We received this e-mail over the weekend:
Senate Democrats
Top Republicans Seven to One
The Democratic Senate Campaign Committee (DSCC) has almost seven times more cash available for upcoming elections than its Republican counterpart, according to State Board of Elections reports.
When accounting for expenditures and outstanding obligations, Senate Democrats have about $1.1 million available, while Republicans have about $160,000. In the first six months of 2009, Democrats raised over $2.6 million while the Republicans raised about $846,000.
Senate Democrats noted last year's historic turnover of the Senate Majority, last month's failed attempt by Senate Republicans to take back the chamber, the extensive reforms the Senate passed this week, shifting enrollment numbers and this period's campaign filings as evidence of a trend towards a wider Democratic majority in the Senate.
"It's clear from the lack of support they received that the Senate Republicans' past has caught up with them and New Yorkers recognize that Democrats are the present and future of this state," said Senate President Malcolm A. Smith, who as the head of the DSCC has led the Senate Democrats' political and fundraising activities since 2007.
Senator Smith has led his conference to four general election victories in which longtime Republican seats went Democratic, giving his party control of the Senate for the first time in over 40 years.
In the 2008 election cycle, which capped the Democrats' ascension to the Senate Majority, Senator Smith transferred about $450,000 of his own campaign funds to the DSCC. He has raised about $589,000 for his own committee this year.