Donor amounts not what they were

Virus pinches campaign efforts; Democrats well outpacing Republicans

Over the past six months, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo raised more than $2 million for his reelection campaign in 2022. The threeterm incumbent now has more than $13.3 million in cash on hand.

Fundraising was made more difficult for candidates over the past six months because of the economic upheaval caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Cuomo’s total was less than the $4.5 million he raised during the same time period in 2019. Still, he has benefited from widespread viewing of his televised daily updates on the crisis, which has substantially bolstered his national profile.

Cuomo’s biggest single donation the past six months, for $60,000, was from Marilyn Simons, who is married to billionaire hedge fund manager and philanthropist James Simons.

State Attorney General Letitia James, a fellow Democrat, focused on collecting small donations the past six months, taking only eight that exceeded $250. She raised about $43,000 from more than 400 donors and has $513,000 on hand.

Another Democrat, state Comptroller Thomas Dinapoli, raised only about $43,000 and has $708,000 in his campaign account.

Cuomo, James and Dinapoli, who all easily won statewide elections in 2018, do not yet have clearly viable challengers for 2022.

The campaign fundraising of the state Senate Democratic conference has surged since the Democrats took the Senate majority in 2018, and the conference’s campaign arm now has $4.58 million in cash, while its housekeeping account has $651,000.

By contrast, state Senate Republicans’ fundraising has plummeted since losing the majority, with the campaign arm now holding $590,000 in cash and the housekeeping account $287,000.

Democrats in some individual swing districts also hold advantages. In the race to replace retiring state Sen. George Amedore, a Republican from Rotterdam, Democratic nominee Michelle Hinchey reported having $164,000 on hand. Hinchey, the daughter of the late former congressman Maurice Hinchey, faces Republican Richard Amedure, a retired state trooper. Ademure reported having $50,100 in campaign funds.