Democrats raise more than Republicans in races for open LI House seats, filings show

WASHINGTON — Democrats outraised Republicans in the money race over the past two months as they campaign to fill Long Island’s three open seats in the U.S. House in the Nov. 8 election, a review of new campaign finance filings found.

Democrat Bridget Fleming raised the most and spent the most in the open-seat races as she faces Republican Nicholas LaLota in the race to replace Rep. Lee Zeldin, now the Republican candidate for governor, in the 1st Congressional District largely in Suffolk County.

But in the only Long Island congressional race with an incumbent seeking reelection, Rep. Andrew Garbarino edged out his Democratic challenger Jackie Gordon in both raising and spending campaign money in the past two months.

Meanwhile, Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer, who is running to win a fifth term in the U.S. Senate, raised 10 times as much and spent 25 times as much as his Republican opponent, conservative political commentator Joe Pinion, their campaign finance filings show.

The period covered in the campaign finance filings submitted Oct. 15 stretches from Aug. 4 to Sept. 30.

The period includes the last three weeks of campaigning before New York’s Aug. 23 federal primary for the candidates who had competition for their party’s nomination.

The money race does not determine outcomes of elections, but winning it can help a politician go on to win the election.

It also serves as an indicator of candidates’ level of support among contributors, and their ability to get their message out with television, radio and digital ads as well as staff and other means.

Some party and interest groups have spent money independently for and against the Long Island congressional candidates — mostly in the 1st and 2nd Congressional districts — but more outside money has gone to other New York districts.

Here is a rundown of the filings submitted to the Federal Election Commission.

1st District

Fleming, a Suffolk County legislator making her second run for this House seat, faced no opponent in the primary, allowing her to focus on the election in November. She raised $796,525, spent $773,470 and had $385,014 in cash on hand.

GOP-backed LaLota, the chief of staff to the Suffolk County Legislature who defeated two rivals in the primary, reported raising $367,914 and spending $370,461. He had $267,874 in the bank at the end of September.

2nd District

Garbarino, who is seeking a second term after defeating two challengers from the right in a Republican-leaning district, raised $494,094 and spent $1 million in the last two months, mostly during the run-up to the primary. But he still has $749,483 in cash on hand.

Gordon, who is making her second bid for Congress in this district, collected $486,419 in contributions and spent $924,252. She had $137,884 in cash left over.

3rd District

Robert Zimmerman, a public relations executive and a Democratic National Committee member, reported raising $715,709 and spending $682,342 — much of it to win the Democratic nomination in a crowded field in a Democratic-leaning district to replace Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-Glen Cove), who unsuccessfully ran for New York governor. Zimmerman had $611,720 left over to spend.

Republican George Santos, a businessman who is making his second run for the seat, faced no primary. He reported $268,856 in contributions and $715,378 in expenditures, with $597,525 in cash on hand.

4th District

Laura Gillen, a former Hempstead Town supervisor, raised $503,635 and spent $363,456 as she emerged from a crowded field to win the Democratic nomination in a district the Cook Political Report, a nonpartisan elections newsletter, says is likely to have a Democratic winner. She has $310,711 in the bank.

Republican Anthony Desposito, a Hempstead Town councilman who also won a primary contest, raised $276,597, spent $586,086 and had $245,530 in the bank.

U.S. Senate

Schumer, the Senate majority leader, who always has been one of the top fundraisers in Congress, reported raising $1.3 million in the last quarter, spending $4 million and having $20.2 million in the bank.

Pinion, who ran for the New York State Assembly four years ago, raised $146,478, spent $164,094 and had $7,534 in cash.