Boyle holds funding edge in GOP sheriff primary in Suffolk

State Sen. Phil Boyle, the Republicans’ designated candidate for Suffolk County sheriff, had $113,953 in cash on hand heading into the final month before the Sept. 12 Republican primary, while challenger Larry Zacarese had $48,342, according to campaign finance reports.

Zacarese, assistant chief of the Stony Brook University Police Department, raised $21,391 in the past six weeks, while Boyle collected $2,850.

But Zacarese spent four times more: $55,414 to Boyle’s $12,058.

Zacarese spent $19,450 on signs and billboards, $11,500 for legal expenses and $2,860 on canvassers, his 32-day pre-primary report shows.

Boyle’s largest expenditures included nearly $7,000 for voter outreach with Trailblazer Campaign Services of Golden Valley, Minnesota.

In the Democratic primary in Suffolk’s Ninth Legislative District, Legis. Monica Martinez had $37,632 on hand 32 days before the primary, compared with $15,484 for challenger Angela Ramos.

The reports, which track contributions and expenditures through Aug. 7, show that Ramos raised $9,991, and spent $25,360. Martinez raised $1,600 and spent $7,686.

In the legislature’s 11th District GOP primary, Steve Flotteron, an Islip Town councilman, had $38,207 cash on hand compared with challenger Mike McElwee, who had $1,519.

The reports show Flotteron raised $14,440 to McElwee’s $4,345. Flotteron also outspent McElwee, a Bay Shore restaurant owner and son-in-law of Suffolk Legis. Tom Barraga (R-West Islip), $9,028 to $7,550.

In the legislature’s Fourth District GOP primary, challenger Frank Vetro’s pre-primary report showed he had raised $50, although he loaned his campaign $4,056. Vetro, principal of a school for troubled youth, did not show any spending on his report.

Gary Pollakusky, the designated GOP candidate in the race, had $29,161 cash on hand; $4,355 in contributions; an in-kind contribution of $1,027 from Pollakusky’s business, Travel Barrel LLC, and $4,873 in expenditures.