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Yang Reaches NYC Matching Funds Threshold In Less Than A Month
By
Elizabeth Kim
Published Feb 14, 2021
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Lev Radin/Pacific Press/Shutterstock
By
Elizabeth Kim
Published Feb 14, 2021
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Andrew Yang has qualified for the city's generous matching funds by raising at least $250,000 from a minimum of 1,000 New York City donors, the campaign announced Sunday.
The campaign said it has raised over $1 million from all donors, including New Yorkers and non-city residents. Roughly 11,000 people have donated in less than a month, a speed that the campaign touted in its memo. Should the city Campaign Finance Board independently verify Yang's numbers, it can position Yang to receive over $2 million in public funds.
"We are the fastest campaign to ever reach the matching threshold," wrote campaign managers Sasha Ahuja and Chris Coffey. "We have scaled up in under 30 days with an average contribution of just $84, significantly below the other perceived frontrunners."
The news about Yang's fundraising progress was first reported on Sunday afternoon by Politico.
Anthony Mercurio, a Democratic strategist, also tweeted details about the campaign's fundraising in a tweet.
Once the CFB confirms the fundraising numbers, Yang would join fellow candidates Eric Adams, Scott Stringer and Maya Wiley in qualifying for matching funds. Under the city's matching funds program, every dollar a New York City resident contributes, or up to $250, to a campaign, is matched by eight dollars in public funds, for a maximum of $2,000 per donor.
Yang was a proven fundraiser during his presidential candidacy, outraising his rivals in the last quarter of 2019. But some had wondered whether the excitement over Yang's presidential campaign would carry over into a mayoral campaign in New York City. Sunday's news, as well as a recent poll that put Yang far ahead of the pack in terms of both name recognition and favorability, suggests that it has.
But others have warned against relying on polls this early in a primary race.
"The reality is folks are going to tune in later," Neal Kwatra, a Democratic political consultant who is not working with any of the campaigns, told Gothamist last week.
Yang tested positive for coronavirus earlier this month and has been mostly absent from mayoral forums.
Tagged
mayoral election
fundraising
election 2021
Elizabeth Kim
Elizabeth Kim is a reporter on the People and Power desk who covers mayoral power. She previously covered the pandemic, housing, redevelopment and public spaces. A native of Queens, she speaks fluent Mandarin. Got a tip? Email [email protected]
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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