Mike Arcuri second quarter fundraising numbers

This post is part of a larger effort by local bloggers across the state to cover New York's Congressional races and the release of the second quarter fundraising numbers today.

WFP-endorsed Mike Arcuri's just released second quarter fundraising totals show him to be competitive with right-winger Ray Meier for the open seat race in CD24. Arcuri has raised $454,669 on the year and has $346,462 cash on hand. Arcuri's opponent, right-winger Ray Meier, has raised $496,913 on the year and reports $434,182 cash on hand, though Meier has inflated his cash on hand numbers in the past. Arcuri was added to the DCCC's Red to Blue Program last week, which will give an added boost to his fundraising.

On the Republican side, Ray Meier is getting fundraising help from his ally Dick Cheney (pictured together at right). With Republicans expected to lose control of Congress in the November election, George Bush and Dick Cheney are campaigning hard for allies like Ray Meier who will rubber stamp their agenda. Channel 2 has in-depth coverage of the Cheney-Meier fundraiser.

At the fundraiser, Cheney talked about how leaks damage national security, but didn't talk about the recent lawsuit filed against him for his role in exposing CIA operative Valerie Plame's undercover status.

The race for an open seat in CD24, where Republican incumbent Sherwood Boehlert is retiring, will be the top race in New York. Open seats are traditionally close because no candidate has the advantages of incumbency, namely name recognition and fundraising. For more on the race:

• Washington Post The Fix rates this race: the top race in New York
• National Journal rates this race: 24th most competitive in the country
• Larry Sabato rates this race: toss-up
• CQ politics rates this race: no clear favorite
• Cook Political Report rates this race: Lean Republican

Mike Arcuri is well positioned to win the seat, having been elected District Attorney three times in Republican-dominated Oneida County. In 2005, Arcuri won his DA race with 27,735 votes on the Democratic and Working Families Party lines, and in 2001 he won with 27,814 votes on the Democratic and Working Families Party lines. Arcuri will need to expand his name recognition to win, but Oneida County is the source of a significant number of votes in the district so he's got a strong start. More on the district and the race:

• District map
• Status: Open seat, Republican incumbent Sherwood Boehlert is retiring
• Voter registration: R 43%, D 32%, I 25%
• Voters in the district: 365,902 voters
• 2004 Presidential vote: Bush 53% def. Kerry 47%
• 2004 House vote: Sherwood Boehlert (R) 57% def. Jeffrey Miller (D) 34%
• 2006 fundraising totals: Arcuri $454,669, Meier $496,913
• 2006 cash on hand: Arcuri $346,462, Meier $434,182

The unusually high number of independent voters in the district is also an advantage for Arcuri, because the Working Families Party ballot line provides a significant boost to Democratic candidates among independent voters. Mike Arcuri has been endorsed by the Working Families Party and is running for the Democratic Party nomination.

For analysis of the top Congressional races around the state see:

CD13 NY13 with bonus coverage of CD26 and CD3
CD19 Daniel Millstone at Daily Gotham
CD20 Democracy in Albany
CD23 Bob Aubin
CD24 WFP Blog
CD25 Walsh Watch
CD26 Work Related
CD29 Rochester Turning
and, just added, CD3 Peter King Watch

Technorati tags: Working Families Party | 2006 Election | Take Back the House | Vote Row E