ALBANY, N.Y – Thomas Suozzi, a possible challenger to state Attorney General Eliot Spitzer for the Democratic nomination for governor, said yesterday he already has a campaign war chest of more than $5 million.

While that’s only about one-quarter of what Spitzer has on hand, Suozzi only created his gubernatorial campaign committee last week. He seeded that fund with $3.37 million he had left over from his successful bid last year for re-election as Nassau County executive.

The Long Island Democrat said yesterday he raised an additional $1.67 million over the past several weeks.

Mr. Suozzi plans to tour the state for the next month or two before making a final decision on whether to run.

Polls have shown Mr. Spitzer far ahead of the lesser-known Mr. Suozzi, who has presented himself as a somewhat more conservative alternative to the attorney general and someone who has experience as a chief executive.

On Monday, the Spitzer camp announced it had more than $19 million on hand for the governor’s race, more than Republican Governor Pataki had at a similar point in time four years ago and more than 10 times what the best bankrolled Republican contender – former Massachusetts Governor Bill Weld – has this time around.

Mr. Weld, a native New Yorker, said Monday his campaign committee had $1.84 million in the bank.

Yesterday, Mr. Weld brushed aside the differences between his bank balance and those sported by Messrs. Spitzer and Suozzi.

“We have lots of stuff in the pipeline,” Mr. Weld told Albany’s WROW-AM radio. “I have complete confidence we’re going to have the funds we need to be competitive.”

Former state Assembly Minority Leader John Faso said he had $932,739 in the bank in his bid for the GOP nomination for governor.