And off we go!
The unofficial start of the 2025 mayoral race begins Monday, with candidates in an already crowded field scheduled to announce fundraising figures.
The filing will give the public and critics a glimpse into the momentum challengers are gaining as they seek to unseat Mayor Eric Adams as the Democratic nominee ahead of elections at the end of next year.
It also will show how successful the mayor is at raising funds as the federal investigation looms over his campaign and the Mayor’s Defense Trust Fund solicits donors to cover legal costs related to the investigation.
There has been speculation for weeks in political circles about when he might formally enter the race for the primary election, set to be decided next June, but attention will also be focused on current City Comptroller Brad Lander’s filings in the first few months of the year.
The city’s Campaign Finance Board is expected to release the documents early Monday.
Mayor Eric Adams’ campaign told The Washington Post that it has raised more than $1 million in the past six months, with matching funds from the city bringing the total to more than $8 million.
“The mayor’s campaign continues to receive strong support from New Yorkers,” said Vito Pitta, an adviser to Adams 2025’s campaign.
In the last filing period, Adams’ campaign raised just over $500,000, down from the previous six months.
Former city Comptroller Scott Stringer, who unsuccessfully ran a primary challenge for mayor, has raised about $425,000, according to his campaign, which adds up to $2.1 million in public funds.
“This is a very significant down payment for a mayoral campaign,” Stringer told the Post, adding that he believes the money will make the race competitive.
Stringer has been fundraising for six months since joining the search committee in January, recording more than 2,100 donors who contributed an average of $157.
The campaign of state Sen. Zellnor Miley, a progressive who has less name recognition than Stringer and Adams, declined to release the figures ahead of the filing.
Miley has been focusing her fundraising efforts on social media, but her campaign has kept expectations down, telling reporters that she only tentatively joined the race in May.
Lander’s campaign also declined to disclose the details of the lawsuit, but if he decides to formally challenge Adams, he would be using the millions of dollars he earned from his race for comptroller.
If that happens, it will set off a domino effect among local politicians.
The current leading candidates are Manhattan Borough President Mark Levin and Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso.
The two will face off against state Assembly member Jennifer Rajkumar.
Critics have pegged City Councilman Keith Powers as the leading candidate for Manhattan borough president.
