Raymond Hernandez writes in today’s New York Times - “Republican candidates are showing surprising financial strength in Congressional districts held by Democrats in the Northeast that party leaders have singled out as ripe for what could be critical gains in the November election.

Some of the most competitive races are taking shape in the New York metropolitan region…

In the Utica area, Representative Michael A. Arcuri, a Democrat, has about $415,000, even as Richard Hanna, a wealthy construction executive, entered the race telling Republican leaders in Washington that he was prepared to spend significant amounts of his own money. In 2008, he invested $1 million seeking to unseat Mr. Arcuri.

Still, many Democratic incumbents whom the Republicans are singling out in the region have moved quickly to fortify their campaign war chests, sometimes doubling and even tripling the amount of money of their Republican rivals have on hand.

On Staten Island, Representative Michael E. McMahon, a freshman Democrat in a conservative-leaning district, has about $1 million, far more than either of the Republicans in the race. Michael Allegretti, a lobbyist for an environmental firm, has roughly $235,000, and Michael Grimm, a retired F.B.I. agent, has about $298,000.”

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