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Former Democratic Rep. Mondaire Jones raised $1.15 million in the third quarter of 2023 for his congressional comeback attempt in New York, has campaign told NBC News.
He has $840,000 cash on hand, his campaign added.
The substantial sum comes as Jones seeks to consolidate Democratic support in a primary that includes former school board member Liz Whitmer Gereghty — the sister of Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer — and Bedford councilwoman MaryAnn Carr.
The winner is expected to face first-term Republican Rep. Mike Lawler, who sits in a district that President Joe Biden won in 2020 and is seen by Democrats as a top target next fall. It includes swaths of liberal-leaning Westchester County and conservative-leaning Rockland County. Lawler narrowly defeated former Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney, then the chair of Democrats’ campaign arm, in 2022.
Jones, meanwhile, was redistricted out of his old seat in 2022 and made an unsuccessful primary bid for a Manhattan district. He’s now running to recapture an area that includes much of his old district by unseating Lawler.
Jones touted "over 120 local endorsements" in a statement and said "81% of our contributions have been $250 and under."
“New Yorkers are tired of the GOP’s inability to govern,” Jones said, saying that if elected he’d push to lower prescription drug costs, defend abortion rights, controlling assault weapons and “good-paying jobs” if sent back to Congress.
