GOP, Democrats targeting campaign money to state legislative races on LI

With four weeks to go, Democrats and Republicans are channeling money into key state legislative races on Long Island, records show.

Senate Democrats are pumping money into races to help challengers oust two incumbent Republicans, Sens. Jack Martins (R-Mineola) and Anthony Palumbo (R-New Suffolk).

In the state Assembly, Democrats and Republicans are pouring money into races featuring two incumbent Republicans, an incumbent Democrat and two open seats.

Though they take a back seat to the presidential and congressional elections this year, the fight for New York’s 213 state legislative seats will shape the agenda in Albany.

Democrats hold a 2-1 advantage in the State Senate and Assembly and control of the houses won’t be up for grabs. But a few seats here and there could determine how large the majority is and whether Democrats would have the power, though they may never need it, to override a veto by Democrat Gov. Kathy Hochul.

Senate races typically attract more campaign money and it is no exception this year.

On Long Island, the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee has spent $328,000 on behalf of Sarah Anker, who is taking on Palumbo in a district that covers the east end of the Island. Separately, the committee also transferred $36,000 to her campaign committee, according to records filed with the state Board of Elections this week.

Though candidates have individual campaign committees, centralized committees such as the DSCC often channel bigger volumes of money into the races than candidates alone.

Anker is a former Suffolk County legislator and works as assistant commissioner at the county board of elections.

Palumbo is in his fourth year in the Senate after serving seven in the Assembly. He won fairly easily in 2022 with 55% of the vote but in 2020 – a presidential election year which tends to help down-ballot Dems in New York – Palumbo won with 51%.

The filing of the Senate Republican Campaign Committee had yet to be posted Monday.

In the 7th Senate District in Nassau County, Senate Democrats have spent $204,000 on behalf of Kim Keiserman – a first-time candidate from Port Washington and Martins’ challenger – while also transferring $176,000 to her campaign account.

“The parties seem to be putting their money where it can make the most difference,” said Lawrence Levy, dean of suburban studies at Hofstra University. “Anker versus Palumbo and Keiserman versus Martins are potentially the closest races in the Senate” on Long Island.

In the Assembly, records show each party sending money to essentially the same contests on the Island:

• Another rematch of Assemb. Brian Curran (R-Lynbrook) and Democrat Judy Griffin of Rockville Centre in a western Nassau district. Dems have spent $190,000 on Griffin’s behalf while also transferring $157,000 to her. Republicans are expected to spend to defend Curran, but have yet to report expenditures. Griffin ousted Curran in 2018, but he returned the favor in 2022.
• Assemb. Gina Sillitti (D-Manorhaven) vs. Republican Daniel Norber. Though Democrats have held the district, in northwest Nassau, for some time, it has been competitive – Sillitti won in 2022 with 52% of the vote. "Sillitti should have the edge as the incumbent in an Assembly district that is Democratic in enrollment,”  Levy said. “Griffin versus Curran – both of whom have had that seat – is shaping up to be a classic nail-biter."
• Out east in Suffolk where Assemb. Fred Thiele (D-Sag Harbor) is retiring,  Republicans have spent $27,000 on behalf of Stephen Kiely of Mattituck in a bid to flip the district. Democrats did not report spending money on behalf of their candidate, Thomas Schiavoni, a Southampton town councilman.
• In southwest Suffolk where Assemb. Kimberly Jean-Pierre (D-Wheatley Heights) is not running for reelection, Democrats have spent $88,000 on behalf of Kwani O'Pharrow. Republicans have yet to report spending for their candidate, Joseph Cardinale of Amityville.
•  In the 4th District in Suffolk, which runs roughly from Port Jefferson to Coram, Democrats have spent $61,000 on behalf of Rebecca Kassay. Republicans have spent $16,000 for incumbent Assemb. Ed Flood (R-Port Jefferson). Flood won the seat in 2022, but this year's race could be impacted by Flood’s recent disbarment as an attorney.

By Yancey Roy

yancey.roy@newsday.com@yanceyroy