Shattering early campaign perceptions, challenger for New York State senate Julie Killian, a Republican, has fallen well short of expected fundraising levels, according to a recent round of campaign finance disclosures.
Data from the New York state Board of Elections shows that Killian’s fundraising efforts continue to trail her opponent George Latimer, a Democrat and two-time incumbent, $278,000 to Latimer’s $312,000.
Already, Democrats have seized the opportunity to use Killian’s unexpectedly low fundraising efforts as an indictment on her campaign.
According to Democratic strategist Jake Dilemani, a consultant for Mercury, a firm that advises officials on the national, state and local levels, Killian is falling well below the levels needed to win the race.
“Her lackluster fundraising makes it clear that she has failed to gain the support and confidence of Westchester voters,” Dilemani said.
However, spokeswoman for Killian’s campaign, Jessica Proud, who pointed out that Killian’s campaign has outpaced Latimer in funds raised since July, said that the campaign continues to meet all of their expected hurdles.
“We feel good about our [funds],” Proud said. “We will have all the resources we need to run the competitive race we need and to win.”
Despite the disparity, Killian’s campaign will still enjoy a distinct advantage in overall resources, due to $288,000 in loans coming out of Killian’s own pocket—funds which have allowed Killian to outspend her opponent by a margin of 4-1.
According to a finance disclosure report released last week, Killian has already outspent Latimer $477,000 to $106,000 since July.
While the majority of Killian’s expenditures have been focused on TV ads and consulting fees—totals which add up to about $313,000 and $77,000 respectively, and constitute more than 80 percent of the campaign’s overall expenditures—the bulk of Latimer’s expenses have gone toward miscellaneous items; most notably, food, travel, totaling approximately $5,000, as well as two expenses of $30,000 in total for consulting.
While expectations leaned toward a big money race, so far this year’s campaign has fallen well short of a 2012 race in which record amounts of money were funneled toward a singular state Senate seat.
That year, Republican challenger Bob Cohen, who ran a contentious campaign against Latimer, then a state Assemblyman, spent more than $4 million alone, with the Senate race totaling nearly $5 million, a record in state politics at the time, by its close in November.
Latimer, who defeated Cohen to win the Senate seat, was one of only three victors statewide who did not spend more money than their opponent that year.
According to Latimer, this year, the expectation was to again be significantly outspent by his opponent.
“We were outspent in 2012 and I knew we were going to be outspent in 2014,” Latimer said. “We’ll be outspent [again] but we won’t be outworked.”
Finance has consistently been one of the biggest talking points from early on with Latimer painting Killian as the big money candidate and championing his larger number of small donations.
Briefly, on Oct. 6 during the candidates’ first major voter forums in the town of Bedford, Killian took her own crack at Latimer’s use of money, briefly targeting him and other longtime politicians for using campaign funds for what she characterizes as frivolous expenses like food and gas; expenses of which there are dozens of in Latimer’s most recent disclosure.
According to Killian, whose current disclosure shows just $21,000 left in the bank, her campaign will continue to raise money throughout the next month and up until Election Day on Nov. 8.
“I’m really happy with the response to my candidacy,” Killian said. “I will continue to raise more money because that’s what it takes to get your name out there.”
The next disclosure will take place on Oct. 28, 11 days prior to Election Day.
