With the June primary for mayor quickly approaching, the Democratic field is solidifying around five main candidates, led by former Governor Andrew Cuomo, who is becoming increasingly formidable due to substantial fundraising efforts.
Recent campaign finance disclosures reveal a significant shift in fundraising dynamics, particularly for City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams. After a rocky start, her campaign has gained momentum, putting her in a strong position to qualify for public matching funds.
Cuomo has also seen a substantial boost in his campaign finances, receiving major backing from numerous well-connected fundraisers, including attorney Arthur Aidala, a known supporter of current Mayor Eric Adams. This support has helped Cuomo maintain his status as the frontrunner in polling metrics.
As the candidates prepare for the second and final debate ahead of early voting—which begins on June 1—Speaker Adams, Cuomo, city Comptroller Brad Lander, Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani, and state Senator Zellnor Myrie have all qualified. The criteria involved either achieving at least 5% in key polls or raising and spending a minimum of $2.37 million.
Former Comptroller Scott Stringer is also in the running to qualify for the debate based on his volume of donations that are eligible for public matching funds. Under the rules, donations from New York residents up to $250 are matched at a rate of $8 for every $1 contributed. Additionally, ex-Assembly member Michael Blake has reported just surpassing the required small local donor threshold of $250,000, making him potentially eligible as well.
In contrast, State Senator Jessica Ramos doesn’t qualify under any of the established criteria. The debate, co-hosted by THE CITY along with partners like Spectrum News NY1 and WNYC/Gothamist, is scheduled for June 12.
Current Mayor Eric Adams has opted to skip the primary, choosing instead to run as an independent in November’s general election. However, he has successfully revived his own fundraising efforts after his campaign faced legal challenges related to alleged corruption. Following the dismissal of his criminal case, Adams collected a significant $155,000, a stark increase from the mere $19,000 he raised in the previous period.
Despite the ongoing investigations, Adams has continued to make regular payments to Brianna Suggs, his campaign fundraiser, who has already received over $460,000 amid controversy, including an FBI raid on her home related to the investigation.
Speaker Adams made her late entry into the race challenging, initially raising only $126,000 from mid-January through mid-March, which did not meet the public funds threshold. However, her fundraising has picked up dramatically since then, amassing over $390,000 recently. Now, her campaign is aiming to claim that around $300,000 came from more than 4,000 local city residents, thus qualifying for matching funds.
This surge is arguably aided by Mamdani encouraging his supporters to contribute to Adams’ campaign after having reached the spending limit under the matching funds program himself, where he has raised nearly $8 million. This strategy aims to create a stronger competitive stance against Cuomo’s polling lead, leveraging the intricacies of ranked choice voting.
The Campaign Finance Board is set to convene and vote on the latest batch of matching fund requests shortly. Cuomo’s campaign recently encountered some setbacks, as the board awarded him $1.5 million but withheld over $620,000 due to allegations of improper coordination with the independent spending group, Fix The City. Cuomo has denied any wrongdoing and intends to seek resolution to access the withheld funds.
In his latest round of fundraising efforts, Cuomo continues to dominate with strong financial support, surpassing his earlier fundraising figures. Since mid-March, he has raised nearly $2.4 million, significantly enhancing his campaign resources.
Support for Cuomo reflects a network of committed and influential fundraisers, many of whom are closely associated with him. For instance, Aidala, who had previously supported Adams, has now raised $10,650 for Cuomo. Other notable fundraisers include Jeffrey Sachs, a health advisor for Cuomo, who contributed $82,800, and public relations executive Dan Klores, who raised $31,700.
However, some of Cuomo’s fundraising network members, like Nick Spano, a former Republican state senator, have amassed substantial sums—tallying $117,450 in contributions—but their donations are not eligible for public matching due to their lobbying status.
As the primary date approaches, the landscape of Democratic candidates remains competitive, with fundraising and voter outreach efforts increasingly critical for success.
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