State Senator and Congressional Candidate Ray Meier today announced one million dollars in state money for the Stanley Theater in Utica. Thursday, Meier announced half a million dollars for Hamilton College's Access Program and last week, Meier joined other state leaders to announce the possibility of 240 jobs when a state data center locates at SUNYIT in Marcy in four to five years. Meier has been working on many of these and other projects for months. But is the timing of them--within two weeks of the election--amount to using sort of an incumbent advantage?

"That's not an advantage necessarily it's a factor of demonstrating that I have done and can do the kinds of things that are required of a congressman," says Meier.

Also required of a person who wants to be a congressman: big money to fund a campaign. On that front, Meier's democratic opponent, Michael Arcuri, is ahead, having raised $1.6 million so far to Meier's $1.4 million. Arcuri hopes the numbers on election day will echo those figures.

"But clearly you know if you look at the number of people contributing we don't just have large contributors obviously we have a lot of small contributors, five dollars, ten dollars so you know people really want to come in they want to help out they want to help bring about change," says Arcuri.

A political expert at Utica College says both big influence and big money bring advantages to candidates. But this close to the election, he's not sure if either will matter.

"I think pretty much things are set. I think people have made their decisions and now it's a matter of pulling the lever," says Professor Marco Castillo.