These NYC Council challengers are fundraising aggressively

New York City Mayor Eric Adams isn’t the only politician with challengers breathing down his neck. A number of incumbent City Council members will be facing challengers next year, and like the mayor’s opponents, several of those candidates aren’t waiting to get a jump start on fundraising. 

Democrat Maya Kornberg, who has yet to officially launch her campaign, has nearly matched incumbent Democratic City Council Member Shahana Hanif’s total fundraising, bringing in $38,375 in donations since late July, putting her neck-and-neck with Hanif’s $38,575 total haul, before matching funds. Kornberg, a researcher at the Brennan Center, is expected to mount a competitive challenge to Hanif, a democratic socialist who was first elected in the South Brooklyn district in 2021. “We’ve raised nearly $40,000 while rejecting contributions from real estate developers, corporate lobbyists, charter school executives, and more,” Hanif said in a statement. “Over the past decade, I’ve worked alongside my neighbors to create a more affordable and progressive Brooklyn, and I truly appreciate their support.”

As Jewish Insider reported in August, Hanif, the first Muslim woman elected to the City Council, has drawn criticism from some Jewish constituents in her district. At issue is her criticism of Israel’s war in Gaza and what they see as a lack of concern for antisemitism in the district. Hanif has said that fighting antisemitism is a “central” focus of her work. Kornberg received donations from some of Hanif’s most vocal critics on that topic, including Andres Spokoiny, who wrote an op-ed criticizing Hanif, and activist Joni Kletter. In a statement, Kornberg said that she had been asked to consider running for City Council, but didn’t specify by whom. “I have been humbled by the outpouring of support for a vision of common-sense progressive leadership, especially from my neighbors in every corner of the 39th Council District,” she said. “I’m so grateful for my community's support, and look forward to making an official announcement about my campaign in the coming months.”

In lower Manhattan, Democratic Council Member Chris Marte also faces a challenge from Democrat Jess Coleman, who’s building a YIMBY campaign against the incumbent council member. Marte maintains a lead in fundraising following the last period, with nearly $55,000 raised total, but Coleman slightly outpaced the incumbent in the most recent fundraising period, bringing in roughly $23,000 to Marte’s roughly $19,000 between July and October. Coleman’s haul was helped by his $1,175 donation to his own campaign.

A challenger to Democratic Council Member Pierina Sanchez also flexed some fundraising muscle in that period, but fell short of Sanchez, who brought in nearly $50,000 in the last fundraising period alone. Former City Council Member Fernando Cabrera, a conservative Democrat and the former representative in the Bronx’s 14th City Council district, opened an account to run against Sanchez over the summer and has raised nearly $29,000. Bryan Hodge Vasquez, who previously worked in the council and state Supreme Court, is also running in the district. He has been fundraising since 2022 and has raised a total of roughly $17,000. 

Edafe Okporo, an immigration advocate and refugee, has raised just over $27,000 in his challenge to Democrat Shaun Abreu in Upper Manhattan since last November, including roughly $9,000 in the most recent period. Abreu maintains a strong lead in fundraising with over $96,000 raised, including nearly $19,000 in the most recent period.