NY-GOV: Flush with donations, Hochul opts out of NY matching funds for re-election campaign
Sitting on a solid fund-raising lead, Gov. Kathy Hochul’s campaign said Monday that it won’t tap public matching funds as she seeks a second full term.
Hochul, a Democrat, said she made the decision not to opt into the program to save taxpayer money. Statewide candidates can get more than $3 million through the program, which is in place for the first time in a gubernatorial election this year.
“Gov. Hochul is proud to be able to decline taxpayer dollars that could be better used to fund programs that put more money in New Yorkers’ pockets, using every available resource to lower costs — just like she’s been doing for years,” campaign spokesperson Sarafina Chitika said in a statement.
Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, the Republican candidate, has registered for the matching funds program but doesn’t appear to have met the threshold requirements to participate. His campaign attacked Hochul’s decision.
https://gothamist.com/news/flush-with-donations-hochul-opts-out-of-ny-matching-funds-for-re-election-campaign