The Hudson Valley is once again expected to be a contested battleground area for Republicans and Democrats in the state Senate this year.
And, accordingly, Democrats are raising money to run with an eye toward being competitive.
Consider:
- Democratic candidate Michelle Hinchey, who is running for the seat being vacated by retiring Republican Sen. George Amedore, announced raising $100,000 in her first filing. Hinchey was also recent endorsed by Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone.
- Karen Smythe, the Democrat running against Republican Sen. Sue Serino, has raised more than $100,000. Smythe is running a rematch against Serino after losing by 600 votes in the Poughkeepsie-area district.
- Incumbent Sen. James Skoufis has raised $236,000 and has a cash-on-hand total of more than $326,000.
- Democratic Sen. Jen Metzger has raised $240,000. Her campaign said her donations came mostly from 1,000 individual donors.
Democrats in 2018 won the majority for the first time in a decade, winning seats on Long Island and north of New York City that will likely prove pivotal once again in 2020.
"No amount of money will make New Yorkers forget about the dangerous, deadly and out-of-touch agenda Senate Democrats are implementing in Albany," said Senate GOP spokesman Scott Reif. "They've enacted billions in new taxes, created a $6 billion deficit and rammed through the state's controversial new bail law that has put thousands of criminals back on the street. November can't come soon enough."