NEW YORK – The Campaign Finance Board awarded City Comptroller Brad Lander just under $3 million in public matching funds on Wednesday.
That payment strengthened the left-wing Democrat’s decision to run against New York Mayor Eric Adams and corrected an embarrassing paperwork error that prevented millions of dollars from reaching his campaign coffers last month.
“This incredible response shows that New Yorkers are hungry for honest, effective leadership,” Lander said in a statement.
Wednesday’s award injects much-needed money into Lander’s political operation just as the race begins in earnest. Although the former Brooklyn councilman had raised nearly $1 million in contributions as of Oct. 7, he had less than $279,338 in his savings account, according to Finance Board data. The board will release updated fundraising numbers from Lander and the rest of the field on Wednesday. Prior to that amendment, Lander’s campaign said he raised another $218,299, which the team projected would raise about $1 million once the matching money is awarded.
Lander is considered a leading challenger to Adams, a moderate Democrat who faces a difficult path to re-election. And despite his long history of championing progressive policies, the comptroller recently unveiled a plan to end street homelessness, putting him in the company of other left-wing officials who are in the center when it comes to the concerns of New Yorkers about crime.
Despite Lander’s status as a serious candidate for Gracie Mansion — and the city’s top number cruncher — his campaign failed to qualify for public matching funds last month after missing a crucial paperwork deadline.
In addition to Lander, the increasingly crowded mayoral field increasingly includes former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who recently topped the poll of likely voters but has not officially entered the race, and former Comptroller Scott Stringer, who was the first candidate to qualify for public matching funds.
On Wednesday, the board also awarded Stringer another $68,500.
