If the race for mayor were tomorrow, than Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams would be killing it!
According to the latest fundraising figures as of Jan. 11, Adams has net raised $1.68 million and factoring in matching funds that figure would balloon to $3.037 million.
Put in perspective, Adams’ closest expected competitors in the 2021 mayoral race – New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer and Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr. – pale in comparison in these numbers.
Stringer who has raised $1.073 million and factoring in matching funds this figure moves up to roughly $2.744 million. However, Stringer’s funding also includes a personal loan of $1.4 million he transferred into his campaign from his previous City Comptroller account.
Diaz raised $738,797 and with matching funds this number would increase to $1.021 million.
Looking further at the fundraising totals, Adams also more than doubles and triples Stringer and Diaz total number of total donors while averaging smaller donations.
Adams was able to raise this money through 2,149 contributors with an average donation of $782. Stringer had 907 donors with an average contribution of $1,184. Diaz had 634 contributors, with the average contribution being $1,165.
This is the second time the Brooklyn Borough President pulled ahead in fundraising, bringing in the most for the filing date ending July 11 in 2018, as well.
“As proud as this campaign is of how much money has been raised at this early stage, the real message here is the diversity of our donors. Eric has donors who hail from the many ethnic communities that make up our city. Diverse, small-dollar donors are the bedrock of this grassroots movement,” said Stefan Ringel, campaign spokesperson for Adams’ mayoral campaign.
Adams will surely put this massive war chest to good use come the 2021 Mayoral race, as the election is expected to bring out top elected officials for the open seat.
But one political source said Adams is also blessed with good political fortunes as his strongest Brooklyn opponents have essentially taken themselves out of the race. This includes former Public Advocate and current New York State Attorney General Letitia James and House Democratic Caucus Chair and fifth highest-ranking Democrat in the next House of Representatives, U.S. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, Bed-Stuy, Brownsville, East New York, Canarsie, Mill Basin, Coney Island & South Ozone Park, Howard Beach in Queens).
Jeffries is expected to continue his national political rise in the coming years while James could very well be looking at the governor’s mansion.
Adams is also a former NYPD captain with enough progressive values to appeal to both blue-collar Democrats and blue wave Democrats who lean ultra-left.
