Cuomo Super PAC Raises $1.26 Million in Just One Week
The pro-Andrew Cuomo Super PAC, Fix The City, has reported an impressive fundraising total of $1.26 million last week, marking a significant weekly haul for a mayoral candidate’s Super PAC since the Democratic primary.
A substantial portion of this amount, $500,000, came from billionaire William Lauder, who formerly served as the executive chairman of Estée Lauder’s fragrance and beauty company.
Additionally, John Hess, the former chairman and CEO of Hess Corporation, contributed another $500,000. Also making a noteworthy donation was Jack Zantinhofer, a grandson of Ron Lauder, who pitched in $250,000.
Other contributions included a $10,000 donation from the DNA testing company, Natra Inc.
The influx of major donations, which are legally permissible for Super PACs to receive independent of candidate campaigns, is expected to aid the former governor as he moves into the final stages of his campaign for mayor.
While detailed numbers for other major candidates like Eric Adams are typically released on Mondays, it’s still uncertain how much support they garnered from Super PACs last week. Both Cuomo and Adams are running as independents.
Regarding campaign funding, Mamdani has raised over $1.055 million in just five weeks, significantly outpacing Cuomo’s $507,000. Adams managed to raise $460,000, while GOP candidate Curtis Sliwa brought in $407,000.
Interestingly, the low-cost Pro Mamdani Super PAC, New Yorker, received a $250,000 donation from Elizabeth Simons, daughter of hedge fund billionaire James Simons.
Steve M. Cohen, a close confidant of Cuomo, expressed confidence in his candidate’s chances, noting, “The only candidate who can defeat Mamdani is Andrew Cuomo.” He added that many donors are returning and suggests an increase in contributions over the next month or so.
Super PACs have no donation limits, which allows them to gather large sums from individual donors. After losing to Mamdani in the Democratic primary, Cuomo now finds himself in a position to reinvigorate his campaign.
Fix The City has raised over $25 million overall to support Cuomo during the primary, but whether that level of support can be replicated in the general election remains uncertain.
Cuomo’s team plans to invest additional resources into voting efforts for the general election. As in the primary, they will face competition from the many young volunteers supporting Mamdani, who has strong backing from the Democratic Socialist movement and various unions that previously supported Cuomo.
Cuomo’s Super PAC aims to affiliate with other groups that oppose democratic socialists holding mayoral positions, positioning him as a viable alternative. In a recent interview, Cuomo described the race as “a battle for the soul of the Democratic Party and the mayoralty.”
He stated, “I’m a Democrat running on an independent line.” He emphasized his non-socialist stance, mentioning, “I don’t know how I can become a socialist leader in New York City and survive. New York City is all about business.”
