Nassau County Executive campaign cost $5.6 million

Bruce Blakeman

Incumbent County Executive Laura Curran, a first-term Democrat, spent more than twice as much as Republican challenger Bruce Blakeman but still lost her bid for re-election, state reports show.

Together the two candidates spent a total $5,600,898 trying to win the county executive post, which pays about $200,000 a year.

Candidates for Nassau District Attorney spent a total $4,274,633  vying for the county office, according to state board of election campaign disclosure reports.

But Republican Anne Donnelly spent about two-thirds less than Democrat Todd Kaminsky to win the high-profile office.

Final reports on spending for the November elections -- the 27-Day Post general election campaign finance disclosures -- were filed with the state Board of Elections late last month. 

State reports show that Curran's total campaign expenses since Jan. 16 were $3,895,688

Blakeman's total spending since March amounted to $1,705,212. A Hempstead Town Councilman and former Presiding Officer of the county legislature, Blakeman wasn't nominated until March.

Curran lost by 2,150 votes.

Laura Curran

In the last 12 days of Curran's campaign, she spent nearly $250,000 on television ads through AKPD Message and Media. Wikipedia gives this description of the New York City firm:

"AKPD Message and Media is an American political and media consulting firm catering to Democratic candidates and related causes. Formerly Axelrod and Associates, it is named after its four original partners: David Axelrod, John Kupper, David Plouffe, and John Del Cecato."

Blakeman paid McLaughlin Media Inc., a polling and campaign consulting firm that has worked for years for Nassau Republicans,  $421,000 for television ads during the last 12 days of the campaign.

Blakeman's campaign also paid Facebook nearly $24,000 for online ads in that period.

State Sen. Todd Kaminsky of Long Beach spent a total $3,452,339 on his losing campaign for district attorney. 

In comparison, Donnelly spent a total $1,272,294 on her winning campaign for district attorney.

In the last 12 days before the election Kaminsky paid Red Horse Strategies more than $1 million dollars for television ads ($1,017.297). 

City & State magazine named Red Horse Strategies the top political consulting firm in New York State.

Anne Donnelly

Records show Donnelly paid McLaughlin Media $256,000 in the last 12 days of the campaign -- financed through a contribution from the Nassau County Republican Committee.

She also paid  $42,775 to Facebook for online ads.

Donnelly beat Kaminsky by 46,940 votes.

All four candidates spent down their campaign funds.

Curran, who started in January with more than $2 million in the bank, ended with $163,122 in her account.

Blakeman, who started the year with a zero balance in his campaign account, ended with $51,109 in the bank.

Kaminsky ended with $21,545 in his account while Donnelly finished with $11,186 in the bank.