Dems Have Cash While State GOP Scrambles To Divvy Up Limited Funds

As the July 17 deadline to file campaign finance reports for the April-June period approaches, it appears Democrat war chests are quite full, while the GOP - saddled with candidates showing poorly in the polls - is having trouble keeping its candidates financially viable.

The New York Times reports today there's not enough money to go around on the GOP side of the ledger. The Times story does point out, however, that former GOP gubenatorial candidate William Weld is making good on his promise to send some of his campaign funds to the camps of other GOP hopefuls - including his former opponent John Faso.

An Associated Press story today confirms the Democrats - Sen. Hillary Clinton and gubenatorial candidate Eliot Spitzer in particular - hold funding leads that are commensurate with their leads in the polls.

A post on the Urban Elephants blog makes an interesting point. Someone writing under the name GOPNYC argues that New York Democrats are using gay marriage as a fundraising tool. GOPNYC argues that gay couples typically are in the top echelon of demographic groups with discretionary funds and the Dems are taking advantage of the issue to raise money for state senate candidates in a bid to take over that branch of the state legislature.

Democrat Jonathan Tasini, the progressive candidate who hopes to face Hillary Clinton in a fall primary, says Clinton's stance on gay marriage is discriminatory.

"By continuing to triangulate and mouth poll-tested reaction to the discriminatory ruling by the State Court of Appeals, my opponent is actively encouraging the continuation of blatant discrimination against gays and lesbians," Tasini said in a press release. "I support marriage equality, with no equivocation and no twisting of language because discrimination of any kind is a stain on the soul of our state and our country."

While Tasini was taking her to task, Sen. Clinton was in Ohio today, taking officials there to task for not reforming the state's elections system, according to this AP report.

And, while not criticizing her, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver told the New York Post he would not follow Clinton's lead on the issue of support for Joe Lieberman. Clinton had earlier said she would support the Democratic nominee in the Connecticut Senate race, whether it be Lieberman or businessman Ned Lamont, who has been coming on in the polls. Silver told the Post he understands Clinton's position but said he'd be sticking by Lieberman.