The political campaigns for Tuesday’s mayoral race in Syracuse are in full force, spearheaded by Democratic candidates Stephanie Miner and Joe Nicoletti.

Even with several inherent financial difficulties, Miner and Nicoletti have drastically out-raised and outspent their political opponents in the race. The race is too tight between Miner, a common councilor, and Nicoletti, former state representative, to predict a winner in the Democratic primary before Tuesday.

The two candidates managed to distance themselves from the competition thanks to extra funds to propel their campaign platforms, said Jeff Stonecash, a political science professor in the Maxwell School of Public Administration.

‘You’ve got to have money. It’s just imperative, especially when you have a close race like this one,’ Stonecash said.

Miner and Nicoletti have spent approximately $336,000 combined on TV ads, including an one put out by Nicoletti’s campaign where Miner was accused of hindering economic development in Syracuse.

‘The automatic presumption for doing that is that (Nicoletti) must be behind. It could be because it’s close, and he’s decided to really go after her,’ Stonecash said.

‘Stephanie Miner is running a campaign where she is largely arguing what she’s for. Joe Nicoletti has decided to run a very typical campaign where he is really trying to lower her unfavorable rate. He’s trying to dislodge whatever favorable rating she has,’ he said.

Miner and Nicoletti both had an initial disadvantage they countered with aggressive funding. Miner was a newcomer when she was elected to the council in 2001, and had to convince voters that she was suitable to move to the mayor’s office, Stonecash said.

Nicoletti, who ran for mayor twice before and lost both times, decided to return to Syracuse’s political scene. The last time he considered running was in 2001, Nicoletti switched political parties and campaigned against Bernard Mahoney, who eventually lost to current Mayor Matt Driscoll.

‘If you run a campaign, and people don’t know who you are you, you have to spend an enormous amount of money telling them who you are, giving them your background, to make them comfortable with you,’ Stonecash said.

The candidates also had to increase campaign spending to combat the low media coverage they’ve received so far, Stonecash said.

‘When you don’t get any coverage, you’ve got to go raise more money because it’s all direct mailings and TV ads,’ he said. ‘I don’t think they regard the local media as giving them a break. They probably wish they could hold a press conference and they would show up.’

* Nicoletti has raised the most money and still has more cash left than Miner. He loaned $100,000 of his own money to his campaign. He has around $100,000 left more after spending nearly $300,000 for his political initiatives, according to the most recent campaign finance reports.

* Miner has raised $398,027.66. After spending, she has approximately $50,000 left in her campaign fund.

* Miner, a common councilor, and Nicoletti, a former state representative, are part of a four-way race for the Democratic nomination. Their opponents are Alfonso Davis, a political consultant, and Carmen Harlow, former deputy commissioner of Public Works, have raised a combined $22,915.52.

* Otis Jennings, the former commissioner of Parks, Recreation and Youth Programs for the city of Syracuse, opposes Steve Kimatian for the Republican nomination. Kimatian has already secured the Independent Party’s nomination.

* Jennings has raised $137,781, beating Kimatian by about $69,000. Jennings has spent nearly double the amount Kimatian has.

adbrow03@syr.edu

Published on September 14, 2009 at 12:00 pm