Cynthia rides money train
'Sex' star boasts of grass-roots boo$t
The “unqualified lesbian” is on a roll.
Cynthia Nixon’s gubernatorial campaign boasted on Thursday that she collected more grass-roots donations in one day than Gov. Cuomo had in seven years, while the governor dismissed questions about the “Sex and the City” star’s fund-raising might as a “small” issue.
The lefty actress’ campaign said it raked in 2,214 donations of less than $200 in the first 24 hours after she announced her bid to unseat Cuomo on Monday, compared with the 1,369 the governor has reeled in since the start of 2011.
“Andrew Cuomo has built a $31 million war chest from wealthy corporate interests, lobbyists and billionaires,” said Nixon campaign manager Nicole Aro.
“The incredible grassroots enthusiasm we’re seeing so far is a sign that Democrats know that we can do better than Andrew Cuomo.”
Asked about it at a press conference in The Bronx, Cuomo walked away while saying, “I’m going to go back and work on the budget, and then we’ll answer your small questions.”
Nixon, who would be New York’s first openly LGBTQ governor, has been raising money off former Council Speaker Christine Quinn’s remark this week that the actress was an “unqualified lesbian.”
Quinn, who is openly gay, was bashing Nixon for backing Mayor de Blasio over her in the 2013 mayoral race.
Democratic political operative Hank Sheinkopf said Nixon’s fund-raising proves “she’s got support,” but he questioned if she scripted the torrent of donations.
“It’s a planned event to show a multimillionaire actress is one of the people,” he said.
GOP consultant Ed Rollins quipped, “It’s the Bernie Sanders campaign all over again,” referring to the so- cialist senator’s 2016 presidential bid, which also raked in small donations.
The Nixon campaign could not immediately say how much money it took in.
The 1,369 small donations made to Cuomo’s campaign total just under $94,500, but he has raked in a total of $76.6 million over the seven years, filings show.
Nixon has pledged not to take corporate donations but will accept money from limited liability companies. Larger businesses sometimes create LLCs to skirt contribution limits, but her campaign said it won’t take funds through that loophole.
“Many small businesses, mom-and-pop shops, and small law firms across New York are legally classified as LLCs,” said spokeswoman Rebecca Katz.
Nixon, meanwhile, continued hammering Cuomo.
“In the corruption Olympics that is Albany, I think Andrew Cuomo is winning himself some gold medals,” she told The Buffalo News.