New York state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli this year is being challenged by Republican Paul Rodriguez.

Both men will face off in a debate Wednesday night on Spectrum News and NY1 for an office that is perhaps little understood and known for most New Yorkers, but an important one for the state's fiscal oversight and health.  

As he runs for re-election this year, Democratic incumbent Tom DiNapoli has touted his 15-year-long management of the state's pension fund amid the economic uncertainty and fears of a financial downturn. 

"The good news is our state pension fund is one of the best funded if not the best funded pension fund in the country," DiNapoli said during a Capital Tonight interview in June. "We're 99% funded in our most recent calculation, which means we're in a strong position to weather the difficulties."

But his Republican opponent said New York's fiscal condition can and should improve amid high taxes and inflation not seen in decades. 

"We're really facing a situation here where due to the highest taxes in the nation, crippling inflation, a decline in public safety, people are finding it harder to stay here and are moving away," Rodriguez said in August. "I think we have to do something to reverse that trend or New York state will continue to deteriorate in the next few years."

The job of comptroller is a little known, but important one, overseeing the state's retirement fund for public workers and auditing government agencies. Siena College pollster Steve Greenberg said DiNapoli's longevity in office gives him a potential edge. 

DiNapoli first took office in 2007, replacing scandal-scarred Alan Hevesi. He's now the longest-serving state official in New York. 

"Tom DiNapoli has been the comptroller of the state of New York now for a decade and a half. He's won three statewide elections," Greenberg said. "In the last statewide elections — 2014 and 2018 — he got more votes than anybody on the ballot in New York."

But despite DiNapoli's lead in a poll released Tuesday, both candidates are unknown to most voters. The poll found DiNapoli leading Rodriguez 54% to 30%. 

"I think what you're seeing is sort of what the base vote is for largely unknown Democrat against a virtually completely unknown Republican," Greenberg said.