Matching funds flow in first payout of general election
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The Campaign Finance Board awarded $3,334,194 in matching funds to 40 candidates on Tuesday, including several in Queens. Screenshot via Campaign Finance Board
By Ryan Schwach
Money has begun to flow following the first public matching fund payout for the upcoming general election season, with several Queens candidates pulling in cash for their campaigns.
Queens Borough President Donovan Richards pulled in nearly half a million dollars for his reelection campaign, and Queens Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani was given more money for his mayoral bid as two of his closest rivals were not. A number of Queens City Council candidates facing general election challengers also began to bring in some cash on Tuesday through the city’s matching funds program.
The payouts are the first from the Campaign Finance Board as candidates look toward the general election, which will include at least two potentially notable races in Queens, as well as an unusually crowded general election race for mayor.
Richards, who did not have a Democratic primary and is likely to be reelected to another term at Borough Hall, received $405,421 for his campaign.
While Richards himself has publicly stated he “does not have a race” this year, he will face Republican real estate professional Henry Ikezi in November.
Ikezi has raised about $27,000 for his bid, but did not get matching funds on Tuesday because he did not submit a statement of need to the CFB, and otherwise did not meet the needed fundraising threshold. The young Republican does not currently have the endorsement of the Queens County Republican Party.
In the races for Queens’ City Council seats, active duty Firefighter Benjamin Chou received $760 in matching funds in the Whitestone, College Point and Beechhurst-centered District 19.
He had received $151,512 in matching funds prior to this payout. Chou is coming off a landslide win in the primary over Working Families Party-backed candidate Alexander Caruso.
The fireman will face an uphill battle heading into November against controversial-yet-locally-beloved Republican Councilmember Vickie Paladino.
Paladino pulled in $48,134 in matching funds herself on Tuesday, which she can add on to a war chest already more than five times larger than Chou’s.
While the Council’s minority whip has stirred controversy for her social media activities, which recently include calling for Mamdani’s deportation and criticisms of a local activist whose boyfriend was murdered, she remains well-liked in her conservative district.
In 2023, she handedly defeated conservative Democrat Tony Avella in the general election.
In Flusing, City Councilmember Sandra Ung received the same amount of money as Paladino on Tuesday.
She has a general election against Republican Steven Wang, who received $44,422 on Tuesday.
Conservative party candidate Allen Wang was denied matching funds for failing to meet the threshold.
Fresh off a primary victory, incumbent Councilmember Shekar Krishnan was given $28,766 in his general election bid against Republican Ramses Frias, who was denied matching funds for failing to meet the threshold.
Councilmember Lynn Schulman got the largest payout of any Queens council candidates with $192,534 in matching funds.
She is running against Republican John David Rinaldi, a perennial candidate known for his harassment of opponents and political rivals.
Rinaldi was denied funds for a host of reasons involving missing and incorrect documents.
Republican candidate for Bob Holden’s District 30, Alicia Vaichunas, did not receive funds time due to an overpayment in a previous payout. Her opponent and co-worker, Democrat Phil Wong, was not given any matching funds on Tuesday.
In his continued efforts to be elected mayor, Mamdani was given $1,097,653 in matching funds.
Three of his competitors – former Governor Andrew Cuomo, Mayor Eric Adams and Guardian Angels Founder Curtis Sliwa – did not get any matching funds.
Cuomo, who only officially relaunched his campaign on Monday, reportedly did not file for the funds, and Sliwa did not meet the threshold.
The CFB is continuing its withholding of funds from the current mayor due to their belief he may have violated the law during his last campaign and for his failure to hand over needed documentation to prove otherwise.
“Because the documents and information requested from the Adams campaign are still outstanding, the Board determined today that Mayor Adams’ campaign has failed to demonstrate eligibility for public funds payment at this time,” said CFB Chair Frederick Schaffer. “Our priority remains achieving an equitable and transparent democracy that is accountable to all New Yorkers."
Adams sued the CFB, but on Friday, Brooklyn federal Judge Nicholas Garfaufis shot down the suit and sided with the finance board.
Independent candidate and former prosecutor Jim Walden was given $135,386 for his mayoral campaign.
Citywide, the CFB awarded $3,334,194 in matching funds to 40 candidates.
