The East versus West Side race for Manhattan borough president is heating up, with Council Member Keith Powers raking in just under $104,000 in the latest fundraising period, putting him at just under $900,000 when including estimated matching funds.
Powers has already qualified for the city’s 8-to-1 public matching program, with the Campaign Finance Board releasing $314,000 in public funds to the campaign last month. With this latest haul, Powers’ campaign expects to have roughly $887,000 when including matching funds, though the CFB makes final determinations on donations that are eligible to be matched. Powers has roughly 1,100 individual donors, his campaign said.
For a while, the term-limited Powers was the only major candidate running for the seat, which is opening up thanks to a delicate game of musical chairs prompted by Comptroller Brad Lander’s run for mayor and current Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine’s run for comptroller, in turn.
But in early December, state Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal made his long-rumored entrance into the race official. Because of his later launch, Hoylman-Sigal has not yet filed a campaign finance report, but his fundraising for this latest period – along with that of all other city campaigns – is expected to be released by the Campaign Finance Board on Wednesday. The latest fundraising period stretched from October to January. Powers launched his campaign and has been fundraising since August.
Both districts represented by the lawmakers include parts of some of the city’s wealthiest neighborhoods; Powers’ 4th City Council district stretches along the Upper East Side and has among the highest median incomes of all council districts.
Both candidates have been gathering endorsements from local groups and leaders; Hoylman-Sigal has the backing of the United Democratic Organization and the Village Independent Democrats. Powers recently announced support from district leaders and other local leaders on the East Side.
Senegal
