Gillibrand Opponent Wendy Long Has $81,000 More in Debt Than Cash

Republican U.S. Senate candidate Wendy Long's campaign appears to have some real financial troubles, with her new campaign finance filing showing her with only $112,000 in cash on hand, while holding $193,000 in debt. Long, one of the leading contenders for the GOP nomination to take on Democratic U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, raised $104,000 between early April and early June. She now has $81,000 more in debts than in cash. The financial problems may help explain the departure of two Long staffers. Late last month, well-paid campaign manager Dick Wadhams departed and was [replaced by](http://www.cityandstateny.com/wendy-long-campaign-manager-wadhams-replaced-rob-ryan/) operative Rob Ryan. And on May 15, Long campaign fundraiser Christina Comer [departed after](http://www.cityandstateny.com/wendy-longs-fundraiser-departs-campaign-manager/) a month of working for Long. In both instances, Long's campaign has said that the moves were not results of financial difficulties. The report shows that Wadhams is owed $37,000, Verus Partners $22,500, the Casale Group $60,000 and Prosper Group $15,600, among several other smaller debts owed to vendors. Long also owes herself $28,000 for travel/phone expenses, and has lent $17,000 to the campaign. Long's debt is not a complete surprise, since her first campaign filing showed [a very high](http://www.capitaltonight.com/2012/04/wendy-long-feels-the-burn/) burn rate. In his latest filing, Long's opponent, Brooklyn/Queens Congressman Bob Turner raised [just over](http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/politics/2012/06/6007507/latest-filing-bob-turner-barely-breaks-even-and-gives-wendy-longs-h) $104,000 from early April to early June, and himself had just $108,000 on hand for the campaign's stretch run. The third candidate, Nassau County Comptroller George Maragos, has not yet released his filing. Meanwhile, the winner of the three-way GOP primary on June 26 will face off against Gillibrand, who has more than $9 million in the bank. UPDATE: Here's a statement from Long's campaign spokesman, David Catalfamo. "With the help of endorsements from leading state and national conservatives like Steve Forbes, Grover Norquist, Laura Ingraham, John Bolton and Sean Hannity today, Wendy has attracted the support of 176 individual donors from 27 states. It's clear that momentum is building around Wendy's candidacy and she will have the resources necessary to compete and win on June 26th." To read the full article at City & State [click here. ](http://www.cityandstateny.com/wendy-long-81000-debt-cash/)