Phillips takes fundraising lead in state Senate race

The Island Now

Elaine Phillips, the Republican candidate, has taken the fundraising lead over Democrat Adam Haber in the race to replace state Sen. Jack Martins in the 7th Senate District.
Phillips, the Flower Hill Village mayor, raised $575,135.06 during the filing period between July 11 and Oct. 8, which included a $400,000 transfer from the Senate Republican Campaign Committee, according to state Board of Elections campaign finance filings.
During the period, she spent $527,403.75 and has $119,381.96 on hand.
“The strong financial support Elaine has received from the community shows that her plans to lower taxes and stop Albany’s corruption are resonating with voters, and that they understand that electing Elaine Phillips will ensure political balance that’s essential to maintaining a strong voice for Long Island,” said Chris McKenna, a Phillips campaign spokesman.
“This is more proof that Elaine Phillips has already been bought by the corrupt Albany Republican machine built by Dean Skelos that has raised our taxes on Long Island for decades, sent our education funding to private NYC charter schools and are passionately supporting Donald Trump and his extremist agenda,” a Haber campaign spokesman, Jonathan Heppner, said of the SRCC’s $400,000 transfer. “This is a big eye opener for voters and why Adam Haber’s plans to lower taxes, advocate for our Long Island public schools and pass real ethics reforms make him the clear choice for state Senate.”
Haber, an East Hills businessman and Roslyn school board trustee, raised $447,101.41 during the filing period, which included a $327,500 loan from himself to the campaign.
In total, he spent $627,317.47 and has $52,438.12 on hand.
Heppner said the campaign was in a “really good place fundraising wise.”
“It certainly shows a lack of local support, but even more troubling, it’s further evidence that Adam Haber can’t be trusted to keep his word, because when he announced his candidacy, he said he wouldn’t use his personal fortune to pay for his campaign, as he had done in two previous failed attempts at public office,” McKenna said of Haber’s personal loan.
The 7th Senate District includes New Hyde Park, Port Washington, Manhasset, Floral Park, Mineola, the Willistons, Albertson, Westbury, Great Neck and parts of Hicksville.
In the race to replace outgoing Assemblywoman Michelle Schimel in the 16th District, Democrat Anthony D’Urso outraised his opponent, Republican Matt Varvaro, by about $24,000.
D’Urso, a former North Hempstead Town councilman, raised $32,840 during the filing period, which included a $10,000 loan to himself, and spent $15,432.17, according to state filings.
He currently has $31,313.10 on hand.
Varvaro, a first-time political candidate, raised $8,440.00, spent $5,083.63 and has $13,170.43 on hand.
The 16th Assembly District covers Great Neck, Manhasset, Port Washington, Herricks, Mineola and East Williston.
In the 13th Assembly District race, the incumbent, Charles Lavine, a Democrat, outraised his opponent, Republican Jeffrey Vitale, by almost $33,000.
Lavine raised $37,150 and spent $15,659.43, according to state filings.
He currently has $38,422.93 on hand.
Vitale, a grant writer for the Town of Oyster Bay, raised $4,550.00, spent $1,035.78 and has $3,514.22 on hand.
The 13th Assembly District covers Roslyn, Glen Cove, Jericho and Plainview as well as parts of Manhasset, Westbury, East Hills and Bayville.
In the 19th Assembly District, incumbent Assemblyman Ed Ra, a Republican, was outraised by his Democratic opponent, Gary Port.
Port, a divorce lawyer from West Hempstead, raised $1,100, but did not spend any money during the filing period.
He received a $1,000 contribution from former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley.
Port has $1,319.01 on hand.
Ra raised $340.85 and spent $15,982.13. He has $4,627.17 on hand.
The 19th Assembly District includes New Hyde Park, Mineola, the Willistons, Carle Place, Old Westbury and Glen Head.
Reach reporter Joe Nikic by e-mail at jnikic@theislandnow.com, by phone at 516.307.1045 x203. Also follow us on Twitter @joenikic and Facebook at facebook.com/theislandnow.

By Joe Nikic

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