Millions pour into State Senate races in crucial election

Tens of thousands of dollars have recently poured into individual State Senate contests, including one in Suffolk County, as Democrats and Republicans vie for control of the chamber and a say in New York's power structure for the next 10 years.

Since Oct. 19, Democratic candidates as a group have received $2.1 million in large donations while Republicans collected $1.7 million, records show. The Democratic Senate Campaign Committee (DSCC) also got $1.7 million and the Senate Republican Campaign Committee (SRCC), $658,488 during the period.

Of the 62 races, much of the cash is going to a handful. They include Suffolk's 3rd Senate district, where incumbent Democrat Brian X. Foley faces a strong challenge from Republican Lee Zeldin, and contests in the Hudson Valley, North Country and Buffalo.

Senators are elected every two years, but experts said the stakes in tomorrow's vote are extraordinarily high because whoever controls the State Legislature in January will redraw legislative district boundaries for the next decade. With no chance of winning the Assembly majority, the GOP must regain the Senate majority it lost in 2008 to avoid being shut out of the process.

"It really matters which party is in control, and right now Democrats control both houses," said Blair Horner of the New York Public Interest Research Group, which studies campaign finance. "The party in power will draw the district boundaries to benefit themselves, not the other party."

Horner and others said redistricting is key for Republicans because they are outnumbered by Democrats, 5-3, in voter registrations.

In the Suffolk race, Foley has received $81,000 in contributions of $1,000 or more since Oct. 19, primarily from Sen. Thomas Duane (D-Manhattan) and former Brookhaven Democratic chief Marsha Laufer and her husband, Henry. Foley, of Blue Point, was Brookhaven Town supervisor until last year.

Of Zeldin's haul of $133,700, more than $70,000 came from the SRCC. Zeldin, of Shirley, is a lawyer and Army reservist.

The SRCC and its Democratic counterpart have also invested heavily in the North Country race between incumbent Darrel Aubertine, a dairy farmer, and Republican Patricia Ritchie, the St. Lawrence County clerk. The candidates are nearly tied in terms of big-money donations, each collecting more than $440,000 in the 13-day period.

The committees also are sending money and volunteers to the Hudson Valley, where two seats long held by Republicans are now open.

The fiercest battle is between Republican Greg Ball and Democrat Michael Kaplowitz. Ball, an assemblyman, raised $68,400 in large contributions, while Kaplowitz, a Westchester County legislator, got $115,612.

In the Buffalo suburbs, two newcomers are vying for the seat now held by Democrat William Stachowski. He lost the primary to Democrat Timothy Kennedy, an Erie County legislator, but still has two minor-party lines on tomorrow's ballot.

Republicans hope to pick up the seat with Assemblyman Jack Quinn III, who received $292,560 in last-minute cash, including $100,000 from SRCC. Kennedy collected $152,900, including $90,000 from the DSCC.

With Democrats holding a 32-29 edge over Republicans in the Senate, party spokesmen said only a few seats were likely to change hands, though they disagreed on which ones.

"We're optimistic we will retain and expand our majority," said Austin Shafran for the Democrats. "We are spending everything we've raised and more to win. . . . Money does no good for you in the bank."

Scott Reif for the Republicans said, "We think people recognize that they would be better off with a Republican Senate; that taxes would be cut and jobs created. One-party rule hasn't worked."

Campaign expenditures for Senate candidates as a group and their supporters totaled $63.7 million from January through Oct. 18, with Democrats outspending Republicans by $7.6 million, according to a NYPIRG analysis.

Experts said a lot of the last-minute money would go for television commercials and get-out-the-vote operations, which include telephone calls to voters and taking them to the polls.

Horner said, "It's show time. . . . Candidates are pouring every available ounce of energy and penny of money into their campaigns."

State senate cash race

With control of the State Senate hinging on a few seats, Democrats and Republicans are receiving an influx of last-minute campaign contributions from big donors.

Races to Watch

SUFFOLK (Islip and Brookhaven towns)

Democrat incumbent Brian X. Foley: $81,000

Republican Lee Zeldin: $133,700*

QUEENS

Democrat incumbent Joseph Addabbo: $26,000

Republican Anthony Como: $154,600*

HUDSON VALLEY (open seat for Putnam County and portions of Westchester and Dutchess counties)

Republican Greg Ball: $68,400

Democrat Michael Kaplowitz: $115,612*

NORTH COUNTRY

Democrat incumbent Darrel Aubertine: $476,500*

Republican Patricia Ritchie: $441,900*

BUFFALO SUBURBS

Independence/Working Families incumbent William Stachowski: $0

Democrat Timothy Kennedy: $152,900*

Republican Jack Quinn III: $292,560*

Totals:

All Democratic Senate Candidates: $2.1 million

All Republican Senate Candidates: $1.7 million

Democratic Senate Campaign Committee: $1.7 million

Senate Republican Campaign Committee: $658,488

Note: Figures are based on donations of $1,000 or more received from Oct. 19 through 5 p.m. yesterday; *include money from a political party’s Senate campaign committee.

Compiled by James T. Madore

SOURCE: NYS Board of Elections