2006 New York State Comptroller election

Democratic primary

Nominee

Alan Hevesi was the incumbent state comptroller. A Democrat and former professor, Hevesi was first elected in 2002. He previously served two terms as New York City Comptroller from 1994 to 2002, when he was term-limited out of the office. At the time of the election, he was being investigated for using a state employee as a chauffeur for his wife and failing to keep records or reimburse the state of New York by the Albany County District Attorney.

Republican primary

Nominee

Christopher Callaghan, the Republican candidate, served as the Treasurer of Saratoga County, New York from 1997 to 2006. He was first appointed to the position by governor George Pataki in 1997, and elected to a full term later that year. He was re-elected twice.

Third parties

Declared

• Julia Willebrand (Green), educator and peace activist
• John Cain (Libertarian), insurance broker
• Willie Cotton (Socialist Workers), journalist

Disqualified

• Michael Cronmiller (Right to Life)

General election

Campaign

On October 12, 2006, Albany County District Attorney David Soares' office announced they were investigating Hevesi over claims that he hired a public employee to chauffeur his wife. Eleven days later, the New York State Ethics Commission deemed Hevesi's actions in violation of state law.

On October 26, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Eliot Spitzer withdrew his endorsement of Hevesi, saying that "[r]ecent developments in the Comptroller's race are deeply troubling. The outcome of the Ethics Commission investigation presents information that compromises Alan Hevesi's ability to fulfill his responsibilities." On November 4, Hevesi was ordered to pay an additional $90,000.

Endorsements

;Newspapers and media

• The New York Post
• Times Herald-Record
• New York Sun
• Poughkeepsie Journal
• Newsday
• The New York Times
• The Brooklyn Paper
• Troy Record
• Syracuse Post Standard ;Newspapers and media
• New York Daily News

Polling

† Of voters polled in Albany, Rensselaer, Saratoga, and Schenectady counties.

Results

References

References

1. "Newsday | Long Island's & NYC's News Source | Newsday".
2. "1010 WINS - On-Air, Online, on Demand -".
3. "Newsday | Long Island's & NYC's News Source | Newsday".
4. http://blogs.nydailynews.com/dailypolitics/archives/2006/10/hevesi_in_troub.php {{Dead link. (April 2019)
5. http://blogs.nydailynews.com/dailypolitics/archives/2006/10/spitzers_statem.php {{Dead link. (April 2019)
6. "ABC News - ABC News".
7. "CALLAGHAN FOR COMPTROLLER - New York Post Online Edition: Seven".
8. (25 October 2006). "Hevesi betrays taxpayers' trust". [[Times Herald-Record]].
9. "Callaghan for Comptroller".
10. "Archived copy".
11. "Newsday | Long Island's & NYC's News Source | Newsday".
12. (27 October 2006). "Opinion | for New York Comptroller". The New York Times.
13. (2006). "Alan Hevesi must go". [[The Brooklyn Papers]].
14. "The Record - Callaghan gets comptroller nod".
15. "Archived copy".
16. http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ideas_opinions/story/465544p-391727c.html {{Dead link. (April 2019)
17. "Marist".
18. "NYS Board of Elections Attorney General Election Returns Nov. 7, 2006". [[New York State Board of Elections]].
19. "NYS Board of Elections Attorney General Election Returns Nov. 7, 2006". [[New York State Board of Elections]].