Gov. Kathy Hochul has a record-breaking amount of campaign cash as she heads into the final stretch of reelection race against Republican Bruce Blakeman.
Hochul announced raising $8.5 million over the summer months between her campaign and the state Democratic Party’s account, bringing her combined total to $33 million cash-on-hand ahead of November’s midterm election.
The combined cash haul is a record breaker at this point of a gubernatorial campaign, Hochul’s campaign said.
“Governor Hochul’s campaign and the state Democratic Party are headed into the final stretch of this race with unprecedented firepower,” Hochul campaign manager Preston Elliott said in a statement.
Her campaign has yet to file full disclosure reports with the state Board of Elections, but said the governor had 17,800 individual donors, “more than quadruple that number for this filing period in 2022,” when Hochul secured her first four-year term after taking over the seat when former Gov. Andrew Cuomo resigned in 2021.
Despite Hochul’s deep pockets, Blakeman has reduced her lead, with some polls having him within single digits of the Democrat.
A Siena University poll of likely voters released last week showed Hochul beating Blakeman 50% to 41%.
The GOP’s 2022 gubernatorial nominee, Lee Zeldin, was polling at 17% behind Hochul at that time before going on to narrow that gap to 6% on Election Day, with Blakeman supporters predicting he could similarly close the gap.
Blakeman, who is now serving as Nassau County executive, has yet to release his most recent fundraising numbers.
Filings are due to the state Board of Elections on Friday.
Election Day is Nov. 3.
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