Independent spending reveals closest State Senate races

 ALBANY — Some of Albany's biggest lobbyists and political action committees spent more than $1 million this week to influence several key Senate races, including those on Long Island, days before Tuesday’s elections that will determine control of the chamber. 

The biggest spending this week wasn't in campaign donations to candidates, but from lobbyists and political action committees making what they term to be "independent expenditures."  The legal spending has long been controversial because large sums can be spent to support and oppose candidates without counting against donation limits to candidates. The groups are supposed to act independently of candidates.

On Thursday and Friday, the group Fight For Our Future, associated with the New York State United Teachers union, reported spending more than $1.4 million on several Senate races, according to state Board of Elections records. Of that, $247,500 was spent on ads, mailers and other means against Sen. Carl Marcellino (R-Syosset), a former teacher, in his race against Democrat James Gaughran, chairman of the Suffolk County Water Authority.

The group reported spending another $210,000 in positive and negative ads in the fight for a vacant seat in the 50th District, near Syracuse. That race pits Republican Bob Antonacci, the Onondaga County comptroller, against Democrat John Mannion, a schoolteacher.

The New York State Realtors Fund reported spending $715,709 on mailings, online ads, phone banks, and campaign material  to benefit some key Republican senators, most of them on Long Island. The money was spent in the effort to elect Marcellino, Susan Serino (R-Hyde Park), Elaine Phillips (R-Flower Hill), Kemp Hannon (R-Garden City), Phil Boyle (R-Bay Shore), Betty Little (R-Glens Falls), and George Amedore (R-Rotterdam), state records showed Friday.

Democratic groups also weighed in. The Progress NYS political action committee, which funds Democrats, spent $142,682 to oppose Antonacci, Phillips, who is running against Democrat Anna Kaplan in the 7th Senate District, and Republican Annie Rabbitt in the 42nd District around Orange County against Democrat Jen Metzger.

Other big players in these closing days include: New Yorkers Together, which is associated with the Communications Workers of America union; Moving New York Families Forward, which includes Alice Walton of Arkansas, a Walmart heiress, who contributed $60,000 to the fund in January; Balance New York, which is funded by Republicans including Thomas McInerney of Westport, Connecticut, who runs an investment firm and contributed $50,000 to the Balance New York in July; and Stronger Neighborhoods PAC associated with the Airbnb lodging company, which lobbies the state, records show.

Records also show:

• Democrat Monica Martinez, a Suffolk County legislator from Brentwood, received $70,000 from the Democratic Senate campaign committee on Wednesday. That follows a $170,000 contribution from the committee on Oct. 23 in Martinez’s race against Republican Dean Murray, an East Patchogue assemblyman. She also will benefit from $120,000 spent on canvassing by a group called New York Women Lead and a $50,000 TV ad purchased by the group associated with Airbnb. On Oct. 23, Murray received $200,000 from the Republican Senate campaign committee.
• The Communications Workers of America group also came up big for Republican Jeff Pravato, the Massapequa Park mayor; who is running against Sen. John Brooks of Seaford. The CWA union spent $63,000 in mailers on Wednesday, independent expenditure records showed. The Senate Republican campaign committee had previously contributed $396,000 to Pravato. Brooks will benefit from a $50,000 TV ad purchased by the Airbnb-associated group, records show. However, another $75,000 in ads has been purchased by the Democratic group Balance New York  to oppose him.
• In the Syracuse-area race, Mannion received $100,000 from the state Democratic Senate campaign committee. Stronger Neighborhoods paid $54,000 for radio ads for Mannion. The Senate Democratic campaign committee gave Mannion $147,000 on Sept. 27. Mannion will also see some online ads opposing him because of a $150,000 advertising buy from Balance New York.

By Michael Gormley

michael.gormley@newsday.com@GormleyAlbany

Michael Gormley has worked for Newsday since 2013, covering state government, politics and issues. He has covered Albany since 2001.