NEW YORK--A thinner-skinned Midwesterner might have been deterred by the famous T-shirts which read: "New York: You're not in Kansas anymore." But instead, Republican presidential candidate Sen. Robert J. Dole (R-Kan.) redoubled his efforts and easily won this state's primary yesterday.

Capping a stellar week in which he won 10 states on Tuesday, Dole essentially clinched the Republican nomination with his win in New York last night.

Speaking via satellite from Florida to supporters here at the Republican Party headquarters in Manhattan, Dole offered words of thanks and inspiration last night.

"This is an overwhelming statement about Republican unity," Dole said. "It's time to start the fight for November."

Dole won 53 percent of votes cast yesterday in the Empire State. Millionaire publisher Malcolm S. "Steve" Forbes garnered 30 percent and conservative commentator Patrick J. Buchanan captured a mere 14 percent.

Only Dole and Forbes appeared on statewide ballots, due to New York's arcane ballot access laws. Buchanan competed in two-thirds of the state's 31 congressional districts; but received little reward for his efforts.

Dole won at least 90 of the 93 New York ballots, bringing his total to 380. Forbes and Buchanan had 72 and 62 delegates respectively. Some 996 delegates are needed to clinch the party's nomination.

Sen. Alfonse D'Amato (R-N.Y.), who chairs the New York State Republican Committee, was instrumental in placing Dole on ballots statewide and spoke jubilantly last night before a crowd drunk with victory.

"It is safe to say that Sen. Dole has had an incredible sweep," D'Amato told the crowd of 500.

"New York has pushed him through and put him at the top of the heap. Our opponent now is Bill Clinton," said D'Amato, who asked the other candidates to withdraw from the race.

Denied access to ballots here, following in the wake of Dole's victory in Tuesday's Yankee Primary, former Tennessee Gov. Lamar Alexander and Sen. Richard G. Lugar (R-Ind.) dropped out of contention Wednesday.

But Forbes and Buchanan appear unlikely to stand aside and allow Dole to continue unchallenged.

Forbes, who received 30 percent here despite spending $2.5 million and receiving an endorsement from former New York senator Jack Kemp, vowed to stay in the race through the Mar. 26 California primary.

Stumping in Tennessee in preparation for next week's Super Tuesday primary, Buchanan labeled Dole a "waffler" and "the biggest taxer in the history of the Republican Party."

Buchanan predicted a bloody battle at the August GOP convention.

"We go to San Diego, we break the doors open to this party and we take it over," he said yesterday in Tennessee.

Exit polling data conducted by the Associated Press indicated that half of New York's Republican voters feel the 72-year-old senator does not have a concrete agenda holding together his candidacy.

But Dole supporters yesterday said in house ideological battles would fade away as the party focuses on Dole's leadership strengths and on overtaking the White House.

"Dole knows what to do about the future. He's already seen us through hard times," said Frederick Carter. "When Dole gets in office, nobody is going to mess around with him."

--Material from the Associated Press contributed to this story.