New York’s ritzy Hamptons plays host to over a dozen political

Democrats and Republicans alike are heading out to the ritzy Hamptons, New York’s summer playground, to fill their campaign war chests in the final months of the 2022 midterm elections and, in some cases, to test presidential aspirations for 2024.

With just under 100 days until the November elections, more than a dozen congressional and state lawmakers are heading to the Hamptons for fundraisers in August alone. Wall Street executives, media titans, top lawyers and other corporate leaders are hosting numerous pricey fundraising dinners at their beach town estates, according to interviews with GOP and Democratic fundraisers, donors and political consultants. Many of the people in this story declined to be named to discuss private gatherings featuring candidates and other financiers.

“They are all here,” said a Democratic fundraiser hosting multiple upcoming events in the Hamptons.

Donors from Suffolk County on Long Island, where the Hamptons are located, have contributed over $17 million to candidates during the 2022 election cycle, according to data from non-partisan campaign finance watchdog OpenSecrets. Suffolk County donors gave more than $45 million to campaigns during the 2020 election.

Democrats who’ve scheduled fundraisers in the Hamptons include, author and Maryland Democratic gubernatorial nominee Wes Moore, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, Georgia gubernatorial nominee Stacey Abrams and California House Rep. Karen Bass according to invitations reviewed by CNBC and people familiar with the matter. Hochul is running for reelection against Rep. Lee Zeldin, R-N.Y., while Bass is campaigning to be the next mayor of Los Angeles.

A Hochul campaign spokeswoman declined to comment. Representatives for Moore, Abrams and Bass did not return requests for comment.

Republicans who recently scheduled or have allies trying to organize meetings in the Hamptons with top donors include Nebraska Sen. Ben Sasse, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy of California, former Vice President Mike Pence and Marc Molinaro, a county official in New York state, according to invitations and people familiar with the matter.

Representatives for Sasse, DeSantis, Cotton, McCarthy and Molinaro did not return requests for comment.

Sasse isn’t up for reelection until 2026 so his fundraiser could fuel speculation that he’s considering running for president in 2024. Mark Gerson and Rabbi Erica Gerson are hosting a fundraiser for Sasse at their Sag Harbor, N.Y., home on Friday, according to an invitation. Seats are going for between $1,000 to $10,800 per person, which will go to Sasse’s leadership committee. Gerson, who is the co-founder of financial advisory firm Gerson Lehrman Group, did not return requests for comment.

Molinaro is running for a New York House seat in November, and McCarthy is up for reelection this year. Republican kingmaker and metal mogul Andy Sabin is cohosting a fundraiser on Thursday at his seven-acre compound…