There are many ways to evaluate a candidate and his or her opportunities to be elected. Things like public identity, their stand on issues, the relevance of their party endorsements, campaign staff, and the resources they have available to run the campaign all play a part. Ability to raise funds, how they spend their money, and how much cash-on-hand they have is critically important in an age where earned media is hard to come by and a candidate must buy mailers and electronic media spots.
All candidates in New York State who have campaign committees established with the state Board of Elections are required to file at least two financial reports each year, one on January 15th and the other on July 15th. Candidates for office in 2026 are required to file additional reports before and after the primary and general elections.
Following are some highlights from the latest filings (R = raised; S = spent; C = cash-on-hand). The information is as of January 11th.
State Senate District 61 Special Election
The election will take place in two weeks, on February 3rd. Early voting begins on Saturday, January 24th and runs through February 1st. The candidates are Democrat Jeremy Zellner and Republican-Conservative Dan Gagliardo. Assemblyman Jon Rivera has announced that he will be a candidate in the June Democratic primary. The financials:
Zellner – Raised $297,194, including $236,000 transferred from the Zellner for County Chairman Committee; spent $63,829; cash-on-hand $233,366
Gagliardo – R $22,590; S $3,140; C $19,450
Rivera – R $34,200; S $20,928; C $35,067
Governor
Governor Kathy Hochul is running for a second full term. She will be challenged by Lt. Governor Antonio Delgado in the Democratic primary. The Republican candidate is Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman. Elise Stefanik was a Republican candidate for the office for about five weeks.
Hochul – R $5,556,502; S $2,866,905; C $20,178,331
Delgado – R $1,229,898; S $1,403,031; C $1,125,778
Blakeman – R $1,461,011, including transfers of $1,200,000 from his County Executive campaign account and the Nassau County Republican Committee; S $242,103; C $1,218,908
Stefanik – R $1,533,296; S $1,259,959; C $273,337
Attorney General
Incumbent Attorney General Letitia James has become one of the more prominent AGs in the country. Donald Trump’s attacks on her may be encouraging Republican challengers.
James – R $3,624,614; S $2,296,232; C $3,129, 108
Republican Khurram Dara – R $74,942; S $22,853; C $52,089
Republican Saritha Komatireddy – R $573,982; S $56,616; C $517,366
Republican Michael Henry – R $87,906; S $90,831; C $71,831
Comptroller
Comptroller Tom DiNapoli is seeking his fifth elected term as Comptroller. He may face one or more opponents in a Democratic primary. The official Republican candidate for the office has not yet been identified.
DiNapoli – R $1,030,302; S $294,495; C $1,354,721
Democrat Adem Bunkeddeko – no financial report filed as of January 19th
Democrat Raj Goyle R $1,417,026; S $170,483; C $1,246,543
Democrat Drew Warshaw R $661,791; S $290,728; C $1,270,449
Republican Joseph Hernandez R $27,873; S $35; C $27,838
Erie County Clerk
Incumbent Republican Clerk Mickey Kearns is up for re-election. Talk on the street is that Republican County Legislator Lindsay Lorigo might be interested in running for the office. Two Democrats, Erich Weyant and Steve Meyer, are possible candidates for Clerk. It appears that neither of them has created an official political committee yet.
Kearns – R $19,613; S $13,178; C $51,153
Lorigo – R $0; S $165; C $74,856
State Assembly
In most cases no candidates other than the incumbents have been identified for office in Western New York Assembly Districts. Republican West Seneca Town Supervisor Gary Dickson is reportedly planning to challenge incumbent Democrat Pat Burke in the 142nd District.
Here are the financials for the incumbents plus Dickson:
140th District – incumbent Democrat Bill Conrad – R $28,797; S $17,290; C $74,197
141st District – incumbent Democrat Crystal Peoples-Stokes – R $111,325; S $119,283; C $114,565
142nd District – Burke R $858; S $40,930; C $94
142nd District – Dickson R $0; S $5,573; C $309
143rd District – incumbent Republican Patrick Chludzinski – R $12,688; S $4,196; C $17,341
144th District – incumbent Republican Paul Bologna – R $44,334; S $24,569; C $100,112
145th District – incumbent Republican Angelo Morinello has announced that he will not run for re-election
146th District – incumbent Democrat Karen McMahon – R $4,500; S $3907; C $38,411
147th District – incumbent Republican David DiPietro R $56,002; S $36,750; C $30,634
149th District – incumbent Democrat Jon Rivera is running for the state Senate. There are several potential candidates for the Assembly seat:
149th District – Democrat Adam Bojak R $19,996; S $6,639; C $13,357
149th District – Democrat Alex Burgos R $2,796; S $117; C $4,692
149th District – Democrat Kevin Deese R $27,421; S $3,722; C $23,699
149th District – Democrat Karen Hoak R $6,507; S $2,516; C $3,991
Senate Districts
57th District – incumbent Republican George Borrello R $15,650; S $31,173; C $148,031
60th District – incumbent Republican Pat Gallivan R $0; S $246; C $134,818
62nd District – incumbent Republican Robert Ortt R $61,805; S $10,779; C $511,351
63rd District – incumbent Democrat April Baskin R $64,563; S $44,631; C $61,304
It is likely that many state legislative candidates will participate this year in the state’s Public Campaign Finance Program.
Others of Note
Former Senator, now Congressman, Tim Kennedy, still maintains a state campaign account. The current balance in the account is $1,268,060.
Former Senator Michael Ranzenhofer, who left office five years ago, has a campaign account totaling $753,709.
Former Senator George Maziarz, who left office ten years ago, maintains a state campaign account that currently has a balance of $559,509.
Former Assemblyman Robin Schimminger, who left office five years ago, has a campaign treasury with a balance of $380,523.
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