Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY) is getting desperate as his Democratic primary rival has taken a commanding lead in the race for the New York congressional seat.
Nadler’s opponent, incumbent Democrat Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), has a huge financial advantage heading into the August 23 primary.
Following the redistricting process, Nadler was doomed after he was forced to go head-to-head against Maloney for her long-held seat.
Nadler got screwed by redistricting and now has a tough primary against Maloney.
Maloney is one of the richest members of Congress.
She loaned her campaign $900,000 in the second quarter to give her a massive lead over Nadler heading into the primary.
And in real bad news for Nadler, the incumbent has plenty more where that came from.
Maloney has $2 million in the bank heading into the primary with the ability to bury Nadler under the weight of her fortune if she needs to.
Desperate Nadler is now limping to the finish line by begging small donors for dollars.
“There was never a doubt that I would continue to fight for the people in my district,” Maloney said of the race in New York’s 12th Congressional District.
“Thus, I decided to use some of my retirement savings to invest in this campaign.”
Her spokesman later clarified and said this was from her House retirement account (so we are funding it in some way and if this money sends Nadler home it may be the best money the government has spent in 20 years).
Nadler, 75, reported only $500,000 in contributions in the second quarter and has the not-gonna-get-it-done amount of $1.2 million cash on hand.
The career politician said of his cash crunch:
“I’m the son of a chicken farmer—no fortune over here!
“I’m feeling great about the energy and support my grassroots campaign is building—New Yorkers are fired up.
“Every dollar goes a long way: chip in here and join Team Nadler!”
I’m feeling great about the energy and support my grassroots campaign is building—New Yorkers are fired up. Every dollar goes a long way: chip in here and join Team Nadler! https://t.co/kS3jCJ60l9
— Jerry Nadler (@JerryNadler) July 18, 2022
According to The New York Times:
A third candidate campaigning on a platform of generational change, Suraj Patel, ended the quarter with about half that amount of cash, filings show.
Mr. Patel blasted both his opponents for accepting campaign contributions from corporate donors, a practice he avoids. “The 60 years of incumbency in this race are desperate to hold onto their seats,” he said.
Ms. Maloney’s loan came in late May, after New York’s courts had invalidated congressional districts drawn by Democrats in Albany, and unexpectedly drew replacements that combined her longtime district rooted on the East Side of Manhattan with Mr. Nadler’s on the West Side.
The same reshuffling created an outright melee among more than a dozen Democrats in the neighboring 10th District, which stretches from Lower Manhattan into Brooklyn.
