By Rebecca Henely, Howard Koplowitz and Connor Adams Sheets
While nobody knows for certain who will win the 2010 elections, the western Queens races for state Senate are marked by clear leads of the incumbents over their challengers when it comes to raising and spending money.
State Sen. Jose Peralta (D-Jackson Heights) has received contributions for his Senate campaign totaling $599,231.68 since Jan. 1, but this sum reflects the current election cycle and the special election in March, when the seat needed to be filled after Hiram Monserrate was ousted in February for charges related to assaulting his girlfriend. Peralta has spent $582,221.32, leaving him with $17,010.36, according to campaign finance records.
Peralta’s opponent, Republican Jackson Heights lawyer Richard La Salle, has raised a significantly smaller sum of $17,398.49. His expenditures have been $13,069.06, leaving him with $4,329.40, according to campaign finance records.
State Sen. Joseph Addabbo (D-Howard Beach) has a wide fund-raising lead over Republican Anthony Como in his bid to win re-election in the 15th Senate District, according to campaign finance records.
The district covers Ridgewood, Maspeth, Middle Village, Howard Beach, Richmond Hill, Ozone Park and South Ozone Park.
Addabbo has raised $126,355 this year while Como, a former City Councilman and protege of former Sen. Serphin Maltese, has raised $17,657.
Addabbo defeated Maltese in 2008 in what was one of the most closely watched races in the state as the Democrats took control of the Senate for the first time in nearly 50 years.
Addabbo has spent more than $70,000 on his re-election campaign so far and Como has spent more than $13,000.
Another western Queens Senate race that promises fireworks is the four-way battle for the 16th District seat held by state Sen. Toby Stavisky (D-Whitestone) since 1999. The first Queens woman to become a state senator and the first female head of the Senate Higher Education Committee, Stavisky has had a lock on the seat for a decade.
Her campaign had $128,558 at the beginning of the six-month campaign disclosure period, according to state campaign finance records, and raised $134,260. Her campaign spent $10,931, leaving her with $251,887.
But Isaac Sasson, a retired engineer-cum-lottery winner and philanthropist, has promised he will spend however much of his Lotto millions it takes to secure the Democratic nomination. He has not raised any funds so far for this election, but has spent $146,693, leaving his campaign coffer that amount in the red, according to state campaign finance records.
The other challenger in the 16th District Democratic primary is John Messer, a lawyer who recently became involved in politics.
He has raised $172,907 and spent $115,295, leaving him with $57,612, according to state campaign finance records.
Whoever wins the Democratic seat will likely face off against Republican Robert Schwartz, a dairy executive who ran for the Stavisky’s office in 2008. He has raised $1,300 for his campaign and spent $1,136, leaving him with $164, state campaign finance records show.
Reach reporter Rebecca Henely by e-mail at rhenely@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4564.
