Incumbent 35th District City Councilmember Letitia (Tish) James has caught up and surpassed her upstart challenger Delia (Dee) Hunley−Adossa in money−rasing for the September Democratic primary.
According to the city’s Campaign Finance Board, James raised $14,230 and spent $1,311 in the period ending May 15, while Hunley−Adossa raised $12,123 and spent $6,883.
In March, after the last filing period, Hunley−Adossa netted $5,200 while James only had $500.
According to New York City Campaign Finance law, City Council candidates can receive an extra $6 for every $1 of campaign contributions collected by city residents.
The first $175 of any contributions are available for these matching funds.
With the summer approaching, it’s the candidates’ goal to get enough matching funds that will leap−frog them to the $161,000 cap candidates can spend on a primary.
The matching funds are dispersed in July after the petitioning period ends and candidates are officially on the ballot.
Both James and Hunley−Adossa are popular and active figures in the district, which includes Clinton Hill and Fort Greene, and parts of Crown Heights, Prospect Heights and Bedford−Stuyvesant.
The key difference between the two is that Hunley−Adossa supports the Atlantic Yards project while James opposes it.
Thus, a look at individual contributions reveal that Hunley−Adossa has received several contributions from construction unions that support the project.
Conversely, James received support from several individuals and organizations that are against the project.
