New yr, new probability for New York Metropolis candidates to vie for energy within the 2025 citywide elections, with the largest, most controversial contender being the incumbent Mayor Eric Adams. He will likely be battling a variety of opponents to maintain his place at Metropolis Corridor, together with a rumored former governor.
The Mayoral Race
Greater than 30 individuals have filed to run for mayor this yr, although most of them haven’t certified for the New York Marketing campaign Finance Board’s (NYCCFB) public matching funds program as a result of they haven’t raised sufficient cash. Right here’s who the largest fundraisers are to date, in keeping with NYCCFB newest filings:
Eric Adams
Adams, the second Black man to be town’s Mayor, is busy juggling the scandal of his upcoming federal marketing campaign fraud trial this April, and sustaining a functioning metropolis authorities, and campaigning on the similar time. “I did nothing flawed. I mustn’t have been charged. My lawyer goes to hunt justice wherever potential,” stated Adams at his in-person convention on Jan. 13.
He added that “the current announcement of somebody who pled responsible as my lawyer stated, we’ve got discovery from the federal authorities. And in that discovery, this individual said, over and over, that Eric didn’t know something about this.” Erlene King, a marketing campaign treasurer for a 2021 Brooklyn Borough President candidate, is the most recent to plead responsible to a straw donor scheme that stole $400,000 in matching funds from NYCCFB. Although technically unrelated to Adams’s case, it’s onerous to disregard the marketing campaign fraud in each conditions.Adams maintained that his core supporters are nonetheless very a lot there for him. Regardless of being denied matching funds final month and this month attributable to non-compliance, he has a marketing campaign warfare chest of $4,140,709.
Metropolis Comptroller Brad Lander
Lander, a staunch progressive going all the way in which again to his metropolis council days, kicked off his mayoral marketing campaign with a fundraising occasion at Brooklyn Bowl in Williamsburg this month. He loved the help of elected officers like longtime pal Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, Brooklyn Borough President (BP) Antonio Reynoso, and State Senator Liz Krueger. He was awarded $2,977,758 in public matching funds this week. His marketing campaign estimates that he has raised $5.4 million in whole, together with direct contributions and matching funds.
“This unbelievable response reveals that New Yorkers are hungry for sincere, efficient management,” stated Lander. “I’m proud to have earned probably the most grassroots help and to have certified for the biggest matching funds cost, which can be sure that we’ve got the sources to talk on to voters within the coming months about our plans to ship a safer, extra inexpensive, better-run metropolis for all New Yorkers.”
As Comptroller, Lander lately launched the Safer For All: A Plan to Finish Avenue Homelessness for Folks with Critical Psychological Sickness in NYC report, which prioritizes housing and entry to psychological well being as a technique to fight road homelessness.
Former Metropolis Comptroller Scott Stringer
Stringer is mounting his second try at working for mayor after dropping to Adams in 2021. He has three a long time of public service as a state assemblymember, Manhattan borough president, and former comptroller. He says he’s laser-focused on restoring “competent management” to Metropolis Corridor.
“Our marketing campaign has continued to usher in the sources we have to run a profitable race and share my imaginative and prescient for New York’s future,” stated Stringer in an announcement. “New Yorkers know our metropolis is at a crossroads. They’re prepared for a reformer and chief who can get authorities working for everybody as an alternative of the mayor’s cronies and ship actual options to the key challenges town faces. The strong help we’ve acquired is a testomony to the religion New Yorkers have in our potential to steer and ship outcomes — not bravado and empty guarantees.”
He was the one mayoral candidate to be awarded matching funds from the NYCCFB in December 2024 and January 2025. He acquired $2,088,571 within the first spherical and $68,552 in public matching funds within the second spherical.
Brooklyn State Senator Zellnor Myrie
Myrie has been hitting the marketing campaign path onerous for the reason that 2024 elections wrapped. As a senator, he lately “stepped apart” as Elections Committee Chair and is now heading the Senate Codes Committee this yr, which oversees issues associated to legal justice, the penal regulation, and civil rights legal guidelines. He launched Senate Invoice S613 this session, which might give state prosecutors’ workplaces entry to regulation enforcement information for discovery functions, making certain that defendants have an opportunity to look at proof that may very well be used in opposition to them.
“New Yorkers from throughout all 5 boroughs are coming collectively to help Zellnor as a result of they’re prepared for recent, new management in Metropolis Corridor. Zellnor is severe about making our metropolis livable and inexpensive — which is why he’s the one candidate who has launched a plan to deal with the housing scarcity head on,” stated Myrie’s spokesperson Monica Klein.
Queens State Senator Jessica Ramos
Ramos is without doubt one of the solely feminine mayoral candidates main from the entrance this yr. She is a fierce advocate for working households and a proud daughter of Colombian immigrants who grew up in Astoria, Queens.
As a senator, she raised the minimal wage, led the cost to outlaw exploitative work practices, and secured reduction help for excluded employees in the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. She lately introduced a plan to broaden the Summer time Youth Employment Program (SYEP) right into a year-round useful resource and joined advocates in pushing for common childcare.
“I do know as a mother of a preteen and teenager that our youngsters are nonetheless recovering mentally and emotionally from the pandemic. Giving them year-round alternatives to discover their metropolis, study new abilities, and develop social and sensible abilities that can set them up for a lifetime of success goes to do wonders for his or her confidence and outlook. It’s additionally going to maintain them busy and off the road,” stated Ramos in an announcement.
Wildcard Mayoral Candidates
In each election there are at the least a number of candidates — like Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani, former Bronx Assemblymember Michael Blake, and former Governor Andrew Cuomo — that may throw in a monkey wrench, and even make use of the most effective marketing campaign methods.
Cuomo hasn’t formally introduced his marketing campaign but, however is predicted to launch it in February with the assistance of longtime colleague and political guide Charlie King. Cuomo has been such a looming shadow over the mayoral election that he’s inexplicably main within the polls with out having formally entered the race. Like Adams, Cuomo has additionally explicitly denied any wrongdoing within the sexual harassment allegations that finally led to his compelled resignation in 2021.
Mamdani has positioned himself as a progressive Muslim who isn’t afraid to talk out on worldwide affairs and needs to make town extra inexpensive. “Metropolis Corridor is engulfed in corruption however the price of residing is the true disaster. New Yorkers are being crushed by lease and childcare, the slowest buses within the nation are robbing us of our time and sanity, and dealing individuals are being pushed out of town they constructed,” stated Mamdani in an announcement. “I’m working for Mayor to place metropolis authorities to work decreasing prices and making our lives simpler.” His marketing campaign stated he has raised $642,339 in contributions.
Blake, who’s founder and CEO of the KAIROS: Democracy Challenge, formally introduced his mayoral bid in December 2024. As a White Home aide to former President Barack Obama, Blake helped implement the Reasonably priced Care Act and enhance alternatives for small, minority, and women-owned companies. His mayoral platform is concentrated on addressing the affordability disaster and making town safer.
Metropolis Comptroller Race
This yr’s comptroller race can be fairly heated. Primary candidates embody Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine, Brooklyn Councilmember Justin Brannan, governmental liaison Ismael Malave-Perez, Queens Assemblymember Jenifer Rajkumar, and Brooklyn Senator Kevin Parker.
Levine’s marketing campaign acquired $1,234,914 in matching funds this week. He was endorsed by BP Reynoso; Councilmembers Erik Bottcher, Shekar Krishnan, Shaun Abreu, and Julie Gained; and Assemblymembers Brian Cunningham and Maritza Davila. “Whether or not it’s endorsements, fundraising, or grassroots enthusiasm, there is just one candidate with momentum on this race, and that’s Mark Levine,” stated his marketing campaign supervisor Matt Rubin in an announcement.
Rajkumar kicked off her marketing campaign at The Palace in Woodside, Queens, final yr. She is working to make historical past as the primary South Asian and first lady of shade to be comptroller. Within the meeting, she handed the historic Diwali Faculty Vacation invoice and the SMOKEOUT Act to shut unlawful weed retailers. She goals to crack down on e-bikes and recidivism, shut the gender wage hole, enhance entry to inexpensive housing, and safeguard pension fund property for present and retired metropolis staff.
Borough President Races
Brooklyn
Present BP Reynoso has raised $209,359 in contributions for his reelection marketing campaign. He’s going through two challengers, each of whom he defeated in 2021.
Khari Edwards is a head of company and social accountability at AYR Wellness Inc, a multi-state hashish dispensary firm, and was the primary vp of shade for exterior affairs at Brookdale Hospital in Brownsville. His marketing campaign has raised $129,054, with $17,979 coming in throughout this submitting interval at a median contribution of $76.
“Since we started this journey, the help has been extraordinary. Greater than half of our contributions have come from new donors who consider in our message: that each neighborhood, each neighborhood deserves the eye of a Borough President,” stated Edwards proudly. “The message from Brooklynites is evident: it’s time for a change in management, and collectively, we’re constructing a imaginative and prescient that ensures each voice is heard and each neighborhood thrives.”
Shanduke McPhatter, founder at Gangstas Making Astronomical Neighborhood Adjustments Inc. (G-M.A.C.C), can be listed as making one other run at being an elected official.
The BronxCurrent BP Vanessa Gibson, after a prolonged profession in politics, turned the primary lady and Black individual to carry her place in 2020. Her primary opponent is Metropolis Councilmember Rafael Salamanca, who ran briefly for Bronx BP as effectively in 2020 however ended up dropping out of the race to safe his reelection to his metropolis council seat.
Gibson has acquired $261,994 in non-public funds and $365,898 in public funds. At current, Salamanca is outraising Gibson with $505,982 in non-public funds.
“As Bronx Borough President, Rafael Salamanca Jr. will remodel the Bronx into a spot the place households can afford to dwell, work, and thrive,” stated Salamanca’s marketing campaign. “By means of strategic land use advocacy, daring finances investments, and deep neighborhood partnerships, Rafael will battle to ship inexpensive housing, safer streets, revitalized neighborhoods, and expanded alternatives. His management guarantees a cleaner, safer, extra inexpensive Bronx for all.”
