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With a big war chest, Levy's at a crossroads

Rick Brand

July 20, 2008

When Steve Levy first won his county legislature seat in 1985, he spent $5,000 and a lot of shoe leather walking the district.

And in his first county executive race four years ago, he funneled $86,000 in personal loans he, his mother and aunt made to his Assembly campaign into his county executive war chest to make it look like he was a viable fundraiser.

Now four years later, Levy, at the moment, is New York's top fundraiser - the $3.3-million man. He's ahead of both Gov. David A. Paterson and Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, whose stashes stand at just over $3 million; well in front of his Nassau counterpart, Thomas Suozzi, who has $1.6 million; and dwarfs Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, who has $103,000.

Helping Levy of course was last year's cross endorsement, which allowed him to pile up money without spending much. And to be fair, Paterson raised his entire $3 million in the past six months and has the capacity to raise a lot more. Similarly, Cuomo raised $2.1 million in the first half and Suozzi $1.2 million, far more than the $425,000 Levy put together. However, Levy this week will start soliciting for a $400-a-head Sept. 4 fundraiser, an event once held in December.

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While touting himself as a campaign finance reformer, Levy now takes thousands from county contractors without voluntary restrictions like Eliot Spitzer did during his short run as governor. Levy also is not following the footsteps of another reformer, the late Wisconsin reformer Sen. William Proxmire, who made a point of spending nothing on his past few campaigns.

Levy said he is not a millionaire like Spitzer and will not put limits on himself that could hurt him politically. "There is a schizophrenia about fundraising," he said. "Pundits criticize you for raising too much, but say you're weak or not viable if you don't."

Up to now the conventional wisdom on Levy is that his stance on immigration prevents him from moving up to statewide office within his own party's ranks because he is too conservative for most New York City Democrats.

The only time Levy could be viable in a statewide Democratic primary is in a large field of city candidates who split the urban vote. Levy's best shot, the reasoning goes, is running for a congressional seat if Rep. Steve Israel departs to join a new Democratic administration, or switching parties to run statewide as a Republican.

Levy himself downplays his aspirations, saying he loves his current job, but added "it never hurts to be ready" should an opening occur, noting it took 14 years before rising from the county legislature to the Assembly. He also said he does not see himself switching parties, but does not rule out taking a GOP endorsement.

But the county executive disagreed with critics who say his future is limited in Democratic ranks, recalling many said he was at a "dead end" as a legislator when he dissented on many 17-1 votes.

"I've not changed my positions for political expedience, but that's what catapulted me to higher office," he said. "People admire someone ... who stands up for what they believe and often that trumps that you don't agree with them 100 percent of the time."

While Levy is circumspect about his ambitions, others say his intentions are just as closely held. "Suozzi lets everyone know his plans, Levy is far more calculating, he constantly games things out," said Richard Schaffer, Suffolk Democratic chairman. "And he knows what's on people's minds. He's his own best pollster."

Even Republicans say that Levy should not be underestimated. "Levy's crossover appeal is best of any Democrat," said Rory Whelan, a GOP Albany operative. "It wasn't just that Republicans didn't have a candidate last year; they realized a lot of Republicans were supporting him."

THE ISSUE

Fundraising in N.Y.

THE PLAYER

Suffolk County

Executive Steve Levy

WHAT'S NEXT

How will Levy spend his large campaign war chest - for statewide office? A congressional seat?