Tom Golisano has already made a personal contribution of $3,800, the maximum allowed in a primary, to former Buffalo Council Member Barbra Kavanaugh (D) in her challenge to Sam Hoyt. A source close to the billionaire hinted that this is a sign that Golisano will use his Responsible New York committee to back Kavanaugh.

Hoyt, who has long harbored ambitions to be Buffalo mayor, has been feuding with Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown (D) for several years. Brown is said to behind the Kavanaugh campaign and the mayor is close to Golisano confidant Steve Pigeon, who is co-chairing the new committee. Kavanaugh denied that Brown asked her to challenge Hoyt and said that she does not think of her campaign as a challenge to Hoyt.

Hoyt said that he is taking the Kavanaugh threat seriously, especially given Golisano’s involvement, and will accelerate his fundraising. Hoyt even said that while signs point to Golisano backing Kavanaugh, he will seek the billionaire’s support.

“On paper my record warrants strong support from Tom Golisano,” Hoyt said. “If this is truly on the merits I am the kind of person he should support. But this may not be on the merits.”

With Golisano likely to support Erie County Legislator Kathy Konst (D) in her bid to unseat longtime Sen. Dale Volker (R-Erie), Volker is publicly remaining calm about his chances. But in private, a source close to Volker said the senator is calling in chits amassed during his long career to fend off the challenge.

The source said that Volker will likely concentrate his campaign in the rural parts of the district in Wyoming, Livingston and Ontario Counties, Republican strongholds where Konst is unknown. Konst is well known in Erie County, which comprises a large part of the district, from her work as a maverick in county government.

“He has put in a lot of time and he has a lot of friends,” the source said.

In addition to the Konst challenge, Volker has to face former East Aurora Mayor David DiPietro in the primary, a challenge being backed by powerful Buffalo developer Carl Palladino.

Konst is also considered strong based on her two victories in a Republican heavy county district. Her 2005 victory over a one term incumbent was considered a fluke based on the reform wave that swept Erie County that year. Konst’s independence has not won her many friends among county Democrats and many did not rally to her side in her tough 2007 reelection campaign, where she had to create a second ballot line to go with the Democratic nomination.

“She was left there to die,” a Democratic insider said of the party’s attitude towards Konst last year. The party did not recruit Konst into the Senate race and she made her decision separately from the county party, which is backing former judicial candidate Tim Pawarski against Volker.

The Golisano camp said that Konst’s now famous meeting with Golisano several weeks ago helped the billionaire decide to create the campaign committee. The source said that the meeting, which has been described as centering on political philosophies and not campaign strategy, helped convince Golisano there would be likeminded Senate candidates to endorse. Prior to the meeting, Konst had been running for Congress.

Legal challenges are also being considered to Golisano. In the race to succeed retiring State Sen. Mary Lou Rath (R-Erie), Golisano will be backing retired boxer Joe Mesi (D). Erie County Legislator Michele Ianello (D), who is challenging Mesi in the primary, held a press conference last week to call for Mesi to reject Golisano’s backing and suggested that Attorney General Andrew Cuomo and Albany County District Attorney David Soares should investigate the relationship between Pigeon, Mesi and Golisano. Pigeon is a close friend of Mesi’s and Ianello said the relationship could suggest illegal coordination between the campaign and Golisano.

Ianello is married to Erie County Democratic Elections Commissioner Dennis Ward, who is also one of the top election attorneys in Western New York.

Election attorney Henry Berger, who is advising Golisano, said that the billionaire has not violated any laws and that Pigeon will not be playing a role in any decisions relating to the Mesi campaign. Berger explained that decisions involving Mesi will be handled by former State Independence Party Chairwoman Laureen Oliver, who is also working with Golisano this year. Pigeon himself confirmed that he does not intend to advise Golisano on the Mesi campaign.

“I want to go beyond what the law requires,” he said.

A source within the Ianello campaign said that she will consider civil remedies as well and is not coordinating her legal challenge with any other candidate statewide, including her brother-in-law, Amherst Council Member Dan Ward, who is also challenging Mesi.

Confident in the Golisano camp's standing, Berger welcomed the challenge.

“Bring it on,” he said.