Nassau Democrats vs Republicans in dueling fundraisers

                                                                                  

We already know that Nassau Republicans are having a high-priced victory party at the Garden City Hotel on Monday night after the party scored stunning wins on elections night.

Now Democrats are having their own party in Garden City on Tuesday evening to raise money for Kathy Hochul,  the state's former lieutenant governor who was automatically boosted into the governor's office when Andrew Cuomo resigned under fire in August.

Nassau and State Democratic Chairman Jay Jacobs has strongly supported Hochul, a Buffalo Democrat, since she took office.

But Democrats aren't saying where their fundraiser is being held in Garden City on Tuesday. Guests have to first RSVP before learning the location.

Democrats also are demanding all their guests be vaccinated to be able to attend the party. 

This may be the result of numerous reports that some guests at the Republican election night celebration subsequently were diagnosed positive for Covid-19, despite vaccination. But none of the elected officials came down with the virus, Republican sources say.

And the Democratic ticket prices are far lower than the Republican gala tickets, which start at $1,000 each for dinner and $10,000 each for dinner and a VIP reception.

Though the ticket price is not spelled out on the Democratic invitation, clicking on the contribution link shows individual tickets are $500 for attendees and $250 for members of the Nassau Democratic Committee.

Hochul has announced she intends to run for her job permanently next November.

Her candidacy appears to have gotten a boost when her top rival, Attorney General Letitia James surprised most political pundits Thursday by suddenly dropping out of the governor's race after nearly a year of effort to take out Cuomo.

James issued two reports this year that crippled Cuomo's plans to run for a third term: the first said the Cuomo administration vastly under-reported coronavirus deaths in nursing homes following a Cuomo directive to move recovering coronavirus patients into the homes. The second accused Cuomo of illegally sexually harassing 11 women.

Fellow Democrats didn't react that much to reports of something like 16,000 senior citizen deaths following the state order but they were outraged by the harassment charges and successfully demanded Cuomo's resignation.

Cuomo has denied any wrongdoing. 

Cuomo had more than $18 million in his campaign account as of last July. The money could be used to help friends. Or hinder enemies, such as James, Hochul and NYC mayor Bill DeBlasio, who has his eye on the governor's race.

U.S. Congressman Tom Suozzi, a former Nassau County executive, and City advocate Jumaane Williams also are seeking the Democratic nomination for governor.