Rep. George Santos the only Long Island congressman without a fundraising edge

WASHINGTON — Three Democrats find themselves in a fundraising race in the seat held by indicted Republican Rep. George Santos, while his fellow Long Island congressmen continued to build their war chests with help from other politicians and political action committees, according to campaign finance reports filed with the Federal Election Commission.

Those are among the highlights of congressional fundraising reports for the three-month period of April through June this year, which falls early in the two-year campaign cycle, with a New York primary on June 25, 2024, and a general election on Nov. 5, 2024.

The reports show the precarious position of Santos (R-Nassau/Queens), who faces a 13-count indictment alleging he ripped off political donors while running for Congress, fraudulently received unemployment benefits authorized under the COVID-19 emergency and lied on his congressional financial disclosure forms. Santos has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Most of the funds raised by Santos' Democratic challengers in the Third District come from individuals, which is common for candidates who are not in office and seeking the party’s nomination.

Former two-term state Sen. Anna Kaplan of Great Neck, campaign fundraiser and The Next 50 co-founder Zak Malamed of Great Neck and Nassau County Legis. Josh Lafazan (D-Woodbury) have taken an early fundraising lead in the pack of seven Democrats in the race.

Kaplan reported raising $455,061 — including her $190,000 loan to her campaign — and had $389,840 in cash on hand. Malamed said he raised $417,946 and had $322,102 in the bank. Lafazan’s filing shows he raised $202,290 and had $381,613 in cash.

Republican Kellen Curry, a military veteran who worked in finance, reported raising $200,725 and having $164,881 in the bank.

In an amended filing Friday evening, Santos said his Devolder-Santos for Congress campaign committee raised $162,032 in the second quarter of 2023, instead of $133,079 as he first reported. The form also clarified that the $85,000 he paid himself was for a personal loan he made to the campaign.

His challengers in the money race aim not only to win next year’s primary election but also to show party leaders they could successfully compete in a special election if Santos resigns or the House forces him out and the parties choose the Democrat and Republican candidates.

Nassau Republicans have called for Santos' resignation, and GOP House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said he will back another Republican in 2024.

And Jay Jacobs, chairman of the Nassau County and New York State Democratic committees, said: “There's just a great appetite among Democrats and independents who are anxious to see somebody throw out George Santos and take that seat."

Meanwhile, the other Republicans representing Long Island — first-term Reps. Nick LaLota of Amityville and Anthony D’Esposito of Island Park and second-term Rep. Andrew Garbarino of Bayport — all reported having more than $800,000 in cash on hand at the end of June.

Ed Cox, chairman of the New York State Republican Committee, said the three face a tougher challenge in 2024 because they will not benefit from the red wave created by the gubernatorial run of former Republican Rep. Lee Zeldin of Shirley.

“They are running hard and they have to run hard, because a presidential year is going to be different than a year when Zeldin, who is from Long Island, did very well on Long Island at the top of the ticket,” Cox said.

In the First District, LaLota raised $447,555 — about 38% of that from politicians’ committees and PACs — and had $819,444 in cash. No other candidate reported raising money.

In the Second District, Garbarino said he raised $616,823 and increased his cash on hand to $992,872. Nearly 40% of it came from politicians and PACs. Democrat Rob Lubin, a small-business owner from Amityville, reported he had $349,742 in contributions — almost all from individuals — and had $331,813 in the bank.

In the Fourth District, D’Esposito said he raised $592,453, down from his first quarter of $674,521, but enough to allow him to stow $931,456 in the bank for what he acknowledges could be a tough reelection bid in a Democratic-leaning district. Nearly 36% of D’Esposito’s funds come from politicians’ committees and PACS.

Of the five Democrats who have filed to run in the Fourth District race, only two reported raising any funds — Sarah Hughes, who won an Olympic Gold Medal in figure skating in 2002, and former Town of Hempstead Supervisor Laura Gillen, who lost to D’Esposito in the 2022 election.

Hughes reported raising $108,751 and having $104,961 in cash on hand. Gillen said she raised $373,336 and had $340,031 in the bank.

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), who is running for reelection next year, reported that she raised $826,138 and has nearly $7.5 million in cash on hand.

Gillibrand’s closest rival is independent candidate Diane Sare of Sloatsburg, who raised $84,415. Last year, Sare unsuccessfully ran as a LaRouche candidate against Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.).