Steve Stern gets $103,546 from Suffolk Democrats for Assembly race

Suffolk Democrats may still have $300,000 in unpaid debts from the last campaign, but the party has put $103,546 into the 10th Assembly District special election for former Suffolk Legis. Steve Stern.

According to the 32 day pre-election campaign finance filing, the party’s spending on Stern leaves it with just $1,550.76 left in its coffers. Suffolk Democrats amassed its debt with $300,000 in loans from a half dozen party activists for the winning last-minute sheriff campaign of Errol Toulon Jr.

County Democratic Chairman Richard Schaffer said the party has raised $40,000 since the filing. He said he expects to repay the debt with $400,000 he expects to raise at Monday’s spring dinner, headlined by state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli.

Stern himself has raised $32,925 for the contest and spent $25,000, leaving him with $7,925 cash on hand. Meanwhile, Republican Janet Smitelli, Stern’s opponent, has raised $19,425 and loaned her campaign $15,000. She has spent $10,631, leaving her with $23,793.

In the other Suffolk special Assembly election, Republican Doug Smith has raised $31,836, spent $10,190 and has $22,043 cash on hand. Democrat Deborah Slinkosky has raised $1,010, spent $315 and has $694 on hand.

In Nassau’s 16th Assembly District, Republican John K. Mikulin, a Hempstead deputy town attorney, has raised $24,504, spent $3,803 and has $20,700 cash on hand. The Nassau GOP Committee also spent $23,165 on Mikulin.

Democrat Matthew Mulin, who ran previously for Nassau County legislature, has reported no spending in the race.