Politics on the Hudson

Senate Republicans have nearly $3.4 million in their campaign coffers headed into the final month of the campaign season, records today showed.

They had $3.6 million last month, spending $719,978 and bringing in $513,419 since then.

The Senate Republican Campaign Committee benefited from $340,000 in transfers from incumbent senators and the state GOP, which gave $75,000. Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos, R-Nassau County, gave $100,000; Sens. Joseph Griffo, Tom O’Mara and Patrick Gallivan—all who are safe candidates—each gave $25,000.

Sen. John DeFrancisco, R-Syracuse, transferred $75,000.

The committee transferred out $335,700 to some key races—including $110,000 to candidate Phil Boyle on Long Island; $100,000 to Sen. Mark Grisanti, R-Buffalo; $80,700 to Queens candidate Eric Ulrich; and $50,000 to Sen. Greg Ball, R-Patterson, Putnam County.

For the entire campaign, the party has so far spent nearly $1.6 million to help its candidates.

The most by far has gone to Republican Bob Cohen, a Westchester County lawyer who has received $439,894 from the committee. He’s in a tight battle against Democratic Assemblyman George Latimer, D-Rye, to succeed Sen. Suzi Oppenheimer, D-Mamaroneck.

A poll Tuesday showed Latimer with a 3-point lead. Republicans hold a 33-29 seat majority headed into the Nov. 6 elections.

No filing yet from Senate Democrats, who had just $700,000 in the bank as of July.