Bellone increases campaign funds advantage

Babylon Supervisor Steve Bellone raised more than $1 million since January, widening his already considerable fundraising advantage in his run for Suffolk County executive.

His latest campaign financing report, filed Friday, showed the Democrat with a $1.9 million war chest, six times as much as the $314,000 reported by his Republican opponent, Suffolk County Treasurer Angie Carpenter.

Carpenter, aided by $44,464 from former Republican County Executive Robert Gaffney, raised about $173,000 since January, according to her report.

Suffolk Democratic chairman Richard Schaffer said Friday that Bellone's contributors "demonstrate a wide range of grassroots support" moving toward a "crescendo on Election Day."

Bellone's list of supporters was topped by $41,250 given by the Suffolk Police Benevolent Association, the union representing county police officers, according to his filing.

Neither Gaffney nor PBA officials were available Friday night.

Suffolk GOP chairman John Jay LaValle said Carpenter raised a significant amount of money since entering the race late on March 28. "The momentum is building in her campaign," he said.

Meanwhile, St. James businessman Randy Altschuler reported he's gotten a quick start in his campaign for a rematch next year with Rep. Tim Bishop (D-Southampton), raising $256,754 from contributors since he declared he would run again May 25.

That's more than half the $440,000 he raised last year, when he mostly self-financed his campaign with $960,000 in loans. He still owes himself $500,000, but has $265,337 in the bank, he reported in his filing Friday.

Bishop, who squeaked by Altschuler last year, has set a fast pace himself, reporting he raised $358,939 in the last three months, giving him $755,698 in cash on hand.

In another GOP challenge, Hempstead attorney Frank Scaturro, who declared in February that he's running against Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-Mineola), reported raising $28,595 in the last quarter. Scaturro has $26,053 in cash on hand. McCarthy said she raised $308,121 and has $387,420 in the bank.

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) announced that she will file her campaign finance reports electronically from now on. All but a handful of senators still file on paper, delaying inspection of the records.

With another race looming next year -- this one for a full six-year term -- Gillibrand reported raising $2.9 million in the last quarter, and having $5.8 million in cash on hand.

Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-Roslyn Heights) said he raised $243,225 and has $614,956 in the bank, and Rep. Peter King (R-Seaford) collected $210,070 and has nearly $2 million in cash. And Rep. Steve Israel (D-Dix Hills) raised $398,279 and has $346,481 in the bank.