Ulrich Spending Big To Unseat Addabbo [UPDATED]

Councilman Eric Ulrich

Councilman Eric Ulrich isn’t sweating his rival state Sen. Joseph Addabbo’s gubernatorial endorsement and has been spending fast and hitting back hard. So far, Ulrich has emptied $121,000 of his $305,000 campaign war chest, including $80,000 on TV ads, and has $270,000. Addabbo, who has spent $81,000 so far and has $131,000 on hand, will likely emphasize his decade-long experience in office and contrast it with Ulrich’s relative youth. Addabbo spokeswoman Jennifer Galvin said the campaign’s organization will be a key to victory. “[Addabbo]’s always the first person to say money doesn’t win a campaign,” she said. “He doesn’t want to run a campaign that way. He wants to win by going out to voters and getting their support.” But Addabbo will have the challenge of fending off Ulrich in a conservative-leaning district that largely supported Rep. Bob Turner in his upset over Assemblyman David Weprin last year in a special election to replace Anthony Weiner. “There’s a sense among voters that they’re not happy with the status quo and with career politicians like David Weprin and Addabbo,” Ulrich spokeswoman Jessica Proud said. “People are eager for a fresh face, and they’re energized to vote for someone to bring the state off the fiscal cliff.”

Updated with context that the district largely supported Rep. Bob Turner in his upset over Assemblyman David Weprin.