NEW YORK (BLOOMBERG) -- Mayor Eric Adams raised more than $1 million for his reelection effort in a single night at a fundraiser in Manhattan, his campaign said.
The fundraiser Wednesday at One Madison, a building owned by SL Green Realty Corp., was attended by several hundred people and more than 800 donated, according to a person familiar with the matter. The event was led by SL Green Chairman Marc Holliday, who had previously donated to a PAC backing former Governor Andrew Cuomo in last month’s Democratic primary for mayor.
The haul is a stark turnaround for Adams, who in March reported raising a little more than $18,000 over a two-month period — the lowest among the multiple candidates then running for mayor.
He dropped out of the Democratic primary in April amid a bribery scandal, low poll numbers and criticism over his relationship with President Donald Trump. But in recent weeks, his campaign has gotten a boost from donors and business leaders opposed to Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani.
Attendees included other executives from the real estate industry like Related Cos CEO Jeff Blau and Joseph Moinian, chief executive officer of the Moinian Group, the person said. A representative from Adams’ campaign said the event was also attended by celebrity Dr. Phil.
Cuomo’s loss in the primary to Mamdani, a democratic socialist and Queens Assembly member, has shocked New York City’s establishment. While some of Cuomo’s backers have pivoted to supporting Adams in November due to the former governor’s lackluster performance, Cuomo remains in the race on an independent ballot line.
Former Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, the founder and majority owner of Bloomberg News parent Bloomberg LP, endorsed Cuomo in the primary and contributed to his PAC.
Adams on Thursday slammed Cuomo for potentially splitting the vote against Mamdani, telling Bloomberg Radio: “He created this scenario that created an opportunity to divide the vote instead of being unified.”
Still, Adams said that only a fraction of voters participated in the Democratic primary, and his campaign plans to register 1 million new voters and campaign for independent votes. He said the passionate opposition to Mamdani, who campaigned to freeze rents while raising taxes on the wealthy, will ultimately propel him to victory.
“I have never, in all my years of politics, have witnessed the level of energy that people are mobilizing to stop the primary winner from becoming the mayor of the city,” Adams said.
A new PAC called “New Yorkers for a Better Future Mayor 25” plans to raise $20 million to attack Mamdani ahead of the November election, the Wall Street Journal reported Thursday.