Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Insiders: Paterson Has So Little Money He's A "Dead Duck"
By
Ben Muessig
Published Feb 1, 2010
Modified Feb 7, 2010
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Ben Muessig
Published Feb 1, 2010
Modified Feb 7, 2010
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
The state's budget might be the least of Governor Paterson's monetary woes. New filings reveal that Paterson has just $620,000 in available cash to spend on the upcoming Democratic primary, while his likely rival Attorney General Andrew Cuomo has a whopping $12 million on hand. With Cuomo sitting on nearly 20 times as much money as Paterson, insiders are already saying the Governor doesn't stand a chance. "A governor with $600,000 on hand less than a year before the general election is a dead duck," said Democratic political consultant Hank Sheinkopf.
The Daily News notes that Paterson's cash on hand couldn't even cover the cost of a week of TV spots, and "[i]f Paterson keeps spending at this rate and doesn't manage to raise sufficient cash to cover his costs, his campaign committee could go broke before the end of next month." So far, Paterson's campaign has spent nearly $3 million on an early TV ad campaign that helped improve his approval rating. But polls have indicated that voters support Cuomo by a ratio of 4:1.
Paterson, however, is confident he'll remain in office. The Governor gathered supporters including Rep. Charlie Rangel, former Mayor David Dinkins, and failed mayoral candidate and former Comptroller Bil Thompson in Harlem yesterday to draft a "winning strategy." Paterson's campaign manager, Richard Fife, says money isn't a worry. "Since the first of the year, we have brought in more than $1 million, and we now have 38 major events either on the schedule or awaiting confirmation of a date," Fife said. "That's more than the entire last period. We will have what we need to win this race."
Tagged
andrew cuomo
attorney general cuomo
cash
cash on hand
Cuomo
david paterson
governor
governor paterson
money
paterson
Politics
Ben Muessig
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Forest Hills Stadium can keep its concerts under deal with neighbors
Neighbors had complained of traffic and loud concerts for years.
By
Ryan Kost
Published Oct 22, 2026 at 2:49 p.m. ET
NYC Council to grill Mamdani officials on collapsed Hunts Point Produce Market deal
Council Speaker Julie Menin called the $650 million plan "mission critical."
By
Elizabeth Kim
News
NYC Council to grill Mamdani officials on collapsed Hunts Point Produce Market deal
Council Speaker Julie Menin called the $650 million plan "mission critical."
By
Elizabeth Kim
NYPD arrests 17-year-old in fatal Midtown subway platform shooting
By
Charles Lane
Ex-Adams aide accused of pocketing kickbacks from community program funds
By
Samantha Max
MTA to begin 6-year project to upgrade signal tech on A and C lines in Brooklyn and Queens
By
Ramsey Khalifeh
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .