki in the preceding years.She spent considerable time in traditionally Republican upstate regions.The contest drew considerable national attention and both candidates were well-funded.This was less than Gore's margin over Bush of 60% to 35% in the state Presidential contest.While she was initially expected to face New York City's Mayor Rudy Giuliani, he withdrew after being diagnosed with prostate cancer (difficulties in his personal life at the time may have also contributed)
Edited sentence: Clinton won on November 7, with 53% of the vote to Lazio's 43% - compared to Gore's margin over Bush of 60% to 35% in the state.In any case, the issue of carpetbagging was not sufficiently important to New York voters to stop Clinton being elected to the Senate.While she was initially expected to face New York City's Mayor Rudy Giuliani, he withdrew after being diagnosed with prostate cancer