Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone, who has no opponent yet for his fall re-election bid, has $1.4 million in campaign cash on hand, according to new state filings.
In Nassau, acting District Attorney Madeline Singas, a Democrat, has raised more than $400,000 for her expected campaign for a full four-year term, reports submitted late Thursday to the state Board of Elections show.
The reports cover periods from July 2014 through Jan. 15, or from late November, depending on whether the candidate ran for election last year.
Bellone, a Democrat seeking his second term, raised $555,960 and spent $69,224 between Nov. 29 and Jan. 11.
Suffolk Republican chairman John Jay LaValle said he is talking to potential candidates, and that he's not concerned about the size of Bellone's war chest.
"I'm not worried about money with Steve Bellone," LaValle said yesterday. "Money didn't save Tim Bishop, it's not going to save Steve Bellone." Then-State Sen. State Lee Zeldin (R-Shirley) defeated Bishop, a Southampton Democrat who had served six terms in the House of Representatives, in November despite Bishop's $1 million fundraising advantage.
Suffolk Democratic chairman Richard Schaffer said Bellone enters 2015 in a strong position. He noted that in 2011, Bellone had only $1 million on hand at this point.
"He's better off than he was four years ago," Schaffer said. "And he has a million-four more than the nonexistent Republican candidate."
In Nassau, the focus in November will be the race to replace former District Attorney Kathleen Rice, now a House member.
Singas, who served as Rice's chief deputy, raised $411,221 since setting up a fundraising committee in early December, the reports show.
Among her 475 donors were labor unions and members of the Greek-American community. Singas would be only be the second Greek-American in state history to be elected as a district attorney, her campaign said.
"I profoundly appreciate the outpouring of support I have received from friends and neighbors in every corner of Nassau County and New York," Singas said yesterday in a statement.
Nassau's Republican and Democratic leaders still are considering district attorney candidates from a field that includes town supervisors, state lawmakers and former state and federal prosecutors. Hempstead Supervisor Kate Murray, discussed as a potential GOP candidate for district attorney, reported raising no money for her town supervisor campaign account during the filing period. She has $364,533 on hand, which she could use in a DA's race.
Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano, who was re-elected in 2013, reported raising roughly $550,000 between mid-July and Jan. 15, a spokesman said. His report was not filed with the state as of last night. Mangano, a Republican, spent $250,000 during the period and has about $1 million on hand, his campaign said.