Former Nassau County Legislator Josh Lafazan, a Democrat, has raised $432,375 after receiving the maximum state public matching funds in his campaign for New York State Senate District 7.
“I am grateful beyond measure to my friends and neighbors who have invested in my campaign,” Lafazan said. “I am running to deliver real results in Albany for the people of Nassau County, and these donations will help me bring my message to every corner of the district.”
The Public Campaign Finance Program matches small-dollar contributions during an election cycle that amount to a total between $5 and $250.
Funds for state legislative positions fall within a tiered system, with the first $50 contributed to the campaign matched at a 12:1 ratio. From there, the matching dollar amount per dollar drops, with the next $100 matched at a 9:1 ratio and then the next $100 matched at an 8:1 ratio.
These funds can only be spent on campaign expenditures.
The maximum amount of matching funds a state senate candidate can receive is $375,000, which Lafazan received after raising $57,375.
This combined total amounts to $432,375 raised for his campaign thus far.
Lafazan reported 282 in-district donors to his state senate campaign. The average campaign donation he has received amounts to $203.
Lafazan, the county’s youngest serving legislator at election, served as Nassau County’s District 18 legislator for six years before being voted out in November. He lost to Republican challenger Samantha Goetz.
He previously was a Syosset School Board of Education trustee, being elected into the position in 2012 at 18 years old.
New York State Senate District 7, which includes much of the North Shore and the Town of Oyster Bay as far east as Woodbury, is currently represented by Republican Sen. Jack Martins, who flipped the district in 2022.
Lafazan, among others, has been reported by Newsday to have been screened by the Democratic Party for the seat.
This includes Port Washington’s Kim Keiserman, a Democrat who serves on the North Hempstead Housing Authority Board of Commissioners; Great Neck Library President Rory Lancman, a former state assemblymember in Queens, and Zak Malamed, an activist from Great Neck, according to Newsday.
“Now more than ever on Long Island, Democrats need to nominate a candidate whose record and policy positions appeal to a broad spectrum of voters,” Lafazan said. “I believe I am the best candidate to represent the Democratic ticket in November.”
The filing deadline for the state senate election is April 4.
The primary election for party nominees is June 25. The general election will then be held on Nov. 5.
