House Dems are spending money to save Rep. Joe Morelle in Rochester

A super PAC for the Democratic House majority will pump $275,000 into Rep. Joe Morelle’s campaign in Rochester’s blue-leaning upstate district — the latest sign of a potential Republican wave sweeping across New York on Election Day.

Morelle — a former congressman who was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2018 — faced a powerful challenge from Republican La’Ron Singletary, a former Rochester police chief who leads a law and order campaign.

A poll released by the Singletary campaign in mid-October found he fell just 4 points behind Morelle – 43% to 39% – while the rest of voters were undecided.

House Majority PAC bought $275,000 in ads to help Morelle, according to data from media-tracking firm AdImpact and reports from Politico.

Singletary, who is black, could benefit from a racially divisive feud among Democrats over Monroe County’s legislature redistribution, sources said.

The maps would increase the number of predominantly black districts in the Rochester portion of Monroe County from 2 to 5 and are endorsed by the NAACP and African American leaders.

But most of the county’s white lawmakers oppose the plan to redistribute black voting rights, creating an ugly rift in the local Democratic Party.

“I worry about factions in the Democratic Party. It couldn’t come at a worse time. Democrats should be concerned about people staying home,” Rochester County Legislator Rachel Barnhart, one of only two white Democrats in the county’s legislature who supports the redistribution plan, told The Post Monday night.

“Republicans are running hard up here. It’s important that the Democrats come out and vote.”

Rochester County Legislature President Sabrina Lamar, a black Democrat who sides with the Republicans, told the Post she doesn’t vote for Morelle and respects Singletary. She had a long-running feud with the congressman.

“I’m not voting for Joe. I vote for what is right,” Lamar said.

Singletary was in charge of the Rochester Police when a mentally ill Daniel Prude died of asphyxia in custody.

But Lamar said Singletary is connecting with voters by focusing on the issue of crime.

“La’Ron knows the community. He’s been faithful to the community for 20 years,” Lamar said. “Community violence affects everyone.”