Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Queens Assembly Member Zohran Mamdani, two Democrats on opposite ends of the party’s ideological spectrum, are dominating the 2025 money race to unseat Mayor Eric Adams, according to city Campaign Finance Board (CFB) records and figures released by their campaigns.
Cuomo, who jumped into the race on March 1, reported having raised a robust $1.5 million from 2,800 donors in just 13 days, according to numbers shared by his campaign and CFB records. His strong showing comes after he entered the contest as a frontrunner who has been leading in the polls and racking up endorsements from local pols and unions.
Of Cuomo’s haul, his campaign says $332,000 in contributions are eligible for public matching funds that could grow his war chest to nearly $4.2 million.
“I’ve been humbled by the depth and breadth of the outpouring of support we’ve received upon entering this race,” said Cuomo, who resigned as governor in 2021 amid multiple sexual assault allegations that he denies, in a statement.
The CFB’s matching funds program offers candidates an 8-to-1 match on contributions up to $250 from city residents. Candidates must receive $250,000 contributions from at least 1,000 small-dollar donors who live in the city in order to qualify.
The former governor’s notable donors include his ex-wife Kerry Kennedy, Former Manhattan US Attorney Geoff Berman, and Jessica Seinfeld — the wife of comedian Jerry Seinfeld.
Mamdani, a Democratic socialist who has thus far been one of the strongest fundraisers in the race, has raked in nearly $847,000 during the latest filing period, between mid-January and March 13 — according to the CFB. Those dollars come on top of $643,000 he raised during the last filing period and $2.8 million he has already unlocked in matching funds.
Mamdani’s campaign says roughly $500,000 of his newly raised funds can be used to secure another $4 million in matching funds. His campaign has recieved contributions from over 16,000 individual donors, 73% of whom live in the five boroughs.
“We have the momentum, the movement, and the money to win,” Mamdani said in a statement.
No report on Mayor Adams funding
Vito Pitta, Mayor Adams’ compliance attorney, did not immediately share his campaign’s latest fundraising figures.
Last filing quarter, Adams’ fundraising slowed dramatically in the wake of his federal indictment on corruption charges, which President Trump’s Justice Department has since moved to dismiss. He had raised nearly $4.4 million as of the last filing period and had $3.1 million cash on hand, but the CFB rejected his campaign’s claim for another $4 million in December.
Lander gets another boost
Also in a strong fundraising position is city Comptroller Brad Lander.
According to the CFB, the city’s chief money manager raised nearly $228,000 this filing period, of which $130,000 can be used to grow that haul to nearly $1.3 million. That comes on top of nearly $1.2 million in private contributions and close to $3.7 million in matching funds that Lander had previously raised.
Lander’s campaign says his latest filing, combined with the funds he has already amassed, will bring his coffers to $6.7 million, putting him on pace to hit the CFB’s $8.3 million spending limit.
“These results show that New Yorkers are hungry to end the Adams-Cuomo nightmare of endless scandal and corruption and replace it with strong, honest leadership,” Lander said in a statement.
Lander has $3.7 million cash-on-hand, according to city CFB records.
Speaker Adams ineligible for public funds
Meanwhile, City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, the latest entrant into the mayor’s race, has raised $126,000 since launching her bid on March 8, according to the CFB. The sum is notably not enough to access matching funds for this filing period, meaning the speaker will not be eligible for public dollars until late May.
Nevertheless, the speaker’s campaign says $78,000 of the money she has raised can be used to grow her war chest to $624,000. She received contributions from 1,128 donors, including 875 who live in the city.
Speaker Adams’ hauls comes on top of $211,000 she already had in her campaign account. After spending $68,000, she has $276,000 cash-on-hand, CFB records show.
$187K for Stringer
Former city Comptroller Scott Stringer’s campaign brought in nearly $188,000 this filing period, according to the CFB. His campaign says $103,000 of that amount can be used to unlock matching funds, bringing his fundraising for the latest reporting term to over $1 million.
Overall, Stringer’s campaign says it has raised roughly $976,000—over $5 million, including matching funds he has already unlocked and anticipates receiving. He has nearly $3 million cash-on-hand, according to the CFB.
“As my fundraising continues to show, New Yorkers are buying what I am selling, and it’s only upward from here as they learn more about how I will fix what’s broken,” Stringer said in a statement.
The rest of the field
State Sen. Zellnor Myrie (D-Brooklyn) raised approximately $136,000 this filing period, according to CFB records. Those funds add to his previous fundraising of over $648,000 in private donations and $2,2 million in public funds. Myrie has $2.3 million cash-on-hand.
Businessman Whitney Tilson has raised roughly $343,000 in the last two months, including a $25,000 loan from himself, CFB records indictate. He has $89,000 in his campaign account.
Former Bronx Assembly Member Michael Blake brought in $140,000, but he has just $18,000 in his campaign account and has not qualified for matching funds, CFB records show.
State Sen. Jessica Ramos (D-Queens) is trailing the pack. She only raised $70,000 this reporting period, has not qualified for matching funds, and is $811 in the red.
