With all due respect to Rep. Hakeem Jeffries – who’s been going through a rough patch in Washington, D.C. – no Black politico can match state Attorney General Letitia James’ level of power and popularity in New York.
So as Black History Month kicks off and as City & State recognizes dozens of Black Trailblazers in this issue, it’s the right time to look at the latest reason no Democrat is even daring to challenge James’ reelection this year: her absolutely bonkers fundraising report.
James got campaign donations from more than 107,000 people in the past six months, netting more than $3.6 million. With more than 150,000 contributions, her haul practically crashed the state Board of Elections’ website.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s incredible fundraising effort attracted just under 41,000 donors over the course of the campaign. James did more than double in half the time without a real opponent.
Her trick? She spent a ton on fundraising. James’ campaign paid $1.8 million to Anne Lewis Strategies for digital advertising and donor lists. It got her national attention – just 18% of the contributions came from New York.
But the real trick, of course, was getting indicted for mortgage fraud by President Donald Trump’s Department of Justice. The case was brought for political retribution – Trump didn’t even try to hide it – and the facts were so weak that grand juries wouldn’t bite after the original case was tossed.
James beamed about the small-dollar haul last week. “Individuals,” she said, “not only in New York, but all across this nation, don’t support the weaponization of government.”