Earlier this week, Assemblyman Richard Brodsky proudly announced that he’s got $1.3 million in the bank for “any political eventuality.” The “eventuality” he’s reported to be hoping for is that Attorney General Andrew Cuomo will run for governor against David Paterson, leaving the AG post open to Brodsky and other aspirants. The field, which doesn’t technically exist yet, is already getting pretty crowded with people with cash on hand. According to LoHud.com, Democratic State Senator Eric Schneiderman has about $900,000 in the bank, and Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice (who is said to be privately favored by Cuomo) ended her reelection this November campaign with $1 million in the bank and is expected to have raised even more on top of that.
Democrat State Senator Jeff Klein of the Bronx had $867,782 back in June, and will, along with everyone else, announce his final numbers at the end of the week. And State Insurance Superintendent Eric Dinallo sent out a letter today crowing to supporters that he’s raised a whopping $1.7 million, $1.3 million of which was raised in the past six weeks alone. (Numbers aren’t available yet for Republican contenders, but Staten Island D.A. Dan Donovan is a leading contender, according to the Daily News, and Warren County D.A. Kate Hogan, Onondaga County D.A. William Fitzpatrick, and State Senators George Winner and John Flanagan have also been mentioned as candidates.)
All in all, it’s a lot of cash for people running for a position that isn’t available yet. We wonder if Governor Paterson, lying in bed at night up in Albany, can actually feel all the Democrats across the state rooting for him to fail.
AG Race Takes Shape [NYDN]
Brodsky Has $1.3M For “Any Political Eventuality” [LoHud.com]
