In battles for state Legislature districts that include Cayuga County, incumbents are overwhelmingly winning the fundraising game.
The latest campaign finance reports filed with the state Board of Elections revealed large disparities in fundraising levels in each of the four contested races.
The biggest gap between opponents is in the 54th state Senate District, where incumbent Repubican Sen. Michael Nozzolio's campaign has reported a closing balance of $514,243 as of Friday. His Democratic challenger, Paloma Capanna, has $25,068. In the period since the July campaign disclosure report, Nozzolio has raised $155,620 and spent $206,813. Capanna reported $10,013 in receipts and $12,126 in expenses.
In the other local Senate race, the battle for the 49th state Senate District, Democratic incumbent David Valesky has $165,481 compared with $35,894 for his Republican opponent, James DiStefano. Valesky received $46,827 and spent $73,016, including a $50,000 transfer out to the state Democratic Senate Campaign Committee. DiStefano raised $14,194 and spent $9,963.
Republican state Assemblyman Gary Finch has the smallest campaign warchest of the local incumbents at $10,625, but that's still a considerable advantage over his challenger for the state Assembly's 123rd District. Democrat Barbara Abbott King has a $97.25 balance in her campaign. She received $4,089 during the latest reporting period, but that included $2,764 in personal loans from herself to the campaign. She spent $4,707. Finch received $28,612 and spent $16,568.
Republican state Assemblyman Brian Kolb has $77,240 in his campaign for re-election in the 129th state Assembly District. His opponent, Noah Sargent, has $4,241. Kolb reported receipts of $51,310 during the recent filing period and expenses of $25,688. Sargent raised $2,185 and spent $2,843.
The biggest gap between opponents is in the 54th state Senate District, where incumbent Repubican Sen. Michael Nozzolio's campaign has reported a closing balance of $514,243 as of Friday. His Democratic challenger, Paloma Capanna, has $25,068. In the period since the July campaign disclosure report, Nozzolio has raised $155,620 and spent $206,813. Capanna reported $10,013 in receipts and $12,126 in expenses.
In the other local Senate race, the battle for the 49th state Senate District, Democratic incumbent David Valesky has $165,481 compared with $35,894 for his Republican opponent, James DiStefano. Valesky received $46,827 and spent $73,016, including a $50,000 transfer out to the state Democratic Senate Campaign Committee. DiStefano raised $14,194 and spent $9,963.
Republican state Assemblyman Gary Finch has the smallest campaign warchest of the local incumbents at $10,625, but that's still a considerable advantage over his challenger for the state Assembly's 123rd District. Democrat Barbara Abbott King has a $97.25 balance in her campaign. She received $4,089 during the latest reporting period, but that included $2,764 in personal loans from herself to the campaign. She spent $4,707. Finch received $28,612 and spent $16,568.
Republican state Assemblyman Brian Kolb has $77,240 in his campaign for re-election in the 129th state Assembly District. His opponent, Noah Sargent, has $4,241. Kolb reported receipts of $51,310 during the recent filing period and expenses of $25,688. Sargent raised $2,185 and spent $2,843.
