Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos has raised more than $485,000 in the last six months, giving him a hefty $2.1 million campaign war chest.

Skelos is already spreading his money around, donating thousands to a variety of GOP candidates for Senate around the state including Bob Cohen ($10,000), Sean Hanna ($10,000) an Eric Ulrich ($7,500).

The Nassau County lawmaker also received a $1,500 contribution from GOP Rep. Nan Hayworth on March 5. At the time, Albany lawmakers were grappling with cobbling together a redrawing of boundaries for both state and federal lawmakers, including Hayworth’s Hudson Valley Congressional seat.

In the end, the point was moot because a federal magistrate stepped in to draw the House district map for New York.

The Skelos money is again another sign that Senate Republicans will have the lion’s share of cash this election season. Yesterday a Republican source told me that Senate Finance Chairman John DeFrancisco will have just shy of $1 million to play with this fall. DeFrancisco does not have a Democratic opponent, giving him the flexibility to spread the money around.

Look for Republicans to continue to press their money advantage this year in what’s expected to be a heated battle for control of the upper chamber of the state Legislature.

And the the Senate Republican Campaign Committee has $4.9 million in cash on hand.

rwservlet

Share|