Tom Golisano is using donations to Responsible New York to shake up politics around the state. But he is making personal contributions, too, and those could have far-reaching implications in his home area of Western New York.

The maverick billionaire and former gubernatorial candidate has donated $3,800 Paula Banks-Dahlke, a Republican challenging Assembly Member Francine Delmonte (D-Niagara).

While Golisano and Responsible New York will not make any endorsements until after he receives back the questionnaires he has prepared for candidates across the state, sources close to him said that he is likely to use his Responsible New York committee will likely back Banks-Dahlke’s challenge.

Delmonte said she was not surprised to hear Golisano may support Banks-Dahlke, saying that the billionaire also supported her 2006 primary challenger, Gary Parenti, who is now a political advisor to Golisano. She did note that she is concerned about how she will be judged by the Responsible New York committee.

It runs counter to his announcing about sending a questionnaire,” Delmonte said of the personal donation. “It biases him. It says to me, ‘How fairly I will be judged?’”

She did indicate that she will respond to a questionnaire if she receives one.

The result of the race could have far deeper implications than the control of one Assembly seat. If Delmonte should lose this year, the battles brewing beneath the surface of the Niagara County Democratic Party would likely turn into an all out party civil war, according to insiders.

Delmonte, the county’s highest ranking Democratic official, is seen as the boss of the county party.

“It would be a ship without a captain at that point,” one insider said. “She has been the de facto leader and calling the shots behind the scenes.”

County Democratic Chairman Dan Rivera is seen as embattled in recent months. And while a challenge to his re-election in September is unlikely to succeed so long as Delmonte controls the party, her defeat would reopen questions about Rivera’s leadership. Rivera is under fire for what some are calling a directionless party lacking a platform and sufficient candidate recruitment.

County Democrats only control five seats in the 19-member county legislature, with an additional four registered Democrats caucusing with Republicans. Insiders describe the party’s platform as being little more than to attack State Sen. George Maziarz (R-Niagara) and county Republican Chairman Henry Wojtaszek instead of offering policy positions for county issues.

Rivera’s problems escalated in recent weeks when county party Vice Chairwoman Diane Roberts resigned claiming that Rivera grabbed her nose after she objected to a letter to the editor opposing Maziarz. A protest in front of a Rivera-organized fundraised caused Senate Minority Leader Malcolm Smith (D-Queens) to stop from even entering the catering hall.

Rivera places the blame for the problems on Golisano political advisors Steve Pigeon and Gary Parenti, claiming they want to seize control of the party for themselves and have aligned themselves with Maziarz to accomplish this. He said the leader of the protest, a former president of the state NOW chapter, is a Parenti ally. He declined to answer questions about the party’s platform without being told the name of the source.

“The only people who are openly saying anything are George Maziarz, Gary Parenti and Steve Pigeon. Maziarz is a Republican and Pigeon and Parenti are political mercenaries,” Rivera said. “That’s who I blame for this debacle.”

Delmonte declined to discuss the party’s internal operations or the potential fate of the party should she lose the election. She noted that she has been supportive of local candidates countywide.

Parenti denied that he is after Rivera’s job, but said that he would like to play a role in the selection of the next chairman. Golisano staffers said the billionaire was not interested with who took over the Niagara party.

Banks-Dahlke, a luxury kitchen designer, is one of only two Assembly candidates to be backed by Golisano’s personal cash. The other is former Buffalo Council Member Barbra Kavanaugh, who is challenging Assembly Member Sam Hoyt (D-Erie).

Golisano has also donated $5,000 to the campaign for Democrat Frank Sedita III for Erie County district attorney, his only personal donation besides Bank-Dahlke and Kavanaugh. Sources said Golisano made the donation based on his long relationship with Sedita’s family—his father is a state judge and his grandfather was Buffalo mayor.

The sources said there is a small possibility Golisano would back several local candidates this year. Sedita is seeking an open seat in the primary against former prosecutors Ken Case and Diane LaVallee. LaVallee also holds the Republican endorsement in the race.