Glens Falls Chronicle Serving the Glens Falls/Lake George region; Warren, Washington and northern Saratoga counties since 1980
By Maury Thompson, Special to The Chronicle
U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-Schuylerville, has received a campaign finance boost from pro-Israel political groups since the Israel-Hamas War broke out.
They also aided U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., and Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley.
Campaign contributions through pro-Israel political action committees accounted for about 8.7% of the Rep. Stefanik’s $1.89 million in campaign contributions in the fourth quarter of 2023.
The fourth quarter contributions bring the total contributed through the political action committee to Rep. Stefanik’s campaign in 2023 to $146,124.
The PAC committee is bipartisan.
The American Israel Public Affairs Committee, in the fourth quarter, distributed more than 90 individual contributions to Rep. Stefanik’s campaign — ranging from $5 to $6,600 each.
The political action committee distributed $46,278 to Sen. Gillibrand’s re-election campaign in the fourth quarter, according to the PACs finance report.
The Republican Jewish Committee, a separate political action committee, distributed $19,000 to Rep. Stefanik’s campaign in the fourth quarter.
The political action committee also distributed contributions to Mrs. Haley’s presidential campaign, as well as to the campaign of former Republican presidential candidate Doug Burgum.
Rep. Stefanik’s campaign reported $1.89 million received in the fourth quarter and $5.6 million raised in 2023.
She raised $319,482 in non-itemized contributions of less than $200 each.
Her small-dollar contributions were more than three times the $105,825 the campaign received from political action committees. So-called “small dollar” contributions are seen as an indicator of grassroots support.
The campaign had $2.92 million on hand, as of Dec. 31.
Stefanik is seeking reelection to a sixth two-year term in the House.
Stefanik gave to Kusnierz, McCarthy
Rep. Stefanik’s campaign transferred $33,850 from her campaign fund to other political campaigns or committees in the fourth quarter, including $1,000 to the campaign of former Moreau Supervisor Todd Kusnierz, who lost re-election to Democrat Jesse Fish, and $250 to the campaign of Republican Warren County Clerk candidate Emily McCabe McCarthy, who lost in November to Democrat Carrie Black for an open seat.
Potential challengers of Rep. Stefanik have have miniscule funds so far.
Jill Lochner of Greenfield, who plans to challenge her in a Republican primary, had $1,248 in the fourth quarter, with contributions from only one donor other than herself. Stephen Holden of Camilus, in Onondaga County, who is seeking the Democratic nomination, raised $23,155 in the fourth quarter. His campaign had $41,869 on hand, as of Dec. 31, and was $41,368 in debt.
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