Thomas Suozzi, Adam Haber slow fundraising pace

The two Democratic candidates for Nassau County executive have slowed their fundraising pace while increasing their campaign spending as the race enters its final days, according to state Board of Elections filings released Friday.

Thomas Suozzi, a former two-term county executive, raised nearly $168,000 while businessman Adam Haber, his primary opponent, brought in more than $8,300, data show.

The filings, which cover Aug. 6-26, are the last financial disclosure reports before the Sept. 10 Democratic primary.

Suozzi raised $167,836 during the recent 20-day period, including more than $88,000 from individual contributors. They include $5,000 from former Suffolk County Executive Patrick Halpin; $500 from Legis. Judy Jacobs (D-Woodbury), and $201 from Connie Lassandro, Suozzi's former housing director.

"Tom Suozzi continues to gather immense grassroots support for his campaign, showing that Nassau's voters are eager for his vision to restore fiscal stability to our county government," said campaign manager Danny Kazin.

Suozzi also received nearly $80,000 from corporations and labor unions, including $1,000 from the Nassau Community College Federation of Teachers.

Suozzi's campaign spent nearly $560,000, mostly on media consultants, polling and mailings. He now has $1.63 million in cash on hand.

Haber, a former Wall Street trader and Roslyn school board member who is largely financing his own campaign, brought in $8,351, mostly from individual contributors, the filing shows. Haber's campaign also received $500 from the Haitian American Political Action Committee of New York.

His campaign spent nearly $368,000, primarily on political consultants and television ads, the filing shows.

Haber has $1.68 million in cash on hand, down from the $2.42 million earlier this month.

"The campaign is running on all cylinders taking Adam's message of changing the status quo directly to voters," said campaign spokesman Galen Alexander.

Republican County Executive Edward Mangano, who is not facing a primary challenger, was not required to file a financial disclosure form this month.

In Suffolk County's Republican primary for district attorney, challenger Ray Perini, a Huntington criminal lawyer, narrowly outraised incumbent Thomas Spota during the last period, $26,200 to $24,424.

Seeking his fourth four-year term, Spota, a Democrat who has the backing of the county's Republican Party, spent $5,846 in the filing period -- a fraction of the $36,736 spent by Perini, half of which was used for television ads. But as the Sept. 10 primary draws closer, Spota retains a huge advantage in cash on hand: $680,671 to Perini's $115,943.

With Paul LaRocco