Politicos expect campaign to be among the most competitive in the Northeast.
Michael ArcuriWashington -- U.S. Rep. Michael Arcuri and Republican challenger Richard Hanna have started their 2010 rematch in the 24th Congressional District much like their 2008 contest ended — in a virtual dead heat.
This time the two are locked in a tight race building up cash reserves for a campaign that political handicappers and party leaders expect to be among the most competitive in the Northeast.
Arcuri, D-Utica, has $587,000 in his campaign account, compared to $570,000 for Hanna, of Oneida County, according to Federal Election Commission disclosure reports through June 30.
But those numbers may look small when compared to what Democrats and Republicans are prepared to spend this year for a seat that Republicans held for 60 years until Arcuri won in 2006. In 2008, Arcuri won over Hanna, a political newcomer, by less than 2 percentage points.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee reportedly has set aside $7 million for television ads that would defend top Republican targets, including Arcuri.
Richard HannaOne report suggested the DCCC has reserved more than $659,000 of air time in the Syracuse market to defend Arcuri and neighboring U.S. Rep. Bill Owens, D-Plattsburgh. Arcuri’s campaign could not confirm the figure.
In the meantime, the National Republican Congressional Committee, also is prepared to spend big.
“I think knocking off Mike Arcuri is one of our top priorities in the Northeast,” said NRCC spokesman Tory Mazzola. “But it’s too early to say how we will allocate our resources.”
Hanna, 59, a millionaire businessman from Oneida County who built his own construction company from scratch, said he won’t worry about the money — simply the message.
It’s a message, Hanna said, that neither Democrats nor most Republicans in Washington will like.
“I’m not this angry, nasty right-wing mad man,” he said. “I’m doing this because I care about my community.”
He bristles at the hyper-partisanship in Washington, and views himself as more of a moderate who can work across the aisle.
“The Republican Party has to understand it’s not enough to be angry, but you have to have solutions,” Hanna said. “I’ve had a long, happy, healthy life, and if anybody knows how to succeed, it’s got to be me.”
He added, “My assumption about Barack Obama and Nancy Pelosi is they are honest people who I sincerely disagree with.”
As for social issues, he supports abortion rights and civil unions for same-sex partners — both moderate to liberal positions for his party.
Hanna said his campaign strategy is simply to be himself, represent the district’s views and point out Arcuri’s controversial changes in position on his health care vote and a cap-and-trade climate bill.
“There’s nobody up here who understands who he represents anymore,” Hanna said of Arcuri. “He betrayed his base with the health-care bill.”
Arcuri, meanwhile, points out that he clearly has not suffered from his voting record, at least when it comes to campaign contributions.
“I am most proud of the nearly 200 first-time contributors who have joined our campaign because they see how hard we’ve been working and want me to continue to deliver for Upstate New York,” Arcuri said in a statement.
Jeff Johnston, his campaign spokesman, said the campaign focused on grass-roots donors as nearly 500 people gave $200 or less in the last quarter.
Overall, Arcuri has relied heavily on political action committees representing special interests. For the 2010 campaign cycle, he has received $759,000 from PACs, or 66 percent of his total contributions, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.
Hanna, meanwhile, has helped self-finance his race with more than $113,000 to date from his personal fortune.
Both candidates downplayed the influence of money in the race.
“At the end of the day, this race is not about what Washington insiders and pollsters have to say — we learned that in 2006 and in 2008,” Johnston said. “It’s about new ideas, who best represents the people here, and a vision for the future.”
On that point, Hanna agrees.
“My strategy is just to be myself and hope that works,” Hanna said. “I have to live here when this is all over, and I’m proud of who I am.”
--Contact Washington correspondent Mark Weiner at mweiner@syracuse.com or 571-970-3751.