James Gaughran has raised far more money over the past six months than Sen. Carl Marcellino, in a Long Island Senate rematch that could prove key to which party controls the chamber.
Gaughran, the Suffolk County Water Authority chairman, will report Monday that he has raised $166,000 since January, according to Democratic officials. Marcellino (R-Syosset) reported raising $72,000 over the same time period. Gaughran, who narrowly lost to Marcellino in 2016, has $129,000 on hand in his campaign, compared to $111,000 for the incumbent.
Monday was the deadline for legislative and statewide candidates to file campaign-finance reports with the state Board of Elections.
Among statewide candidates, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo had yet to file his report by late Monday afternoon. A campaign source said the incumbent would report having $31 million in his campaign account.
Cynthia Nixon, Cuomo’s rival for the Democratic nomination, will report raising $1.6 million since entering the race in March, her campaign spokeswoman said, though she didn’t say how much the former star of “Sex and The City” has on hand.
Republican Marc Molinaro, the Dutchess County executive, was expected to report raising about $1 million.
Gaughran was one of several Democrats seeking a Long Island Senate seat to file strong fundraising totals just five months before Election Day. Senate Republicans countered that they have more money in their centralized party campaign accounts ($1.9 million compared to Democrats’ $1.3 million) and in the account ($1.4 million) controlled by Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan (R-East Northport).
Republicans currently hold a 32-31 advantage in the Senate and have traditionally raised more money than their adversaries.
Democrats, though, have closed the gap in this election cycle and some Democratic Senate candidates on Long Island are raising money at a better pace than in previous campaigns.
Sen. John Brooks (D-Seaford) raised $125,000 and now has $182,000 in his campaign coffers. He had less than $5,000 on hand at this point in the 2016 election cycle.
His Republican foe, Massapequa Park Mayor Jeff Pravato, hadn’t reported fundraising totals as of late Monday afternoon.
Sen. Todd Kaminsky (D-Long Beach) reported raising $428,000 and now has $758,000 on hand — a large amount for a state senator in the political minority and more than twice what he had at this point in 2016. Republican candidate Francis X. Becker didn’t report totals as of late Monday afternoon.
In a key Nassau County race, Sen. Elaine Phillips (R-Flower Hill) is set to report having $330,000 on hand, a Republican source said. Her Democratic opponent, Anna Kaplan, reported raising $156,000 and has $145,000 left on hand.