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Golisano’s money, power could be spread around

July 3, 2008

Senate Democrats salivating over the idea of Rochester-area billionaire Tom Golisano dishing out millions of dollars for their campaigns in November may want to hedge their bets. He may also back Republicans.

Golisano is set to form a state political action committee and commit $1 million to each candidate who supports his reform agenda.

While Golisano is expected to back three western New York Democratic Senate candidates, he also may use his deep pockets to help Republican and independent candidates across the state.

“I think it is unlikely that he would be doing something to unilaterally help elect a Senate Democratic majority,” said Roger Stone, a Republican strategist who advised Golisano during his gubernatorial run in 2002.

Golisano’s influence and money could be an interesting twist in a precarious election year as Senate Republicans try to retain their slim one-seat majority.

Golisano, founder of the Penfield-based Paychex Inc., will officially announce the formation of the PAC on Tuesday in Albany.

Golisano, who ran unsuccessfully three times for governor as an Independence Party candidate, has not been easy to peg politically. So advisers said it would be presumptuous to think he is out to flip the Senate’s majority.

In fact, trying to do so would be contradictory to Golisano’s prior comments about the need to have checks and balances in government and ensuring that upstate has a strong voice in Albany, Stone said. If Democrats take the Senate, they would be largely represented by New York City-based politicians.

“It would be out of character and against his entire lifetime record as a reformer to back either the Republicans or the Democrats,” Stone said during an Albany radio interview Wednesday.

Golisano is expected to listen to candidates’ commitment to reforming Albany, such as lowering spending and taxes, and then make a decision on which candidates to back.

Golisano has not returned calls seeking comment.

He helped create the Independence Party in the late 1990s and was its flagbearer until 2005, when he registered as a Republican as he contemplated a fourth run for governor. He decided against the run after spending nearly $100 million of his own money on the first three tries.

Golisano talked in 2006 about putting big money behind Republicans in the Senate in order for them to retain the majority, saying at the time “There’s a better balance if we have a Republican Senate as far as upstate is concerned.”

But Golisano may argue now that the Republicans did little to curb spending or high taxes, and thus new leadership is needed, aides said.

Golisano is expected to back three Senate Democratic candidates - Joe Mesi, who is running for a seat being vacated by Sen. Mary Lou Rath, R-Amherst, Erie County; Kathy Konst, who is expected to run against Sen. Dale Volker, R-Depew, Erie County; and Richard Dollinger, who is running against Sen. Joseph Robach, R-Greece, Monroe County.

Robach said he would be taken aback if Golisano seeks to oust him.

The two have had a strong relationship, Robach said.

Source: Poughkeepsie Journal

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