Senate Republicans Spend on Safe Seats

As the Daily Politics [reported earlier](http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dailypolitics/2012/08/ny-senate-gop-has-478-million) today, the Senate GOP reports having $4.7 million on hand as of the 32-day pre-primary filing - a sum that is sure to dwarf what the Senate Democrats will report. With that huge cash advantage, the Senate Republicans can afford to get involved in Republican primaries, even for seats where the party has virtually no chance of losing the seat to the Senate Democrats. And the report shows that the Senate Republicans spent $105,000 on the campaign of State Sen. Roy McDonald (the second highest amount the party has spent, behind the $165,000 spent for Republican Bob Cohen, who faces a competitive race with a Democrat.) The conference also spent $51,000 on the campaign of State Sen. Steve Saland, who also is in a fairly safe Republican district. McDonald and Saland were among the four Republican votes for the gay marriage bill. McDoland, in his capital-region district[, is facing ](http://blog.timesunion.com/capitol/archives/144037/mcdonald-on-property-taxes/)Saratoga County Clerk Kathy Marchione; Saland[ is facing](http://www.midhudsonnews.com/News/2012/July/28/Saland_cam-28Jul12.html) Neil DiCarlo. It should be noted that Saland also transferred $40,000 into the SRCC account, while McDonald transferred $15,000. "We support all of our incumbents," Senate GOP spokesman Scott Reif wrote in an email. "After Senate Republicans provided the leadership to cut spending and taxes, make government function and lay the foundation to create thousands of new jobs, we're confident that New Yorkers will support them as well." To read more from City & State [click here. ](http://www.cityandstateny.com)